Regulation, data, and cross-border operations push legal teams to move beyond traditional risk management. Companies now expect legal leaders to interpret rules, drive growth, and unite teams across functions and regions. At LG Chem, this shift shapes the work of Lawrence ‘Larry’ Kim, Senior Legal Counsel, who works at the intersection of business strategy, compliance, and execution.
Larry stepped into a role that shows how legal functions evolve alongside business needs. He manages major contracts, project development, and day-to-day legal matters for a small team. His responsibilities cover plant construction, employment, immigration, and litigation – often all at once. “With a lean team of five here in the US, you end up taking on a bit of everything,” he observes.
The scope connects directly to LG Chem’s US operations, as the company invests in advanced materials and manufacturing capacity. Larry’s current focus centers on a large construction project for battery materials that supply electric vehicle chains. “We’re building a billion-dollar plant in Tennessee for a battery cathode material facility,” he shares.
LG Chem growth engine
LG Chem’s reach spans petrochemicals, plastics, life sciences, and advanced materials. That variety shapes the legal challenges Larry faces. “LG Chem is a very diverse business,” he points out. The company’s history of petrochemicals continues to influence its operations, even as new investments expand into other sectors. “We’re expanding into life sciences and investing in cancer medications and treatments,” he adds.
At the same time, LG Chem develops materials that help advance energy transition priorities. “We invest in advanced materials, including battery components,” Larry remarks. That work ties directly to manufacturing operations and end markets that rely on steady supply chains. His portfolio includes materials found in everyday products. “We produce plastics used in products like Lego, cars, and sealants. It’s a wide and varied manufacturing scope,” he observes.
The mix of sectors means legal work must address environmental regulations, commercial agreements, and product liability issues across regions. Larry focuses on aligning headquarters and local teams. He collaborates with colleagues in the US and stays connected with teams in Korea.
From courtroom to counsel
Larry didn’t take a linear path to this role. He started his career in public service after law school, working as a prosecutor. “I spent about a year building trust with the community, working with defendants, public defenders, and judges,” he remembers. That experience gave him a solid foundation in litigation and communication, which continues to shape his approach today.
He moved into in-house counsel early in his career. “A year into prosecution, I got a call from Hyundai Heavy Industries,” he shares. The company needed help with an environmental investigation. “We paid around $47 million in penalties, and I managed the post-settlement compliance period,” he explains.
The transition exposed him to litigation in a corporate setting. He worked on a products liability case that tested how organizations prepare for legal risk in US courts. “The plaintiffs were seeking $1.1 billion in damages,” he recalls. The case ended in the company’s favor. “We ultimately reached a complete defense verdict,” he shares.
After that, Larry joined Novelis, where he expanded his work across transactions, litigation, and sustainability projects. He took on corporate responsibilities that brought together legal, finance, and operations. “We were preparing to report on 1,200 different data points,” he mentions, describing ESG reporting. “I led that initiative at Novelis.”
Part of the mandate was to support a venture capital team that invested in manufacturing and recycling technologies. This experience added another dimension to his legal practice, linking contracts, strategy, and new tools.
LG Chem legal strategy
At LG Chem, Larry’s role reflects a shift in how legal teams now operate as business partners. He sees in-house counsel as part of the decision-making process, not just a final checkpoint. “Legal often focuses on risk management, but in-house teams need to show they can do more than say no,” he says.
That approach relies on trust, which grows over time. “You build trust so you can step back and look at the bigger picture,” he explains. He aims to turn legal analysis into business direction. “We outline risks and align a strategy with the business’s objectives.”
The legal team’s structure supports the alignment. LG Chem centralizes legal support within a business services model. “We provide centralized legal support from one office,” Larry explains. The setup enables the team to work across subsidiaries while maintaining a clear view of operations.
Within LG Chem’s global structure, coordination with headquarters is central to how the legal function operates. “The Korean legal team has invested a lot in us,” he observes. That support goes beyond oversight and allows direct collaboration on issues that cross jurisdictions. When questions arise in finance, HR, or regulatory compliance, the US team works closely with their Korean colleagues to align solutions. The structure ensures that local decisions reflect global standards and gives the US team access to specialized expertise throughout the organization.
AI in legal work
Technology now shapes how Larry manages both workload and strategy. The legal team integrates artificial intelligence into everyday processes to boost efficiency. “We’re rolling out Copilot and using it for drafting memos, emails, and contract reviews,” he comments. Other tools help with contract analysis and workflow management. “LG Chem Korea implemented a contract review tool called Luminance, and I’m working on rolling that out in the US,” he adds.
At the same time, he monitors how these tools interact with legal obligations. “The challenge is maintaining attorney-client privilege,” he cautions. The concern extends to how information is recorded and stored. “Some sensitive meetings should not use AI tools because those records could become discoverable.”
Data visibility also shapes his priorities. “We’re building dashboards to track contracts and identify delays and trends. That data helps make the team more efficient,” he points out.
Leadership through trust
Larry leads through relationships he builds across teams. His role involves coordinating with finance, HR, and IT, all of whom share a workspace with legal. “We sit in the same office as finance, HR, and IT,” he notes. That proximity supports open communication, yet it demands a deliberate effort to stay accessible. “If teams don’t trust you, they won’t come to you, and that creates bigger risks,” he explains. He addresses that risk by positioning legal as a problem-solving partner. “We focus on how to achieve their goals rather than blocking them,” he says.
Outside the company, Larry champions mentorship and professional development within the legal community. He serves as president of the Korean American Bar Association of Georgia. “Many underrepresented attorneys are first-generation and lack networks and guidance,” he asserts.
He views mentorship as a way to build access and support. “Our role as mentors is to guide them and show how to succeed,” he explains. His involvement extends to national organizations that connect professionals and students. Larry affirms, “We’re working at a national level to provide guidance and networking opportunities.”
Larry’s focus on alignment across teams reflects a perspective shaped across two cultures. He describes growing up between the US and Korea as having “two lives, one here in the US, one there in Korea.” That perspective now informs how he works across regions, connecting expectations from headquarters with the realities of operating in the United States, while building systems and teams that can carry that work forward.
Within LG Chem, his priorities for the coming year focus on scaling systems and strengthening team resources. “My focus is on efficiency and AI, including implementing Luminance and building Power BI dashboards,” he explains. He’s focus extends to building pipelines for future talent. “We’re developing a summer internship program and engaging more with local law students,” he notes.
Larry’s focus on alignment across teams reflects a perspective shaped across two cultures. He describes his upbringing as one in which he embraced both the US and Korea, drawing from each in different ways. Today, there is a certain symmetry in that experience as he works within a Korean company in a US context, bridging expectations across regions while helping the business move forward with clarity and consistency.
