Services
General Corporate/Commercial
With decades of experience assisting multinational corporations as well as new entrants to the Japanese market, we are a trusted advisor to foreign clients doing business in Japan.
Our services in this area include advising on various aspects of commercial transactions from negotiation of contracts to resolving disputes that arise out of them. We also advise on a variety of employment issues as well as other fundamental areas of law relevant to the operation of a Japanese corporation. We respond to client inquiries swiftly, understanding that when an emergency arises in the course of a company’s day to day business, it is essential to take action quickly before opportunities are lost or small issues develop into more serious problems.
Dispute Resolution (Litigation, Arbitration, Mediation and Other ADR)
We have represented clients in a variety of matters from large-scale complex litigation of listed companies to commercial disputes of small to mid-sized businesses. Our experience also includes crossborder arbitration and mediation. Where needed, we are also able to draw upon an international network of resected dispute resolution professionals with whom we have forged strong relationships. We advise on the different stages and aspects of disputes, from assisting clients to prevent disagreements from developing into costly legal action, to advising on litigation strategy where issues do develop to that stage, to gathering evidence in defending or pursuing an action. In representing our clients in disputes, we are guided by the best interests of the client, including the need to resolve disputes in a cost-effective manner. We are committed to seeking the best result for each client and are mindful that the “best result” will always be different for each client depending on the circumstances as well as the needs and values of the client’s organization in each case.
Crossborder Practice
We are proud of the international experience of our attorneys. Each of our partners have studied law in the U.S. and have decades of experience with working on crossborder matters for Japanese and foreign clients alike. Our clients can therefore rely on us not only for our Japanese law expertise but also our understanding of the concerns of global business. Our collective experience includes negotiating and setting up crossborder joint ventures as well as advising companies on a variety of matters concerning their Japan operations from setting up a business in Japan, to compliance, employment disputes, corporate governance and other matters in operating the business, to winding down the business.
Compliance & Crisis Management
As governments respond to changing domestic and global circumstances with more restrictions and regulation, it has become increasingly difficult for businesses to keep up. We believe that this makes it even more important for businesses to establish processes and action plans to respond to these pressures. Going far beyond simple checklists, we provide a variety of services to help clients heighten their readiness for responding to regulatory issues. Our services include training as well as simulated exercises for responding to regulatory action. In advising on these matters, we consider risk mitigation from a variety of perspectives including: civil liability, criminal liability, regulatory action and reputational risk (e.g. media coverage). We have extensive knowledge of the regulatory frameworks in Japan in a variety of areas including antitrust and data privacy. With our international experience, we are also sensitive to the concerns of global business with respect to regulations having a global reach, such as the FCPA, the UK Bribery Act and the GDPR as well as cybersecurity issues.
M&A, Restructuring and Corporate Reorganizations
During the life of every business, it is almost inevitable that there will come time for some form of M&A for growth or conversely, for restructuring to streamline operations. We have extensive experience as legal advisors on such M&A transactions and corporate transformations. Where needed we may team up with audit firms and consultants for a project. We are also able to draw on our extensive track record of assisting on crossborder insolvency matters including U.S. Chapter 11 proceedings as well as insolvency proceedings in Europe, China and other jurisdictions in Asia.
International Arbitration Chambers
With arbitrators and mediators offering world class experience and skill, we are able to determine disputes confidentially, swiftly, with expertise and with enforceability not only in Japan but also internationally under the New York Convention as well as the Singapore Convention.
From disputes over force majeure clauses arising from the Covid-19 pandemic situation to M&A related disputes, we are able to act as arbitrators for disputes covered under the laws of various jurisdictions whether the arbitration is conducted in Japan or elsewhere, such as Singapore, Korea, Europe or the U.S.
Antitrust
We have extensive experience with advising on antitrust matters, including assisting clients through the leniency program of the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC). With a focus on risk mitigation, we apply our experience to assisting our clients in negotiating for leniency, responding to JFTC investigations as well as defending lawsuits arising out of antitrust matters. Our experience with advising on antitrust matters involving multiple regulatory authorities also informs our advice for clients with international business operations.
Intellectual Property
In addition to Japanese patent litigation, our capabilities include international arbitration and mediation for resolving disputes pertaining to standard-essential patents (SEP). Our intellectual property practice also includes advising and representing clients with respect to trademark and copyright issues as well as anticounterfeiting.
Cybersecurity/Data Security
We assist clients with the various aspects of establishing legal protections for personal information, intellectual property and other digitized assets. As the pace of technological innovation increases, data leaks and hacks continue to become a focus of concern for businesses across the world. While absolute protection against hacking may be difficult in this increasingly connected world, we believe that there are measures that businesses can and should take in order to preserve the ability to pursue legal recourse as well as to protect against liability. Our services in this area include preparing and reviewing legal documentation, assisting with vulnerability test evaluations, as well as advising on measures for maintaining privilege and various other legal aspects of cybersecurity and data security.