Law&Company and 9 lawyers to appeal penalty by Korean Bar Association

A pedestrian passes by an advert of legal service app LawTalk in southern Seoul on Aug. 5, 2021. [YONHAP]

Law&Company will help nine lawyers appeal a decision made by the Korean Bar Association (KBA) to penalize them for using the LawTalk app, the company said Tuesday.

The bar association decided on Monday to fine nine lawyers up to 3 million won ($2,100) for violating the Attorney-at-law Act by using the LawTalk app to promote themselves.

The KBA has been warning lawyers not to use LawTalk or other platforms that connect them to users online for a paid price, but this is the first time the association is taking action.

KBA is a special association of lawyers that has legal rights to change some clauses of the Attorney-at-law Act, which means the penalty from the association is legally binding.

Lawyers subject to Monday’s decision will have to appeal to the Ministry of Justice. A board comprised of eight officials will review the case. If the decision is maintained, then the lawyers will have to take the Justice Ministry to court.

“We condemn the Korean Bar Association’s decision,” Law&Company said in a statement Tuesday.

“This goes against all the rulings that have come from the court, the Constitutional Court and the investigations made by prosecutors […] We will take all necessary measures to protect our member attorneys and appeal to the Justice of Ministry.”

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]