Atsumi & Sakai is a multi-award-winning, independent Tokyo law firm and has been referred to as one of Japan’s “Big five” law firms. It was the first Japanese law firm to create a foreign law joint venture, which enables it to admit foreign partners and offer its clients the quality of service that the modern international business community demands. Expanding from its highly regarded finance practice, the firm now acts for a wide range of international and domestic companies, banks, financial institutions and other businesses, offering a comprehensive range of legal expertise.
In addition to lawyers admitted in Japan (including a Japanese lawyer also admitted in England and Wales), the firm consists of foreign lawyers registered in Japan to advise on the laws of the US States of New York and California, the People’s Republic of China, India, the State of Queensland, Australia, US and Australian Federal laws, and the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany (in collaboration with Janssen Foreign Law Office). Lawyers at Atsumi & Sakai not only have significant experience in conducting business in Japanese and English but also in German, Chinese, Korean, Hindi, Marathi, Russian and Vietnamese.
Banking & Finance: Atsumi & Sakai is one of Japan’s most respected law firms in the field of securitization and has been closely involved in several groundbreaking transactions, including whole business securitizations and the first securitization of real estate mortgages in Japan. The firm has worked on securitizations of, inter alia, leases, credit card receivables, loan receivables, real estate backed receivables, future cash flows and intellectual property. The firm’s general finance practice includes loans, syndicated loans, swaps, options and other derivatives, the financing of ships, aircraft and real estate, project finance, bank regulatory advice and the structuring of new financial products. In the area of trust banking, the firm advises on Japan’s trust business law and assists clients in creating new trust products and structures. The capital markets practice includes initial public offerings, equity financing, domestic bonds, samurai bonds, Euro-yen bonds, private placements, medium-term notes, trading and compliance issues, and foreign stock market listings.
Corporate: The corporate practice has expanded significantly recently, particularly in-bound work since taking on foreign lawyers as partners. The corporate group advises on inbound and outbound investments, M&A, joint ventures, corporate compliance, corporate governance and regulatory issues. The M&A practice encompasses providing advice on defensive measures against hostile takeovers and antitrust issues and performing due diligence. In addition, the firm handles a range of commercial and IP matters, including distribution and licensing agreements, e-commerce and privacy law advice, as well as litigation in these fields.
Real Estate: Atsumi & Sakai is a leader in real-estate acquisitions, development, financing and sales, and its corporate real estate practice has been recommended by leading legal and financial publications. Advising some of the leading players in the real estate market, banks, funds, developers, corporations and public organizations, the firm has the resources and skills to handle complex deal negotiations, structuring and financing, including the substantial due diligence and documentation that is typical of real estate transactions, the firm is also capable of advising on all related regulatory and compliance issues.
Litigation & Regulation: The firm has an expanding regulatory, compliance and dispute resolution practice, taking a proactive approach to avoiding disputes, including carrying out risk assessments and advising on regulatory issues. Its civil litigation experience covers a broad array of practice areas, including corporate disputes, product liability, finance, labor & employment, antitrust and intellectual property, and includes representing domestic and international clients in arbitration and mediation cases, both domestic and multi-jurisdictional. The firm’s regulatory team advises clients on FSA, FTC and similar regulatory investigations.
Funds: Atsumi & Sakai frequently handles work related to investment funds, including structuring and advising on privately placed domestic investment funds, foreign investment funds and investment funds under Japan’s investment trust law. The firm advises foreign real estate investment trusts (REITs) and is one of a very few firms with experience advising on the public offering of new investment units of a Japanese real estate investment corporation (J-REIT) and related listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and on issues relating to asset management businesses.