Practice Areas: Business Litigation, Employment Litigation, Civil Litigation; view more
Licensed in New Jersey since: 2004
Education: University of Minnesota Law School
Languages Spoken: English, Korean
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2025 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2014 Disclosure:
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Please visit the Super Lawyers Selection Process for a detailed description of the Super Lawyers selection methodology.
Call today:
201-740-2953
Kim, Lim & Partners
460 Bergen Blvd.Suite 305
Palisades Park, NJ 07650 Visit website
Details
Attorney Seoung (Joshua) Y. Lim is a partner at Kim, Cho & Lim, LLC, in Palisades Park, New Jersey. Mr. Lim practices business litigation, employment law, labor law and family law. He has experience with employment law issues such as unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment, and family law matters including divorce. He serves clients in Bergen and Passaic counties in New Jersey and the five boroughs of New York City.
Mr. Lim has over a decade of legal experience and has helped many clients reach favorable verdicts and settlements during his career. He has represented workers as well as employers, and plaintiffs as well as defendants.
The National Trial Lawyers association listed Mr. Lim on its “top 40 under 40,” “top 10 business tort litigation lawyers” and “top 10 wage and house trial lawyer” lists. The Supreme Court of New Jersey appointed him to serve on its Committee on Character and New Jersey Monthly magazine named him a “top young attorney.”
Outside of his practice, Mr. Lim enjoys educating others within the profession, speaking at various seminars on employment law topics such as the Fair Labor Standards Act and federal wage and hour compliance.
Mr. Lim graduated with honors from the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School. He holds licenses to practice law in New Jersey and New York and before the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Southern districts of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.
Practice areas
Business Litigation, Employment Litigation: Plaintiff, Civil Litigation: Defense, Employment Litigation: Defense- 40% Business Litigation
- 40% Employment Litigation: Plaintiff
- 10% Civil Litigation: Defense
- 10% Employment Litigation: Defense
First Admitted: 2004, New Jersey
Professional Webpage: https://www.klplawyers.com/attorney/lim-joshua-esq/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Continue to serve on New Jersey Fitness and Character Committee, 2021
- Appointed by a borough to be labor counsel representing the town in NJ. , 2024
- Got selected to be a member of Million Dollar Advocates Forum which is an honor awarded to only 1% of the attorneys. , 2023
- Reappointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to serve as one of the six statewide panel members of the character committee for a term of three (3) years., 2023.
- Appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey to serve on the Statewide Panel of the Character and Fitness Committee, 2021.
- Justice Morrison Pashman American Inn of Court
- New Jersey Association for Justice Inc.
- United States District Court of New Jersey
- New Jersey State Bar Association
- United States Southern District of New York
- New York
- United States Eastern District of New York
- Bergen County Bar Association
- New Jersey
- United States Third Circuit Court
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- Represented a corporate client that was sued for slip and fall. We filed a summary judgment motion and dismissed the claim in its entirety. , 2025
- Successfully litigated a matter where client’s real estate property was falsely encumbered by major lending institutions by promptly obtaining court orders to remove all such liens from the property.
- Represented the Republic of South Korea in connection with an appeal to the 2nd circuit on the issue of "commercial activity exception" and won the appeal. The 2nd Circuit reversed the district court's decision. , 2024
- Represented a corporation that owes the balance of over $550,000 to another corporation. After months of tenacious negotiation with their counsel, we settled the claim for only $150,000 without any litigation. , 2024
- Represented an individual who was sued in federal court by a foreign company in connection with a multimillion dollar investment deal. As part of an aggressive defense plan, we filed a motion to dismiss the complaint and in response the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the complaint. , 2024
- Represented a South Korean government agency as well as the city of Anaheim in NJ federal district court regarding alleged copyright violations. We filed motions to dismiss based on lack of personal jurisdiction. Even before the rulings on the motions are made, the Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit. , 2023
- Represented a client in a divorce action where he was being sued in NJ. However, we filed a motion to dismiss the NJ action, arguing that the action should have been brought in Korea where our client could obtain a much better bargain under the Korean divorce laws. In that motion, we argued the legal doctrine of comity. After the motion was filed, the Wife's attorney stipulated to dismiss the NJ action. As a result, our client obtained the divorce in Korea where he got a faovrable result. , 2023
- Represented a minority shareholder in a logistics company wherein he was forced out by the majority shareholder. The majority shareholders' offer for buy-out of our client's interest was only $200,000 before we undertook representation. However, after a few months of negotiation, without having to file a lawsuit, we got the majority shareholder to agree to pay 1 million dollars to our client. , 2023
- Represented a commercial tenant who had a lease agreement where the landlord was supposed to be responsible for the noise emanating from another tenant in the building. This matter was arbitrated by a Retired Judge. During arbitration, Mr. Lim obtained a decision that is worth close to $200,000 in monetary damages, including counsel fees. In issuing the arbitration decision dated January 17, 2020, the arbitrator, referring to Mr. Lim, wrote, “my experience as a lawyer, Judge, mediator and arbitrator, has not uncovered another case where a tenant achieved so much”.
