MICHAEL K. CHONG, ESQ. / PRINCIPAL & MANAGING MEMBER

Michael K. Chong, Esq. is the Principal and Managing Member of the firm, responsible for managing a team of highly experienced legal professionals. 

Mr. Chong has extensive legal experience and represents individuals, corporations and foreign governments. Mr. Chong has represented clients throughout the United States and overseas on complex legal matters. Mr. Chong serves as general counsel for several privately held corporations. His practice focuses on handling diverse legal matters including litigation, compliance, transactions, contracts, real estate, and employment law matters. Mr. Chong has extensive litigation experience, and has successfully tried cases in both state and federal courts, and has argued matters before state and federal appellate courts.

Mr. Chong also serves as Of Counsel to the YK Law firm (https://yklaw.us/team/michael-k-chong/), an international law firm which is part of a global alliance with offices located in over 180 cities around the world. The YK Law firm provides legal services to a diverse range of corporations with a global presence, that have regional and international operations. YK Law firm maintains offices in the United States located in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Irvine, Dallas and Miami.

Mr. Chong is a graduate of the University of Delaware, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations. He received his Juris Doctorate from Pace University School of Law, where he also received a concentration degree in International Law. He served as an Editor of the Pace International Law Review, Vice President and Co-Chairman of the Moot Court Honor Board, and President of the AALSA. Mr. Chong also prevailed in his law school Moot Court Competition, winning First Place in both the written and oral competitions. He was awarded an Appellate Scholarship, and a Teaching Assistant position in legal writing at the law school. Mr. Chong worked his way through law school in the legal department at the world headquarters of International Paper Co., a Fortune 100 company (NYSE: IP), (the largest forest products corporation in the world), while attending law school at night. Prior to entering law school, Mr. Chong worked in the Office of the Senior Staff Counsel at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Mr. Chong is a Certified Court Mediator, and has mediated diverse legal matters. Mr. Chong completed his concentration in mediation/arbitration (ADR), negotiation and international dispute resolution at Harvard Law School. 

Upon graduating, Mr. Chong served as a Congressional Fellow to the Vice Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of South Korea. He subsequently served as a Judicial Law Clerk to a New Jersey State Superior Court Judge. Upon completion of his Judicial Clerkship, he served in the Appellate Section of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office. Prior to establishing his firm, he worked as an associate with an international law firm as well as two regional law firms. Mr. Chong is a recipient of the Congressional Award from the United States Congress. He currently serves as the President of the Korean-American Bar Association of New Jersey. Mr. Chong is actively involved in community affairs, and has served on various boards of diverse organizations. Mr. Chong has served on the Executive Board and as Chairman of the Minorities-in-the Profession Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Mr. Chong has also served as a Board member of the City of Hoboken Rent Control Board, and as a Board member of the KCC organization. Mr. Chong regularly volunteers with other civic organizations and community based groups.

Michael is a graduate of the Newport Sailing School, certified by the American Sailing Association. He is also a graduate of the Outward Bound Schools located in Colorado and Hurricane Island in Maine.

Recent Awards: 

• ALM / In-House Counsel Impact Award
• Leaders in Law Award

Bar Admissions:

• New Jersey, U.S. District Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (SDNY)
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York (EDNY)
• U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Education:

•  Harvard Law School
  • Negotiation/Mediation
  • Arbitration/ADR
  • International dispute resolution
•   Pace University School of Law
• Juris Doctorate
• Concentration Degree: International Law
• Editor, Pace International Law Review
• Vice President & Co-Chairman of the Moot Court Honor Board
• Moot Court Competition: Champion - First Place
•   University of Delaware
  • Bachelor of Arts
  • Political Science; International Relations

Linkedin: 

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-chong-5bb13532/