Baker & McKenzie Bolsters Japanese Corporate / M&A Practice

Tokyo, Japan, January 5, 2012 – Baker & McKenzie GJBJ Tokyo Aoyama Aoki Koma Law Office (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) announced the expansion of its corporate/M&A practice with the addition of a team of highly regarded lawyers from Linklaters. The team includes partners Hideo Norikoshi and Jiro Toyokawa and associates Kiyoshi Endo, Seiji Tomimoto and Daisuke Wakamatsu.

“We welcome this highly regarded, experienced team to our Firm,” said Eduardo Leite, Chairman of Baker & McKenzie’s Executive Committee.  “Their vast experience and in-depth knowledge of cross-border M&A transactions on behalf of Japanese clients will further enhance our ability to respond to the rapidly changing needs and opportunities of corporations in the world’s third largest economy.”

The Firm is expanding its cross-border M&A and corporate counseling capabilities in response to increased international investment and expansion by Japanese companies across the world and the Asia Pacific region.

“Japanese companies have been making aggressive moves abroad as a result of a strengthening yen and recognition of the need for greater geographic diversity following disruptions to their operations due to the tsunami and earthquakes in 2011,” said Yoshiaki Muto, Managing Partner of Baker & McKenzie’s Tokyo office. Muto noted that the consumer goods and pharmaceutical sectors have been particularly active in Europe and Asia.

“As the largest international law firm in Japan and a larger global footprint than any other law firm, Baker & McKenzie provides an unequaled platform for the growth of our corporate/M&A practice and our corporate restructuring services,” said Norikoshi and Toyokawa.

Profiles


Hideo Norikoshi
Hideo Norikoshi has more than 15 years of experience in a wide variety of cross border M&A transactions, joint venture projects, corporate law and corporate finance matters. He received his LL.B. from the University of Tokyo in 1980 and his B.A. (Hon) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford in 1983. He worked in the Japanese government from 1980 to 1990. He has been registered as a solicitor in England and Wales since 1994 and also as a gaikokuho jimu bengoshi (registered foreign lawyer in Japan) since 1999.

Jiro Toyokawa
Jiro Toyokawa has vast experience in corporate acquisition, corporate restructuring, employment issues, financial transactions and insolvency proceedings. He received his LL.B. from the University of Tokyo in 1997 and was admitted to practice law in Japan in 1999. After obtaining his LL.M. from the Columbia University School of Law in 2004, he was admitted to the New York Bar in March, 2005.

Kiyoshi Endo
Kiyoshi Endo practices mainly in the areas of corporate acquisition, corporate restructuring, financial transactions and general corporate law. He received his LL.B. from Hitotsubashi University in 2000 and was admitted to practice law in Japan in 2002. After obtaining his LL.M. from the Columbia University School of Law in 2007, he was seconded to a major securities firm in London from September 2007 to August 2008. In 2008, he was admitted to the New York Bar.

Seiji Tomimoto
Seiji Tomimoto's main areas of expertise are corporate acquisitions, corporate restructuring, employment issues, financial transactions and general corporate law. He has extensive experience in cross border M&A transactions as well as setting up Share Incentive Plans for major financial institutions, investment banks and companies in various industries. He received his LL.B. from the University of Tokyo in 2004 and was admitted to practice law in Japan in 2007. From February to May 2009, he was on secondment at a major investment bank.

Daisuke Wakamatsu
Daisuke Wakamatsu's practice focuses on corporate acquisition, corporate restructuring and general corporate law. He was on secondment at a major trading firm for one year in 2009. He graduated from Hitotsubashi University's Department of Economics in 2006 and was admitted to practice law in Japan in 2007.