- Represented a corporate defendant who got sued for allegedly breaching a contract in connection with the sale of commercial property nearing 2 million in value. After deposing the attorney who represented the buyer, Mr. Lim dismissed all claims by arguing that the contract in question was illegal, and therefore, unenforceable. Mr. Lim also argued that the buyer elected to terminate the contract, and therefore, the contract no longer existed and cannot be breached. Plaintiff’ counsel voluntarily dismissed all claims after the deposition.
- Represented a client who has not received nearly $200,000 worth of assets from the divorce which was consummated almost 17 years ago. With the exchange of two letters, Mr. Lim successfully secured an agreement where she could receive nearly $200,000 in marital assets.
- Represented a client who was sued by his ex-girlfriend for personal injury claims sounding in defamation and filed a pre-Answer motion to dismiss. The motion was granted.
- Our corporate client was sued for a breach of contract by a foreign company represented by an international firm, seeking over 3 million dollars in damages. After more than 14 months of litigation, Mr. Lim settled the case for $5,000.
- Represented an individual client in a copyright violation case in Eastern Federal District of New York where multiple defendants are sued. After serving a Rule 11 sanction motion against the Plaintiff and conducting limited discovery, Plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the case against the client.
- Represented a doctor who got sued for emotional distress sounding in a palimony claim seeking several hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Lim dismissed the claim by filing a dispositive motion.
- Represented a CPA firm where a former partner secretly took some files containing trade secrets and proprietary information and set up a competing firm. In doing so, she also solicited some high-profile clients from the client. Mr. Lim immediately filed Order to Show Cause. As soon as the OTSC was filed against her, she admitted to her wrongdoing and settled the matter. The stolen clients were returned, the files she secretly took were restored, she agreed not to solicit any of our client’s clients for the next five years, and she agreed to pay part of our client’s legal fees. The entire matter was resolved within a few weeks from the time we discovered her wrongdoing.
- Represented a mom (intervenor in a pending divorce action) who allegedly gifted $140,000 to her daughter when she got married and later bought a house with her husband. The house was purchased under the husband’s name. At the time of divorce, the husband claimed it was a gift, and therefore, her mom is not entitled to the money back. Under the existing law and the circumstances, it was very difficult to argue that the money was not a gift, but a loan. When Mr. Lim intervened in the case, the Judge seemed to be already leaning on the side of the husband who claimed that it was a gift, not a loan, in which case, mom would not receive any money back. As soon as Mr. Lim intervened, he presented new evidence and argued why it was not a gift. Shortly thereafter, the parties settled in a way that mom received $120,000 and her daughter received 50% of the remaining $20,000. Ultimately, mom and her daughter recovered the vast majority of the $140,000.
- Represented a member of Buddhist Temple in connection with an Order to Show Cause whereby he sought to enjoin a religious leader from being involved in the corporate governance and financial management of the Temple. All reliefs sought in the Order to Show Cause were granted.
- Represented a commercial tenant against the landlord in a case involving claims, such as fraud, unjust enrichment, conversion based on a provision in the lease that the landlord could only charge its tenants “actual expenses” she incurred in providing service for the common area. Mr. Lim demanded accounting, which the landlord refused. As a result, he filed a claim and obtained a judgment in the amount of $134,520.65 against the landlord.
- Prevailed on a summary judgment motion against a well-known local restaurant in NY and its owner for breach of contract in the amount of $391.928.00 with interest accruing at the rate of 9% from December 24, 2019, which equals to $440,000. In this summary judgment motion, Mr. Lim dismissed all their counterclaims with prejudice.
- Represented a client who was charged with a felony for fraud in a while collar crime. Mr. Lim submitted evidence to the state prosecutor to convince him to downgrade the charge to misdemeanor. After the state prosecutor downgraded the charge, Mr. Lim further convinced the municipal prosecutor to ultimately dismiss the charge with prejudice for lack of evidence.
- Represented a corporation and its principal that got sued for assault and tortious interference among other things. Mr. Lim filed a counterclaim against the Plaintiffs for tortious interference. After aggressively conducting discovery, Mr. Lim secured a settlement where the client paid no money to the Plaintiffs whatsoever. In addition, Mr. Lim was able to have the Plaintiffs sign a statement that completely reflects the client’s wishes, which is to have the Plaintiffs acknowledge and apologize for what they did wrong. It was a great result for the clients.
