"Winning is not the goal; it is a means to recovery"

Is winning the case all that matters? Shin Dong-woo, Managing Partner of DAEON Law Firm, does not think so. "A true resolution," he says, "is one in which the client's emotions and life are restored as well." With expertise in criminal cases, particularly sex crimes and school violence, as well as capital markets law, he regards standing up for those wrongfully accused, to the very end, as his highest value.

Attorney Shin Dong-woo also keeps a keen eye on legal issues surrounding virtual assets, an emerging field, and focuses on creating 'the moment when the client can finally breathe again,' going beyond a simple win. For him, a victory is not merely a result but a starting point toward a better everyday life.

Since his school days, he constantly reflected on 'what is right,' and his inclination to resolve matters through understanding and principle rather than confrontation naturally led him down the path of the legal profession. His experience mediating countless conflicts as a class president and student council member still serves as a bridge between his clients and the law.

Q&A with Attorney Shin Dong-woo

Q. You have recently secured many acquittals and non-referral decisions in sex crime cases. What do you pay the most attention to when handling such cases?

A. Sex crime allegations are extremely serious matters that can destroy a suspect's reputation and entire social life. In particular, there are quite a few cases in which people are wrongfully made suspects due to false accusations or exaggerated statements. I hold 'evidence-centered practice' and 'procedural legitimacy' as my core principles. Legal fact verification, not emotional assessment, must take place, and I closely examine a combination of factors such as digital forensic analysis and the consistency and voluntariness of the complainant's statements.

Q. Is there a principle you consider most important when defending a wrongfully accused suspect?

A. Anyone who becomes a suspect inevitably feels intimidated. But if there is any injustice, you must actively exercise your right to defense. I thoroughly analyze how the suspect's account fits with the objective evidence, and I help them explain comprehensively how they came to be in that situation. Defense counsel bears the responsibility of representing the suspect's position in court in the most logical and persuasive way.

Q. You have secured many 'no action' decisions in school violence cases. What is the most important point in responding to a school violence case?

A. In school violence cases, emotions often run ahead of the facts, so the key is to determine the facts precisely. Early response is critical to obtaining a 'no action' decision, and objective materials such as written statements, recordings, and counseling records must be secured quickly. Above all, a logical response based solely on facts and procedure is needed, without being swayed by social stereotypes about what a 'perpetrator' or a 'victim' is supposed to look like.

Q. You have also served as a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Review Committee. Could you explain the role and significance of that committee?

A. The Seoul review committee is not simply a body that decides whether disciplinary action is warranted. It comprehensively examines the context of each case and the interactions between the parties, and it plays a role in striking a balance between gender sensitivity and legal judgment. As a committee member, I tried to get to the heart of each case, and through my advisory work I am also contributing to improving systems for preventing sexual violence within organizations.

Q. You have written papers on 'initial coin offerings' and 'decentralized finance.' How do you view blockchain and digital finance regulation?

A. Virtual assets, or what we commonly call coins, and decentralized finance (DeFi) present challenges that the traditional legal system has never experienced. Through papers legally analyzing the structures of initial coin offerings (ICOs) and DeFi, I have shed light on the points of contact and conflict with existing capital markets law. Technology advances quickly, but the law moves slowly. That is why I try to fulfill the role of a 'translator who narrows the gap between technology and the law.' Recently in particular, coin investment fraud cases have been surging. In this area, there are not many lawyers who truly understand the coin market.

Q. You have also lectured on capital markets law and criminal law at universities and financial institutions. What insights do you gain at the intersection of teaching and practice?

A. Lecturing is not a one-way transfer of knowledge; it is an opportunity to cross practice with theory and see things in a new light. Through teaching, I reorganize in theoretical terms the practical knowledge I had taken for granted, and in fact I learn even more while preparing lectures. Gaining new insights while moving back and forth between practice and theory is the greatest appeal of teaching.

Q. You handle cases while also juggling advisory work and committee activities in various fields. How do you manage your time?

A. I believe the most important element in not letting a single case slip is 'focus.' I begin each day with rigorous schedule management. Every morning, I break the day's schedule into 30-minute blocks and plan accordingly, and to increase the density of my work, I strictly eliminate overlapping meetings and unnecessary appointments wherever possible. I have also systematically built a framework for collaborating with specialists in each field, which allows for efficient use of time and resources.

I do not blindly trust my memory. On the contrary, I work on the premise that 'memory is imperfect.' The moment any appointment or commitment is missed, it can derail the entire schedule. So I record even the most trivial commitments and strictly maintain the habit of noting and checking my schedule. I believe this daily routine ultimately forms the foundation of the focus that keeps me from missing a single case.

Q. Is there a legal issue or institutional change you are paying the closest attention to these days?

A. I am watching amendments to the criminal law and the Protection of Communications Secrets Act relating to digital sex crimes, as well as the proposed amendment to the School Violence Prevention Act. Systems that do not reflect voices from the field can actually cause confusion, so I hope that practitioners' feedback is sufficiently reflected before institutionalization.

"There are no small cases. For someone, it is their whole life"

Attorney Shin Dong-woo does not judge the importance of a case by its size. Any case, whatever it may be, can be a decisive moment that changes someone's life. Expressing regret over the reality of the existing legal market, where cases are handled in bulk at low margins, he vows never to lose the attitude of sincerely resolving a client's problem 'to the very end.'

Going forward, he holds the vision of growing DAEON Law Firm into **'the problem-solver clients think of first.'** Transcending the boundaries between criminal, sex crime, fraud, divorce, and civil cases, his journey of intervening more actively and taking responsibility for the more complex and difficult cases has already begun.
"I want to be remembered not as a lawyer who handles things adequately, but as a lawyer who holds on to the very end." In Attorney Shin Dong-woo's words, firmness and warmth coexisted.