Akerman announced today that June Yeum has joined the firm’s Litigation Practice Group as a partner in New York, where she will serve as co-chair of the International Litigation and Arbitration Practice alongside Luis A. Perez. Her arrival strengthens the firm’s alternative dispute resolution capabilities for companies with interests in Asia, particularly its ability to serve Asia-headquartered multinational companies as Asian nations move forward with significant planned investment in the United States.
June’s arrival expands Akerman's established work with companies across Asia, including through the firm's Japan Sector Team, which advises Japanese companies on cross-border transactions, disputes, and regulatory matters. She brings strong relationships with major Korean companies and more than 25 years of experience handling high-value disputes spanning the United States and Asia. At Akerman, she will work with lawyers across the firm’s practices to advise Asian companies doing business in the United States. Drawing on her extensive experience managing disputes seated in Asian jurisdictions, she will also assist U.S.-based clients in navigating legal proceedings throughout Asia.
“As Korean investment in the United States grows, so will the need for counsel who can protect those investments and navigate complex cross-border disputes,” said Lawrence P. Rochefort, chair of Akerman’s Litigation Practice Group. “June has spent her career resolving high-stakes disputes for companies doing business between the United States and Asia, with particular depth in Korea. She is a strategic addition to our International Litigation and Arbitration Practice and will further strengthen our ability to serve clients throughout Asia.”
June works as both advocate and decision-maker. As lead counsel, she represents clients in international arbitration and related court proceedings and advises them on dispute avoidance, early resolution, and dispute management. She also serves as an arbitrator in commercial matters. Her work centers on energy, infrastructure, construction, technology, licensing, and commercial contracts.
Her arbitrator appointments include the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC),American Arbitration Association (AAA), International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) and Korea Commercial Arbitration Board, as well as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). She is also a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a panelist under the KORUS Free Trade Agreement between the United States and South Korea. She is admitted to practice before the Singapore International Commercial Court.
“My clients face disputes that cross borders, legal systems, and cultures, and they need counsel who can follow those disputes wherever they lead,” said June. “Akerman’s national presence and full range of practices make that possible, from a company’s first U.S. investment through any dispute that follows. I’m excited to bring my cross-border experience to Akerman and help clients navigate complex matters across the United States and Asia.”
She joins a practice that represents multinational, foreign, and domestic corporations and individuals in disputes throughout Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East, across sectors including power and energy, construction and engineering, and corporate and commercial issues. The firm’s broader International Practice has experience in more than 35 countries and is ranked by Chambers USA, Chambers Latin America, and Chambers Global for its work in international arbitration.
June has been recognized by Chambers Global, Chambers Asia-Pacific, and The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, is listed in Best Lawyers for International Arbitration – Commercial, and is named a Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer.
She is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where she has taught international arbitration since 2022. She has spoken at arbitration conferences across the Asia-Pacific region and the United States, including in Melbourne, Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur, as well as in New York, Dallas, Chicago and Boston.
About Akerman
Founded in 1920, Akerman is an Am Law 100 firm recognized by Vault among the nation’s most prestigious law firms. The firm has more than 700 lawyers and business professionals throughout the United States.