Kook Hee LIM, Esq.
임국희 변호사는 한국어와 영어에 능통한 한미 양국의 변호사로서, 본인의 이민 경험과 법률적 전문성 (헌법, 이민법, 국적법, 미국세법, Estate Planning), 그리고 세 자녀의 실전적 미국교육 경험을 바탕으로 포괄적인 시각에서 NIW 클라이언트를 도와드리고 있습니다.
부산에서 태어난 임국희 변호사는 서울대학교 영어교육학과와 한국외국어대학교 통역번역대학원을 졸업하였고, McKinsey, PwC, SAP, Oracle, POSCO, 삼성전자 등 글로벌 전략 컨설팅 프로젝트에서 전문 통역사로 사회 생활을 시작하였습니다.
임국희 변호사는 그녀의 특출난 영어능력 외에 법률가적 자질을 눈여겨 본 직장 상사의 권유로 늦깎이로 건국대학교 법학전문대학원에 진학하였습니다. 임국희 변호사는 졸업과 동시에 한국 변호사 자격을 취득하였고 헌법재판소 변호사 특채로 공직에 입문하여 8년간 헌법재판소의 국제판례교류업무를 총괄하였습니다.
임국희 변호사는 헌법재판소 재직 당시 세계헌법재판회의 기획팀장, 유럽평의회 산하 베니스위원회 (https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/events/) 대한민국 연락관을 지냈고, 당시 헌법재판소장을 보좌하여 아시아헌법재판소연합(AACC) 연구사무국 유치를 성공시키는 등 세계 무대에서 대한민국 헌법재판소의 국제적 위상을 높이는 데에 크게 기여하였습니다.
임국희 변호사는 미국 체류기회를 활용하여 보스턴대학교 로스쿨에서 Tax LLM 학위를 취득하였고 (학점 3.96/4.00) 매사추세츠주와 뉴욕주 변호사 자격을 취득하였습니다.
임국희 변호사는 한국 토종 변호사로서는 이례적으로 매사추세츠 연방법원 Young 연방판사의 로클럭으로 선발되어 미국의 행정사건 및 민사사건의 판결에 직접 참여하였고, Greater Boston지역에서 높은 평판을 자랑하는 Wilchins Cosentino & Novins LLP에서 미국 변호사로도 활동하였습니다.
법원은 한 나라의 사법시스템의 정점에 있는 기관으로서 법조인이라면 누구나 선망하는 기관입니다. 임국희 변호사가 한미 양국의 법원에서 경력을 쌓았다는 것은 법률가로서의 실력 뿐만 아니라 윤리 및 책임의식에 대해서도 시사하는 바가 큽니다.
임국희 변호사는 "이민"을 "헌법이 보장하는 거주이전의 자유 실현"으로 보고 클라이언트를 진정성있게 돕고 있으며, NIW를 통한 영주권 취득부터 복잡한 미국 세법을 고려한 안정적 생활터전의 이전까지 차별화된 서비스를 제공하고 있습니다 .
아울러 임국희 변호사는 한국계 미국인 가정을 위한 복수국적 및 (예외적) 국적이탈 관련 공익활동도 활발히 전개하고 있습니다.
임국희 변호사와 LK Law Group은 자신의 한계를 극복하고 국경을 넘는 여러분의 도전을 응원합니다.
Attorney Kook Hee Lim's journey is a diverse tapestry of "Connected Dots" that have shaped her unique career path. Attorney Kook Hee Lim is a bilingual attorney proficient in both Korean and English, known for her comprehensive legal expertise in immigration law (EB-2 National Interest Waiver), constitutional law, nationality law, U.S. tax law, and estate planning. With a unique background that includes personal immigration experience and practical knowledge from raising her three children in the United States, Attorney Lim offers a well-rounded perspective to assist her clients in various aspects of their immigration needs.
Born in Busan, South Korea, Attorney Lim graduated with a degree in English Education from the prestigious Seoul National University in South Korea and completed her studies at the Graduate School of Interpretation and Translation at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. She embarked on her professional career as an elite interpreter in major strategic consulting projects, collaborating with global companies such as McKinsey, PwC, SAP, Oracle, POSCO, Samsung Electronics, and SK Group.
