Legal Counsel

Step into a career with ASM, where cutting-edge technology meets collaborative culture.

For over 55 years ASM has been ahead of what's next, at the forefront of innovation and what's technologically possible. With more than 4,500 ASMers representing 70 nationalities, our people and our advanced semiconductor devices are playing a crucial role in trends such as 5G, cloud computing, AI, and autonomous driving. But we're more than just a tech company. We value diversity, inclusion and sustainability as we strive to make a positive impact on the world.

Role Overview

ASM is seeking a Legal Counsel based in Korea to establish a strong local legal presence supporting our site that combines R&D, manufacturing, and sales & services — home to close to 500 employees.

The primary focus of this role is to provide day-to-day commercial legal support, with flexibility to contribute to a broad spectrum of other legal matters, such as employment law, governance and regulatory compliance, depending on competence and interest. This role will partner closely with global business teams and integrate into ASM's global legal function, and has the opportunity to contribute to the local leadership organization.

ASM’s legal team has a business-oriented culture, emphasizing continuous improvement and partnership with our stakeholders. We are moving toward a stronger business partner model where legal is closely connected to stakeholder needs, business strategy and technology context.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Legal Support – Primary Focus

• Review, draft, and negotiate both supplier and customer-facing agreements, including contracts governed by Korean law
• Partner with local sourcing, sales & services, and operations stakeholders to provide proactive legal advice enabling efficient, practical, and risk-aware decision-making
• Coordinate with the global commercial legal team to ensure alignment with ASM's contracting practices and negotiation strategies

Local Legal Representation

• Act as ASM’s primary in-country legal point of contact in Korea
• Provide timely, pragmatic legal advice on a broad range of day-to-day matters
• Ensure alignment between local needs and ASM’s global legal strategy and policies
• Instruct and manage external counsel for specialized matters, ensuring cost-effective and high-quality legal support
• Serve as the local legal point of contact for any government inquiries or investigations

Additional tasks – Depending on competence and interest

• Advise on Korean employment law matters and partner with People Team to manage employee-related legal risks
• Support local governance activities as needed
• Work with global service and compliance teams, such as finance, EHS, trade compliance, tax and risk, in matters requiring local understanding
• Contribute to risk identification and mitigation strategies
• Ensure compliance with ASM policies and applicable laws
• Monitor and advise on Korean regulatory developments affecting ASM, including semiconductor-related legislation and privacy requirements
• Deliver legal training to business teams
• Contribute to standardization and scaling of legal processes across ASM globally

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified lawyer in Korea (or equivalent legal qualification with strong Korean law expertise)
• Minimum 7 years of relevant legal experience, with a strong background on commercial/contract law
• Fluent in Korean and English
• Ability to work effectively in a global, cross-functional environment
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• In-house experience is preferred
• Experience with employment law and regulatory matters in Korea is a bonus