Gaien Partners

Managing Partners: Junichi Tobimatsu

Number of partners: 5

Number of lawyers: 12

Languages: English, Japanese

FIRM OVERVIEW

Gaien Partners was established by four partners in 2020. Three of the founding partners are former partners of Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, one of the largest full-service law firms in Japan, and they have long been recognised by Chambers as leading individuals in the areas of corporate/M&A, banking/finance, and dispute resolution, respectively. Gaien Partners is a unique and independent firm that was established by those experienced and highly recognised partners to provide high-quality services.

Expertise Experience:

Gaien’s greatest strength is the wealth of experience that its partners have developed across a variety of legal practice areas. In a continuously changing business and legal environment, this depth of experience gives the firm a better perspective in assisting its clients to adapt and respond to the issues they face. Gaien endeavours to meet its clients’ needs swiftly and efficiently with practical solutions crafted by professionals with years of real-world experience.

Strength in Dispute Resolution:

The partners at Gaien have handled many complex dispute resolution cases in a variety of forums, including domestic and international lawsuits and arbitration, and they have a track record of achieving positive results. The partners’ experience and skills in dispute resolution is a strength that is also an important advantage in their work on transactional matters.

Well Balanced Professionalism:

The partners at Gaien understand that in the current business environment, its clients want to take into consideration not only their obligation to comply with the law, but also their broader social responsibility in the global community. The firm aims to provide well-balanced advice as legal professionals, with an understanding of the broader values that are important to its clients.

Main Areas of Practice:

■ M&A

■ Corporate Governance

■ Dispute Resolution

■ Crisis Management

■ Labour Law

■ Regulatory

■ Restructuring

■ Ventures/Start-ups

■ General Corporate

Recent Representations:

The firm’s recent representations include:

M&A:

■ Representing a listed company (the target) in the information technology sector in a two-step squeeze-out transaction by its parent company

■ Representing a listed company (the target) in the chain restaurant industry in a hostile tender offer

■ Representing a private equity fund in the acquisition of a mid-cap company engaged in the manufacture and sale of furniture

■ Advising an institutional investor on its strategy for dealing with a tender offer for shares it holds, where it was argued by some of the other investors that the tender offer price is too low

■ Representing a listed company in a strategic alliance with a company in the healthcare industry and a joint venture with a company in the telecommunication industry

Dispute Resolution:

■ Representing a listed company in an international commercial arbitration (ICC) case concerning a damage claim arising from a failed M&A transaction involving a power plant company

■ Serving as the sole arbitrator in an international commercial arbitration (JCAA) case concerning a damage claim arising from the import/export of agricultural products contaminated by unauthorised chemicals

■ Serving as a party-appointed arbitrator in an international commercial arbitration (ICC) case concerning the termination of a long-standing contractual relationship

■ Representing a former director of a cryptocurrency exchange in shareholder derivative lawsuits concerning damage caused by a massive theft of investors’ assets

■ Representing a former director of an electronic device company in a damage claim based on allegedly false statements in securities registration statements in violation of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act

■ Representing an insurance company in lawsuits in which plaintiffs seek compensation for damage they suffered from an aircraft accident

■ Defending an established publisher in a defamation lawsuit

■ Representing a software vendor in a dispute concerning a failed system development project

Crisis Management:

■ Investigating a large-scale fraud case in which a listed company was a victim

■ Investigating internet advertisements in the advertising sector

■ Serving as a member of an independent assessment committee that was established at a major material supplier and endeavouring to supervise investigations of past non-compliance in manufacturing methods or false representations

Other Areas of Practice:

■ Providing comprehensive legal support to companies preparing for listing examinations by the Tokyo Stock Exchange

■ Advising a listed company on its strategy in dealing with a shareholder proposal for the appointment of directors

■ Representing business entities in labour tribunal proceedings and labour lawsuits seeking declaratory judgments on employment status

■ Advising a real estate developer on how to deal with local governments and local residents in a major urban area redevelopment

■ Advising a large electric power retailer in a financial restructuring project