Freshies’ Asia sanctions head joins Ashurst as partner in Tokyo
BY Aparna Sai |UK firm Ashurst has hired Alexander Dmitrenko as a partner in Tokyo from Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he was head of Asia sanctions.
SUBMISSIONS OPEN: ALB Japan D&I List 2022 (EN/JP)
BY Asian Legal Business |In this new listing, ALB will pick the leading law firms in Japan based on their D&I credentials, in particular the representation and advancement of women.
Ashurst, Latham advise on Charoen Pokphand’s $900 mln proposed privatisation
BY Mari Iwata |Latham & Watkins is advising Charoen Pokphand Foods (CP Foods) on the proposed privatisation of its Hong Kong-listed arm, CP Pokphand (CPP), with Ashurst advising a shareholder, Japan’s Itochu.
New Ways of Working (EN/JA)
BY Mari Iwata |While law firms weren’t caught completely off-guard by the COVID-19 pandemic, its extended duration has caused many to rethink how they are delivering services to clients, in addition to making the most of their remote workforce. While the past 18 months have brought both challenges as well as more pleasant discoveries, lawyers can agree that how they work has changed permanently.
Japan’s Crypto Restrictions Remain Strict, but Innovative Products Offer Opportunities (EN/JA)
BY Mari Iwata |Japan’s hostility towards crypto assets is unlikely to change anytime soon, as the new head of the financial industry watchdog recently reiterated the country’s tough regulatory stance.
White & Case hires M&A partner in Tokyo from MHM
BY Mari Iwata |U.S. firm White & Case has hired M&A and private equity expert Naoya Shiota as a partner in Tokyo from Mori Hamada & Matsumoto.
17th ALB Japan Law Awards lauds country’s best lawyers, work
BY Aparna Sai |The 17th ALB Japan Law Awards, a virtual event which was held on Sept. 30, honoured the outstanding achievements of individuals, law firms, in-house teams and legal work in and related to the country.
K&S, Skadden lead on $1.6 bln Japan-Philippines power deal
BY Aparna Sai |King & Spalding and SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan have advised Japan’s Jera on its $1.58 billion acquisition of stake in Philippines’ Aboitiz Power from its parent company Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV), which was represented by Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia.
Embracing the New Normal
BY Ranajit Dam, Elizabeth Beattie |Japan has had an up-and-down year so far, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to disrupt life and business, even as the country successfully hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Leaders of law firms in Japan say that while they had to institute new ways of work in order to adapt to this “new normal,” they have been heartened by the resilience shown by their firms, which will hold them in good stead going forward.
Cooley, MHM, W&C advise on $2.7 bln Japan BNPL deal
BY Mari Iwata |White & Case has advised U.S. payments giant PayPal Holdings on its $2.7 billion agreement to acquire Japanese buy now, pay later (BNPL) firm Paidy, which was represented by Cooley and Mori Hamada & Matsumoto.
Latham, MoFo advise on $591 mln U.S.-Japan M&A deal
BY Mari Iwata |Latham & Watkins has advised U.S. investment bank Houlihan Lokey on its 65-billion-yen ($591 million) offer to buy Tokyo-based M&A advisory firm GCA Corp, which was counselled by Morrison & Foerster.
KWM advises Westpac on $660 mln sale of life insurance business to Japan’s Dai-ichi
BY Mari Iwata |King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has advised Australia’s Westpac Banking Corp on the A$900 million ($660 million) sale of its domestic life insurance unit to Japan's Dai-ichi Life Holdings.