Patents & Utility Models
Invention consultations, prior-art searches, specification drafting and office-action responses, with claims drafted to be broad yet robust.
LEEIP PATENT LAW OFFICE · SINCE 2004
Turning ideas into
the strongest rights.
A patent law office in Gangnam, Seoul, for patents, trademarks and designs
We look closely at every idea, however small, from the client’s point of view and help turn it into rights that hold up in Korea and abroad.
Patents · Trademarks · Designs,
from initial IP consultation and filing to dispute resolution, licensing and monetization.
LEEIP protects the rights that carry this tradition of creation into today’s technologies and brands.
About
Seeing the world as it is, without prejudice, is where all creation begins.
Since its founding in 2004, LEEIP Patent Law Office has handled more than 3,500 patent, trademark and design filing, trial and litigation matters. Our standard is simple: understand the core of the technology precisely, weigh registrability and claim scope together, and secure rights that can actually be put to use.
Technology is expanding rapidly into AI, robotics, chemistry and the life sciences, biomimetics and blockchain. We remain true to our founding commitment, the best possible protection for our clients’ IP, while responding early to new technologies and to changes in the law.
Setting aside prejudice and preconception, we look closely at even the smallest idea from the client’s perspective and work to turn it into well-founded, enforceable rights.
Principal · Patent Attorney, LEEIP Patent Law Office
EDUCATION
- School of Applied Chemistry (now Chemical and Biological Engineering), College of Engineering, Seoul National University
CAREER
- Principal, LEEIP Patent Law Office
- Member, Korean Patent Attorneys Association (KPAA)
- Advisory Patent Attorney, Seoul Technopark
- Advisory Patent Attorney, Seoul Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Patent attorney for Seoul National University’s domestic and foreign filings
- Advisory Patent Attorney, Seoul National University of Science and Technology
- IP Counselor, Small and Medium Business Administration
PUBLICATIONS
- Case Studies in Patent Law (2001), author (IPnet)
- A Study of the Request for Correction System (2002), article
- IP Management for Small and Medium Enterprises (2006, KPAA), supervising editor
- IP Management for SMEs (2007, Seoul Chamber of Commerce and Industry course book), editor
LECTURES
- IP Management for SMEs (Seoul Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
- An Overview of IP for CEOs (Rotary Club)
- Technology Management and Patent Management (Seoul Technopark MOT Program)
- IP Management in Collaborative Projects (Cooperation Foundation for Large and Small Businesses)
- Strategic Patent Management (Seoul Technopolis general meeting)
- R&D and IP Strategy (Korea Women Venture Association)
20+ years
in IP practice since our founding in 2004
3,500+*
matters handled since 2004
* Total of filing, trial and litigation matters, excluding advisory and consulting work
Allowance rates*
Patents & Utility Models
88.9%
Designs
100%
Trademarks
85.0%
* Percentage of applications filed on behalf of clients through December 31, 2023 that received a decision to grant or register, including cases in which the registration fee was not subsequently paid and rights that were later abandoned or lapsed. Patents and utility models are counted together. Data as of October 8, 2026.
* Past results; they do not guarantee the outcome of any individual matter.
Practice
PRACTICE AREAS
From securing rights to using and defending them, we manage the entire life of your intellectual property under one roof.
Trademarks
Clearance searches, registrability opinions, filing and refusal responses, renewals and portfolio management to protect your brand.
Designs
Protection for product shapes and GUI designs, making strategic use of partial and related design registrations to deter imitation.
International Filings
PCT, Madrid and Hague applications, plus national and regional filings in the US, Europe (EPO), Japan and China through our network of foreign associates.
IP Trials, Appeals & Disputes
Appeals against decisions of rejection, invalidation and cancellation trials, trials to confirm the scope of rights, and responses to cease-and-desist letters.
IP Consulting
Patent landscaping, freedom-to-operate (FTO) and infringement analysis, design-arounds and IP strategy during R&D to support sound business decisions.
KEY TECHNOLOGY FIELDS
The newer the technology, the more precise the protection must be
In fast-moving fields, every matter is reviewed by a patent attorney who understands the substance of the technology.
- 01Chemistry & Life SciencesAdvanced materials, pharmaceuticals and biotech, chemical processes
- 02AI & SoftwareAI models, data processing, business methods
- 03Robotics & AutomationControl, sensors, industrial automation equipment
- 04BiomimeticsMaterials, structures, bio applications
- 05Blockchain & FintechDistributed ledgers, security, financial services
Process
HOW WE WORK
From consultation to registration, and from commercialization to litigation, we explain who handles each stage and how confidentiality is protected.
STEP 01
Consultation
Patent attorney and staff
A patent attorney or staff member listens to your idea and business goals and explains how to protect it and what it is likely to cost. Part of the consultation fee is credited if you instruct us.
