Ms. Hyun A MIN is a partner at D&A LLC. Her practice is primarily focused on a broad range of Intellectual Property matters, including Patents, Trade Secrets, Unfair Trade Practices before the Korea Fair Trade Commission, Unfair Competition, Copyrights, Trademarks, and Designs—as well as General Corporate Advisory.

Ms. Min holds a degree in Computer Science and Engineering and began her career in the IT industry, where she worked for five years. She has over 20 years of experience handling a wide range of intellectual property disputes—including patents, trade secrets, and copyrights—across various technology sectors. She has substantial experience representing domestic companies against major international law firms acting for foreign corporations, successfully protecting locally developed technologies. She earned an LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law from Yonsei University Graduate School of Legal Affairs in 2007 and an LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law from University of Washington School of Law in 2010. She also served as an adjunct professor of Intellectual Property Law at Inha University Law School for six years beginning in 2014. Notably, over approximately 15 years, she has handled numerous patent and trade secret matters for a major semiconductor company, contributing to the enhancement of its corporate value. She also represented a domestic company that localized semiconductor specialty gas manufacturing technology in a dispute against a foreign patent holder, helping lay the foundation for the client’s successful KOSDAQ listing and subsequent business expansion.

She has served as an Intellectual Property Advisor to the Korea Trade Commission for over a decade, advising on investigations into unfair trade practices involving IP-infringing goods in cross-border trade and participating in related policy initiatives.

She is also a trade secret expert at the Trade Secret Protection Center under the Ministry of Intellectual Property, where she has provided consulting services to various companies for over a decade and contributed to analytical projects on court decisions related to the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act.

She has delivered lectures at institutions, including the Intellectual Property Training Institute of the Korean Bar Association, the Trade Secret Protection Center, the Seoul Design Foundation, the academy of the Korea Trade Commission, and various companies. She also served as a legal advisor to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, handling IP-related advisory and litigation matters—including patents, trademarks, and copyrights—for the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Her current practice includes intellectual property litigation for domestic and international clients, as well as advising on technology-related agreements such as licensing, joint development agreements, NDAs, exclusive distribution agreements, and technology protection agreements, in addition to general corporate legal matters covering all aspects of corporate activities.

Bar Admissions

• Admitted to Bar, Korea (2004)
• Admitted to Patent Bar, Korea (2004)

Education

• University of Washington School of Law (LLM in Intellectual Property Law, 2010)
• Yonsei University Graduate School of Legal Affairs (LLM in Intellectual Property Law, 2007)
• Ewha Womans University (BS in Computer Science and Engineering, 1992)
• Banpo High School (1988)

Significant Accomplishments

• D&A LLC (2026-Present)
• Member, Disciplinary Committee, National Museum of Korea and Korea National University of Arts (2025-Present)
• Member, Disciplinary Committee, National Gugak Center (2024-Present)
• Legal Advisor, Seoul Metropolitan Government (2019-Present)
• Trade Secret Protection Expert, Trade Secret Protection Center, Ministry of Intellectual Property (2016-Present)
• Intellectual Property Advisor, Korea Trade Commission (2013-Present)
• Research Director, Korea Intellectual Property Society (2023-2025)
• Member, Faculty Disciplinary Committee, Korea National University of Arts (2021-2023)
• Member, Operating Committee, Intellectual Property Training Institute, Korean Bar Association (2018)
• Adjunct Professor, Inha University Law School (2014-2019)
• Partner, DARAE Law Firm (2004-2026)
• Judicial Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Korea (2004)
• Passed the 43rd Korean Bar Examination (2001)
• POSDATA (now POSCO DX) (1992-1996)

Professional Activities and Experience

• Represented clients in copyright infringement injunction disputes involving P2P file-sharing services (Soribada, Pruna)
• Represented clients in trade secret misappropriation disputes involving semiconductor equipment software
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving semiconductor packaging manufacturing equipment and processes
• Represented clients in patent infringement injunction disputes involving EMI gasket technology
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving semiconductor device cleaning equipment
• Represented clients in unfair competition injunction disputes involving the use of well-known trade indicia
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving seaweed processing equipment
• Represented clients in copyright and tort claims involving website personalization tools
• Represented clients in copyright infringement disputes involving mobile application music transmission services
• Represented clients in damages claims for infringement of neighboring rights in sound recordings
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving construction self-climbing formwork systems
• Represented clients in employee invention compensation disputes relating to large-scale digital dictionary database patents
• Represented clients in royalty disputes involving legal professional information databases
• Represented clients in patent royalty disputes involving vibration motor technology
• Represented clients in copyright infringement injunction disputes involving Adobe software
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving hyperthermia therapy devices
• Represented clients in copyright infringement disputes involving legal directory databases
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving insulated deck plate construction methods
• Represented clients in copyright injunction disputes involving SKT “T-ring” services
• Represented clients in unfair competition injunction disputes involving functional pillows
• Represented clients in non-compete and trade secret misappropriation disputes
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving humidifiers
• Represented clients in copyright infringement disputes involving mobile phone devices
• Represented clients in trade secret misappropriation disputes involving collagen manufacturing processes
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving ceramic electric cooking equipment
• Represented clients in unfair trade practice investigations before the Korea Trade Commission involving infrared heating cookers
• Represented clients in employee invention compensation disputes involving semiconductor testing equipment
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving semiconductor testing equipment
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving tungsten etching inhibitor-containing polishing slurry compositions
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving electric pressure cookers
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving mobile payment card systems
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving mobile device advertising technologies
• Represented clients in design infringement disputes involving transport packaging boxes
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving online gaming devices
• Represented clients in copyright infringement disputes involving academic papers
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving halogen-free insulated cable splicing methods
• Represented clients in arbitration proceedings involving UV splicing equipment
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving skin absorption enhancement devices
• Represented clients in copyright infringement disputes involving screen editing software
• Represented clients in trade secret misappropriation disputes involving semiconductor post-processing equipment
• Represented clients in non-compete disputes arising from commercial property sale agreements
• Represented clients in trademark infringement disputes involving air fryer products
• Represented clients in various technology licensing and royalty disputes
• Represented clients in patent infringement disputes involving skin-lifting devices
• Represented clients in trademark disputes involving Traumhaus, Hooters, Buckingham, and others
• Represented clients in trademark infringement disputes involving water play equipment and accessories
• Represented clients in design disputes involving textile products
• Represented clients in claims for refund of purchase price arising from commercial property sale and purchase agreements
• Handled various civil and criminal litigation matters

