Jean Kim

Jean Kim is a principal in the Atlanta, Georgia, office of Jackson Lewis. She develops business-practical solutions for employers confronting international workplace law challenges including onboarding, compensation structure, performance management, transactional diligence and post-transaction workforce integration, and reductions in force.

Jean’s ability and desire to serve as an extension of her client’s team is evidenced in the experience she brings to the firm and international employment practice. Clients seek her counsel on all types of cross-border and global employment matters worldwide, whether outbound, inbound, or advising on U.S. matters for our international clients. Jean also leverages her experience in this practice by: 

• Developing and advising on efficient and pragmatic HR practices/approaches to lessen administrative burdens and increase positive employee experiences;
• Preparing contracts, handbooks, and corporate policies designed for worldwide as well as country-specific use; 
• Developing staffing solutions and helping clients manage costs and risks effectively, including those associated with tax, payroll, data, and employment-law compliance;
• Counseling employers regarding protection of proprietary information, data privacy, and administering restrictive covenants worldwide, helping clients achieve and administer global procedures as well as local compliance;
• Designing and executing customized global mobility programs and cross-border immigration risk profiling, and preparing all expatriate-related documentation;
• Helping clients resolve overseas employment disputes, defending companies in complex United States-based litigation with international issues and providing strategic direction on litigation overseas;
• Conducting internal/external investigations with cross-border considerations; and
• Driving matters related to M&A due diligence in acquisitions and workforce integration.

Jean has served in a senior in-house capacity, leading the Legal and People Experience team responsible for labor, employment, and immigration counseling and litigation within the U.S. and globally. In that role, Jean also managed the Environmental, Health and Safety team globally.

Jean was born in South Korea and raised both there and the U.S. Her practice is rooted in understanding not just differences and challenges from a legal perspective but also a cultural one. She believes that the country’s legal system is representative of their culture and history and understanding that is the first step in advising and counseling clients how to successfully manage a workforce in a certain market, whether stateside or abroad.