[2] In May 1923, he opened a law office in Seoul and began providing legal representation to Korean independence activists.

In October 1945, the United States Military Government in Korea appointed Lee as chief justice and chairman of the Special Criminal Review Committee.

[1] On August 2, 1948, he was appointed as the first minister of justice for South Korea and in March 1949, he was elected to the Constitutional Assembly.

On June 5, 1949, he resigned from his post as minister of justice due to disagreements with President Syngman Rhee.

[1][3] Lee died on April 5, 1979, and was buried at the National Seoul Memorial Park Patriots' Cemetery.