• Journal Articles
• |N|- Copyright Infringement by P2P Music Download in the US and Korea (2010)
• |N|- A Study on Trusts and Trust-Based Securitization of Intellectual Property Rights (2007)
• |B|
• Research Reports
• |N|- A Study on Korean Court Decisions under the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, Ministry of Intellectual Property (2017)
• |N|- A Study on Standardizing Investigation Procedures by Type of Unfair Trade Practice, Korea Trade Commission (2016)
• |N|- A Study on Improving the Investigation System for Unfair Trade Practices in Response to Changes in the Trade Environment, Korea Trade Commission (2014)
• |N|- A Study on Revitalizing Investigations of Unfair Trade Practices Involving Trade Secret Infringement, Korea Trade Commission (2013)
• |N|- A Study on Measures to Alleviate the Burden of Proof in Trade Secret Infringement, Ministry of Intellectual Property (2010)
• |N|- A Study on Effective Management of the Patent Trust System, Korea Technology Transfer Center (2009)
• |B|
• Other Publications
• |N|- Analysis of Key Intellectual Property Cases, The Law Times (2018-Present)
• |N|- Analysis of Key Intellectual Property Cases for 2018, The Law Times (Jul. 2018)
• |N|- Analysis of Key Intellectual Property Cases for 2017, The Law Times (Aug. 2018)
• |N|- Non-Public Nature of Trade Secrets and Duration of Protection – Seoul High Court Decision 2015Na2009569 (Jun. 2, 2016), Intellectual Property Policy (Nov. 2017)
• |N|- Remedies for Prohibiting Import and Export of IP-Infringing Goods – Korea Trade Commission Investigation System, Trade Remedies (Spring 2017)
• |N|- Parallel Importation of Genuine Goods, The Legal Times (Jun. 2013)
• |N|- Differences Between Korean and U.S. Litigation Procedures – Samsung v. Apple, The Legal Times (Nov. 2012)
• |B|
• Presentations & Lectures
• |N|- Numerous seminars on Trade Secret Case Law Analysis, Ministry of Intellectual Property and Trade Secret Protection Center (2010-Present)
• |N|- Intellectual Property Litigation Practice, Inha University Law School (2014-2019)
• |N|- IP Protection Strategies for IT Companies: Patent vs. Trade Secrets, Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency (Dec. 2019)
• |N|- Recent Trends in Trade Secret Case Law, Inha IP Forum (Nov. 2019)
• |N|- Recent Trends and Cases in Trade Secret Infringements, Korea Invention Promotion Association (IP Campus, Jun. 2019)
• |N|- Trade Secret Leakage Cases and Corporate Legal Response Strategies, Ministry of Intellectual Property (Nov. 2018)
• |N|- International Design Litigation Practice, Korean Bar Association IP Training Institute (2016-2017)
• |N|- Panel Discussion on the Unfair Trade Practices Investigation System, Korea Trade Commission (Dec. 2016)
• |N|- Design Law Practice Issues, Korea Invention Promotion Association (IP Practicum for Law School Students, Jul. 2016)
• |N|- Limitations on Enforcement of Standards Essential Patents (SEPs) under FRAND Commitments, SNU Law Research Institute Conference for Emerging Researchers (Mar. 2016)
• |N|- Lectures on Understanding Copyright, Korean Wave Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea (May 2013, Oct. 2013, and Apr. 2014)
• |N|- Trade Secret Infringement and Response Strategies, Korea Trade Commission Symposium on Investigation of Unfair Trade Practices (Nov. 2013)
• |N|- The Samsung-Apple Intellectual Property Dispute and Its Implications, Special Lecture, Sookmyung Women's University (Dec. 2012)
• |N|- Seminar Discussion on Samsung-Apple Patent Dispute and Implications for the Patent System, Korea University ICR Center (Oct. 2012)
• |N|- Changes in Intellectual Property Legislation and Enforcement Issues Arising from the Korea-U.S. FTA, Korean Bar Association FTA Special Committee (Sep. 2012)
• |N|- Presentation on Recent Trends in Copyright Litigation Practice, Myongji University College of Law (Nov. 2008)