In what is being billed as an unprecedented move, former International Court of Arbitration Secretariat counsel James Morrison has moved to Korean firm Bae, Kim & Lee (BKL).

Morrison said that while the appointment of an ICC counsel to a domestic Asian firm may be considered unprecedented for now, the likelihood of this remaining to be the case is low. "I'm sure in the future more lawyers working in the major international arbitration institutions will move to emerging markets in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, rather than remaining in the [usual] destinations of choice like Europe or North America," he said.

Morrison's career trajectory is also a positive sign for former lawyers of recently dissolved firms such as Heller Ehrman and Wolf Block. Prior to his role in the ICC, Morrison was a solicitor in the Sydney-based dispute resolution practice of the now-dissolved international firm, Coudert Brothers. Morrison's move to the ICC since has seen him take on roles such as head of the case management team on Asia-related matters. He also was part of the group revising the ICC's draft arbitral awards, which Morrison said was the "greatest highlight" of his period at the ICC.

Morrison considers the ICC an ideal training ground for young lawyers. "My time at the ICC exceeded my expectations... and provided a unique opportunity to participate in a number of diverse arbitrations around the world," he said. "As a counsel, you're positioned at an excellent place to gain an insider's view of the mechanics of international arbitration-intersecting between the ICC Court, the arbitral tribunal and the parties."

The growth in outbound Korean arbitration cases may have also been a factor. "Korea is one of the major users of international arbitration in Asia, having emerged as the second highest user of ICC arbitration in the region, and this growth is expected to continue in the coming years," said Morrison.

In a separate matter, BKL has also appointed former DLA Piper New York-based lawyer, Soo Bin Kim, as a foreign legal advisor.