STEP 02
Quote & Engagement
Patent attorney and staff
We quote our fees in advance based on the time needed for the prior-art review, the technical field, the difficulty of the matter and the completeness of the technical materials provided, and begin work upon receipt of payment.
STEP 03
Claim Strategy & Specification Drafting
Patent attorney + specialist with 10+ years’ experience
A patent attorney and a dedicated specialist with more than ten years’ experience draft the claims personally and prepare the specification together.
STEP 04
Prosecution
Patent attorney and staff
We analyze the grounds for rejection, explain the proposed response and its cost first, and prepare the response only with your approval.
STEP 05
Registration
After allowance, we advise you of the official registration fees and our registration (grant) fee and complete the registration.
FEES
How our fees are structured and when they arise.
| ConsultationConsultation fee | Partly credited against our fees if you instruct us. |
|---|---|
| FilingAttorney fee + official filing fees | Depends on the time needed for the prior-art review, the technical field, the difficulty of the matter and the completeness of the technical materials provided. |
| ProsecutionOffice action response fee | When a response is required, we advise you of the cost before proceeding. |
| RegistrationOfficial registration fees + our registration (grant) fee | Our registration (grant) fee is charged in accordance with the terms agreed at the outset, including those set out in our quotation. |
OUR COMMITMENTS
- 01We tell you about every cost before it arises and never proceed without your consent.
- 02Claims are drafted personally by a patent attorney together with a dedicated specialist with more than ten years’ experience.
- 03We are bound by professional confidentiality obligations under Korean law. If you request a consultation and pay the consultation fee in advance, we will also, on request, sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before the meeting.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is there a consultation fee?
Yes. Contact us by email, message or phone and we will let you know the fee and schedule in advance. If you instruct us, part of the consultation fee is credited against our fees.
Does an office action cost extra?
If a response is required, we advise you of the cost first and proceed only with your approval.
Are there further costs once the right is allowed?
After allowance there are official registration fees and our registration (grant) fee. Our registration (grant) fee is the amount agreed at the time of filing, typically equal to our attorney fee for the filing, and we confirm the amounts before proceeding with registration.
Can I email details of my invention in advance?
If the technology has not yet been disclosed, we recommend discussing it with us directly rather than sending it by email or messaging where possible. In advance, an outline is enough: the technical field, the protection you are considering and your timeline. We are bound by professional confidentiality obligations under Korean law, and if you request a consultation and pay the consultation fee in advance, we will also, on request, sign an NDA before the meeting.
News & Insights
News from the firm and articles on IP law and practice (mostly in Korean).
View all posts (in Korean)- Recent posts are available on our notice board.
Contact
CONSULTATION
Discuss your invention or IP needs with us.
We help you put your ideas into writing and turn them into enforceable rights in Korea and abroad.
For undisclosed technology, please talk to us directly
We are bound by professional confidentiality obligations under Korean law. Even so, if an invention becomes public before it is filed, securing protection can become harder. If the technology has not yet been disclosed, we recommend discussing it with us directly rather than sending it by email or messaging where possible. If you request a consultation and pay the consultation fee in advance, we will also, on request, sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before the meeting. Clients outside Korea: email us an outline of the matter. We will run a conflict check, send a fee estimate and engagement terms, and agree a secure way to share materials.
Send an inquiry
Open the inquiry form
TEL +82-2-501-0833 · FAX +82-2-501-0843 · master@leeip.com
How a consultation works
- 1Email, message or call us
Give us an outline only: the technical field, the protection you are considering and your timeline.
- 2Fee and schedule
We review your inquiry and confirm the consultation fee and a meeting time.
- 3Meeting at our office
We hear about your invention in person and explain how to protect it and what it is likely to cost. If distance or time constraints make a visit difficult, we can proceed by email and other means.
LOCATION
Near Gangnam and Sinnonhyeon stations, 7F Heungkuk Life Insurance Building
Address
7F, Heungkuk Life Insurance Building,
442 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06123, Republic of Korea
(Baskin-Robbins on the 1st floor)
(06123) 서울특별시 강남구 강남대로 442 (역삼동), 흥국생명빌딩 7층
Getting Here
By subway
- Line 2Gangnam Station, 350 m from Exit 11
- Line 9Sinnonhyeon Station, 250 m from Exit 5
- ShinbundangSinnonhyeon Station, 150 m from Exit 6
By car (parking available)
From Yangjae-dong
Pass the Gangnam Station intersection, continue straight for about 400 m, and turn right into the Heungkuk Life Insurance Building parking entrance.
From Hannam Bridge
Turn left at the Kyobo Tower intersection and take the first right. Continue for about 350 m, turn right around the CGV building onto Gangnam-daero, go about 50 m, and turn right into the Heungkuk Life Insurance Building parking entrance.