Driven by her remarkable linguistic abilities and guided by her superiors, Attorney Lim made a pivotal career shift, enrolling in the School of Law at Konkuk University in Seoul, South Korea. Following her graduation (J.D.), she obtained her qualifications as a Korean attorney and embarked on a distinguished career path, eventually securing a position at the Constitutional Court of Korea through a rigorous selection process.
During her eight years at the Constitutional Court, Attorney Lim oversaw the Court’s constitutional case law exchanges with other constitutional courts across the world and international constitutional law bodies, establishing strong ties with prominent figures in the global constitutional justice community, such as the Democracy through Law (a/k/a Venice Commission) of the Council of Europe, World Conference on Constitutional Justice and the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions (AACC). Her dedication was instrumental in aiding the Court to establish the Permanent Research Secretariat for the AACC, a significant achievement that has elevated the Constitutional Court of Korea's standing on the international stage.
Subsequently, Attorney Lim pursued academic excellence in the United States, earning a Tax LL.M. degree with the distinction of being a Leadership Scholar at Boston University School of Law (GPA 3.96/4.00). She acquired licenses to practice law in Massachusetts and New York and embarked on her career as an attorney in the United States.
Attorney Lim was selected to serve as a law clerk for the Honorable Judge Young at the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, gaining extensive experience in civil and administrative litigation in the United States.
Courts stand at the pinnacle of a nation's judicial system and are an institution admired by most legal professionals. Attorney Lim's career in both United States and Korean judicial institutions underscores not only her legal prowess but also her commitment to ethics and responsibility.
Attorney Lim was recruited by Wilchins Cosentino & Novins LLP, a well-established law firm with almost 30-year tradition in Greater Boston. During her tenure there, she focused on immigration law, with a particular emphasis on National Interest Waiver (NIW) cases and estate planning. These dual experiences provided the groundwork for her expertise in pre-immigration planning.
Attorney Lim's exceptional proficiency in both English and Korean, her profound understanding of constitutional law through her tenure at the Constitutional Court, and her extensive experience in the U.S. legal system, including federal court practice, culminated in the founding of the NIW-focused law firm, LK Law Group PLLC.
Attorney Kook Hee Lim views "immigration" as the realization of the freedom to move, as guaranteed by the constitution of any modern country. Leveraging her wealth of experience, she passionately supports clients in achieving successful immigration journeys, offering a wide range of services from obtaining green cards through NIWs to pre-immigration planning, incorporating her expertise in U.S. tax law and estate planning.
In addition to her ongoing legal practice, Attorney Lim actively engages in public interest activities related to dual citizenship and nationality renunciation issues affecting Korean American families.
Attorney Lim and LK Law Group welcome you to explore new horizons and extend our unwavering support to your immigration endeavors.
Bar Admissions
Massachusetts, New York, South Korea
Education
Boston University School of Law
LL.M.(Tax Law Program)
LL.M.(American Law Program)
Konkuk University School of Law
(J.D.)
Hankook University of Foreign Studies
Master of Translation
Seoul National University
B.A. in English Education
Professional Experience
Wilchins Cosentino and Novins LLP
Attorney, 2022-2023
The Honorable Judge William G. Young, U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, Boston, MA
Judicial Law Clerk, 2020-2021
Constitutional Court of South Korea, Seoul, Korea
Senior Deputy Director, 2012-2020
Activities & Affiliations
• Full Member of American Immigration Lawyers Association (New England Chapter)
• Full Member of Boston Estate Planning Council
• Seoul National University Alumni (New England Chapter)
• Legal Advisor of Korea US Professional Engineers Association (KUPEA)
Awards & Recognitions
• Leadership Scholar for both LL.M.s from Boston University School of Law
• Full Scholarship from Konkuk University School of Law
• Extraordinary Performance Citation by the President of the Constitutional Court of Korea
• Former Liaison Officer of South Korea for the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe
• Former Member of the Joint Council of Constitutional Justice of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe