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Lawyer Choi criticized for charging 5 billion won as legal fee

Lawyer Choi criticized for charging 5 billion won as legal fee

Posted May. 07, 2016 07:16,   

Updated May. 07, 2016 07:33

한국어

"Is she really the head judge Choi?"

The legal sector has been shocked by lawyer Choi (47, female) who caused a controversy by demanding a high legal fee for defending Jeong Woon-ho (51), the CEO of Nature Republic, at the appeals trial. Choi, who resigned as a head judge in 2014, is being criticized for charging 5 billion won as legal fee from Jeong's case. They are calling her "the queen of legal fees."

Many lawyers remember Choi as "warm-hearted, compassionate, and empathetic." Choi is famous for talking to adolescent offenders with her heart during a court case. "She would give whatever she has to everyone who needed her help," a judge recalled.

Choi's business card reads that she received a law degree from Seoul National University and also that she won the 'Court Literature Writing Contest, Grand Prize'. She has excellent writing skills and was awarded for contributing to a newsletter that the Office of Court Administration publishes. She was always the top of her class as a student. When she was working as a judge, she studied at a top university in the U.S.

Some people suggest that Choi should be given a chance to explain herself by saying, "Jeong asked Choi to bring a group of the best lawyers for 2 billion won." Earlier in the same case, Choi stated, "I had to bring over 20 lawyers to respond to some civil cases caused during the appeals trial. I worked as his 'cashbook'."

However, many are suspicious about why Choi had contact with Isoom, an investment consulting company, that was interrogated by the prosecutors for misappropriating a large investment sum. Choi argued that the field inspection that the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) conducted on Isoom last October was illegal and requested a provisional attachment on the salary of two FSS employees. Also, Choi is known to be close with Lee, a director of Isoom, and work on many projects together. When Choi accused Jeong of assault, it was Lee who filed the petition. Lee has a criminal history. In 2012, when he was being investigated, he attempted to flee overseas with someone else's passport, got caught, and spent two years in jail.

Seoul Central District Court's Special Investigation Division 1 will summon Choi for investigation on suspicion of violating the Attorney-at-Law Act.



장관석기자 jks@donga.com