Atsumi & Sakai is ALFA International’s member firm in Japan and its corporate practice has expanded significantly recently, in particular as regards 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. 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.
Types of corporate transactions in which our firm has particular expertise
Our market leading corporate practice works with our clients across the full spectrum of corporate and commercial transactions, ranging from public and private company mergers and acquisitions, both domestic and international, stock purchase and asset purchase transactions, capital markets and public company services, private equity investments and acquisitions, leveraged and management buyouts, private investments in public companies, strategic joint ventures, cross-border transactions, share exchanges and hostile takeovers, to corporate debt financing and restructuring, corporate financial services, private equity and venture capital transactions, securities regulatory and compliance advice, high net worth family matters, real estate acquisition and development, corporate governance and general corporate transactions.
We advise all sizes of companies, from newly formed and small private companies, to listed and multinational organizations, and work with enterprising businesses of all kinds: large multinational corporations, private middle-market companies, venture capital and private equity funds, and individual entrepreneurs.
Our industry experience is broad, and we are particularly deeply experienced in the following areas:
- Financial services, ranging from traditional banking to financial technology and alternative payment industry
- Energy and projects, including renewable and alternative energy acquisitions, financing, and PPP/PFI
- Healthcare, medical technology and pharmaceutical industry
- Sports and entertainment
- Digital and technology
The size of our firm’s corporate transactions team
Our corporate practice group comprises over 120 members across the firm, including 60 partners, 14 of counsel, 50 associates and 1 special counsel. Many of our lawyers have corporate experience outside of the law firm environment, enabling them to provide legal advice in a practical context. When advising foreign clients, our firm can field a team of expert Japanese lawyers and foreign lawyers who have relevant experience and multi-cultural sensitivity.
Examples of transactions our firm has undertaken
- Acted for one of the leading commercial banks in the US as arranger/lender in connection with business and share transfer transactions completed between one of the world’s largest manufacturers located in Japan and a world leader in battery separator markets headquartered in the US (borrower).
- Acted for a South Korea-headquartered AI-powered edtech company that is backed by a Japanese conglomerate, in connection with the acquisition of its Japanese distribution partner in Japan.
- Acted for a Tokyo-based wholly owned subsidiary of a Singaporean company and a fund backed by a Japanese activist investor, in connection with its acquisition of shares in an energy and environmental firm (takeover bid).
- Acted for one of the largest private banking and asset management groups in the world, in connection with the establishment of its Japanese subsidiary, and provided regulatory advice on obtaining licenses necessary for conducting investment management business in Japan.
- Advised a leading renewable energy company in Europe on the acquisition of offshore wind power projects being developed by Japanese companies in various locations in Japan.
- Advised a leading Japanese manufacturing company on handling of AI, data and treatment of IP.
* Our firm has significant experience advising on other corporate and commercial transactions. Please contact Bonnie L. Dixon for further information.