Five decades ago, Korean law firm Kim & Chang began to hire U.S.-qualified lawyers to work alongside its Korean lawyers, a highly unusual move at the time. But it was that move, according to senior partners, that started the firm on a trajectory that would make it one of the largest and most successful law firms in Asia—and in the world.

This year, Kim & Chang ranked 55th in the Global 200 by revenue, and 66th by head count. It is the only Korean law firm that made the cutoff for the Global 100, a ranking of the top 100 law firms in the world. Its revenue per lawyer, which stood at more than $995,000, is also the highest among all Asia-based law firms listed on the Global 200.