Capital Markets: International: US Law | Global

Davis Polk & Wardwell has an exceptional reputation based on a strong track record of advising on high-profile debt and equity offerings. The firm is known for advising Japanese clients on the US law aspects of various products, including MTN programmes, IPOs and secondary share offerings. It is proficient in Regulation S, Rule 144A and SEC-registered deals. A diverse client base consists of mega-banks as well as leading trading houses and local government entities. The team also acts for multinational conglomerate holding companies on their global offerings. Its key clients include Mitsubishi HC Capital, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial and Development Bank of Japan.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has an exceptional team with an illustrious reputation for handling US-focused equity and debt transactions, including senior bond offerings and IPOs. The firm regularly acts for Japanese businesses on overseas offerings and is a frequent adviser to underwriters, including some of the largest Japanese banks. The team possesses a strong bench of multilingual lawyers with significant experience in the market. Its key clients include Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, SMBC Nikko and Goldman Sachs.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has a respected team sought after for its experience advising on equity and debt offerings by Japanese corporations, financial institutions and sovereign entities. The firm has a notable market share of recent global IPOs of Japanese origin and is also extremely capable on REIT offerings. Clients benefit from the firm's knowledge and experience of both public and private cross-border M&A transactions, and its key clients include Nomura International, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.

Sullivan & Cromwell is a respected firm with extensive expertise in both SEC-registered and Rule 144A transactions. The team has a strong market position on equity offerings, including IPOs and secondary stock offerings, and also excels in acting for REITs on global offerings. The firm additionally handles a range of other deal types, including debt offerings, block trades and privatisations. Sullivan & Cromwell draws on longstanding presence in the Tokyo market and strong relationships with key issuers and underwriters. Its key clients include Japan Post Bank, Rakuten Group and Honda Motors.

A&O Shearman is valued for its knowledge of US securities regulations. The firm is skilled at assisting with SEC registration and deregistration, as well as filings related to business combinations, and is especially well known for its work on compliance and disclosure matters, including F-4 filings and investor relations issues. The team also advises issuers and selling shareholders on debt and equity offerings, with experience advising Japanese businesses on listing in the USA. Notable clients include multinational manufacturers and financial institutions, some notable names being Advantest Corporation, GC Holdings and Bank of Kyoto. On 1st May 2024, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling merged to form A&O Shearman.

Morrison Foerster is well known for advising a range of businesses and financial institutions, including issuers, sponsors and initial purchasers. The firm is sought out for its leading credentials in J-REIT IPOs, as well as its experience in traditional ECM and DCM matters, and its key areas of focus also include acting on transactions involving government entities. It offers cross-border expertise by working in close conjunction with offices in its global network. The firm is increasingly active on restructurings through tender offerings as well as SEC-registered debt offerings. Its key clients include SoftBank Group, Mitsubishi and Daiwa Securities.