- Represented a minority shareholder in a multimillion deli business in NY who got oppressed by the other shareholders. He could not access the store, nor did he take any salary from it. He initially had two other counsel who did not accomplish anything for six months and then retained our firm. As soon as Mr. Lim got retained, he filed OTSC seeking a few reliefs, all of which were granted by the trial Judge. Then, in a matter of three months, Mr. Lim secured a settlement for 2.3 million dollars.
- Represented an individual client who got sued in NY state court for wage and hour violations where the plaintiff sought hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. She later filed bankruptcy chapter 7, but plaintiff’s counsel filed an adversarial proceeding against her to lift stay. Upon investigating the claims, Mr. Lim served Rule 11 sanction motion upon plaintiff’s counsel. Shortly thereafter, Plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the claims against her in the federal adversarial proceeding and the state court. The claims against her in both courts were dismissed with no litigation.
- Represented a corporate client who got sued by an international law firm for fraudulent transfer. Upon retention of the case, Mr. Lim undertook investigation of the claims and eventually served a frivolous litigation notice along with the facts we discovered. Upon service of the notice, the claims were dismissed immediately.
- Successfully prosecuted several sexual harassment claims all resulting in six figure settlements.
- Successfully represented a client against a financial institution in settlement for $500,000 under the theory of negligence.
- Successfully represented an employee in a sexual harassment case and secured a six-figure settlement.
- Successfully represented an employee in his wage and hour claim against a national food company and obtained a six-figure settlement.
- Successfully represented a restaurant employee in New York federal court and secured a six-figure settlement.
- Successfully defended a corporate client in a commercial foreclosure action by defeating the plaintiff’s motion to appoint a rent receiver. Thereafter, the parties settled under the terms that client demanded.
- Successfully prosecuted a copyright infringement case against a company by obtaining an order to shut down the company’s illegal operation for a period.
- Successfully secured a $200,000 monetary judgment against a corporation and individuals for having defamed our client and its business under the theories of commercial defamation and civil conspiracy.
- Successfully represented several employees in federal district courts against corporations who were not paid for their overtime premiums and obtained monetary settlements.
- Appointed by the Superior Court of New Jersey to serve as a special fiscal agent twice in complex business litigations.
- Successfully represented a shareholder in a corporation by obtaining a six-figure verdict at trial under the claim of conversion.
- Successfully defended an individual client in a matter where plaintiff demanded over $700,000 from client in compensation under the claim of negligence by dismissing the entire claim at trial.
- Successfully defended a corporate client who was initially exposed to over $400,000 in liability. As a result of aggressive defense, the client settled the matter by paying only less than 1/4 of the amount demanded.
- Successfully represented a corporate client in its claim against its former employee who joined a competing entity in violation of their restrictive covenants by obtaining a preliminary injunction order against the employee and the competing entity.
- Successfully represented a minority shareholder in a shareholder dispute by obtaining a preliminary injunction against the majority shareholder. As part of settlement, the client -minority shareholder- took over the company without paying any money to the majority shareholder.
- Successfully represented a multi-million-dollar garment company in a matter where several former employees during their employment jointly stole and diverted the company’s trade secrets and proprietary confidential information in a scheme to establish a competing entity. The client obtained a six-figure monetary compensation and, as part of settlement, the employees were required to publish their written apologies in a local newspaper regarding their wrongdoings.
Representative Clients:
- I represented permanent mission of South Korea to the United Nations in a federal court. Also represented the city of Anaheim and Korean American Chamber of Commerce U.S.A.
- Nexien. Ebin NY, 2021
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Invited to be a Statewide Panel Member of the New Jersey Character Committee appointed by the NJ Supreme Court, 2021.
- Was a guest speaker at an event hosted by KOCHAM (Korean Chamber of Commerce) regarding the topics of state "sick leave" laws and federal and state "family medical leave act" laws. More than sixty (60) company representatives attended the event. , 2024
Honors/Awards:
- Selected to be a Fellow of the LCA (Litigation Counsel of America). Fellowship in the LCA is highly selective and by invitation only. LCA is a trial lawyer honorary society whose membership is limited to less than one-half of one percent of North American lawyers, Judges and scholars., Fellowship of the LCA (Litigation Counsel of America), LCA www.litcounsel.org, 2021
- Got selected to be a member of Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi Million Dollar Advocates Forum which is an honor given to only 1% of trial lawyers. , A member of Million Dollar Advocates Forum & Multi Million Dollar Advocates, Million Dollar Advocates Forum, 2023
- Selected to be top 100 the National Trial Lawyers in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Top 10 Wage and Hour Trial Lawyers selected by the National Trial Lawyers.
- Dean's List, University of Minnesota Law School
Educational Background:
- The University of Minnesota Law School. Dean's List, 2004
- University of California at Berkeley, B.A., High Honors, 1998
Selections
6 Years Super Lawyers
1 Year Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2025
- Rising Stars: 2014
