International & Cross-Border Capabilities (International Firms) | Global

A&O Shearman's Tokyo office offers Japanese and international law capacity with a mix of foreign-qualified lawyers and bengoshi. The law firm's global network is a key attraction for clients, particularly for Europe-bound projects, and the team also has a strong track record of working closely on deals alongside its offices in South-East Asia.

The law firm is known for its market-leading strength in international projects, handling a full range of cross-border energy, infrastructure and financing matters for major Japanese corporations, lenders and sponsors, as well as Asia-based banks. The firm is also well established as an adviser on significant outbound mergers and acquisitions across a variety of industries including automotive, manufacturing, technology and agriculture.

Clifford Chance in Tokyo is regularly engaged for cross-border matters that involve multiple jurisdictions. Clients value its ability to coordinate with other offices across the law firm's wide global network and elite practitioners, as well as with high-quality advisers in jurisdictions where the firm does not have a presence. The team has a strong track record of acting as lead coordinating counsel and Japanese counsel on inbound and outbound transactions.

Clifford Chance stands out for its international financing work, particularly for its capital markets and banking practices. The law firm is noted for its adept handling of aviation and structured finance, as well as securitisation matters, which are typically led from Tokyo and involve European, Middle Eastern and Asian jurisdictions. The team's client base includes an impressive array of major domestic and global banks and companies. Financing teams also offer expertise in infrastructure, mining, power and renewable energy cross-border projects.

Morrison Foerster's Tokyo office is a dominant force in the market and offers notable US-Japan law capacity. The combination of US-qualified attorneys and Japanese-qualified bengoshi ensures a comprehensive service out of the Tokyo office. The team in Japan collaborates with other offices across Asia and Europe and has especially close ties to its US centre, giving it an edge for complex cross-border deals.

Morrison Foerster has an impressive following among major multinational domestic and international corporations and financial institutions, working on transactions and joint ventures in the automotive, pharmaceutical and TMT sectors. The team is also highly regarded for its disputes practice, in which cross-border cases are routinely led out of the Japan office. The law firm works on commercial litigation, patent litigation, investigations, trade secret misappropriation and international arbitrations, making it among the broadest disputes offerings in Japan.

White & Case is one of the top international law firms in Japan, housing a well-respected team based in Tokyo. The law firm has an impressive following among major Japanese corporations and international financial institutions, which benefit from smooth coordination across the firm's international network when facing cross-border challenges. The team handles matters covering multiple jurisdictions and has a strong track record of working on a mix of inbound and outbound matters led from Japan.

With a clear transactional focus, White & Case is recognised for its expertise in banking and international trade. The law firm is noted for its adept handling of aviation and shipping finance work, and is a popular choice for Japanese companies acquiring foreign businesses and entering into international joint ventures. The team is also proficient in projects and energy transactions, working on mandates across South-East Asia, the USA, Europe and the Middle East.

Baker McKenzie is a leading international law firm whose Tokyo office is recognised by clients for striking the right balance between its local knowledge and executing advice at a global level. This makes it a highly popular choice to handle inbound and outbound cross-border transactions. The team coordinates closely with other Baker McKenzie offices across the law firm's expansive international network, offering clients a gateway to major jurisdictions and emerging markets worldwide.

The team in Tokyo provides advice across the full range of transactions, with particular expertise in international trade, tax, and banking and finance. Baker McKenzie is also well versed in handling inbound and outbound M&A transactions, and has complementary expertise in IP and competition law. The law firm works for an array of major Japanese and international clients, covering a range of sectors including the pharmaceutical, technological and automotive industries.

The Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer team in Tokyo leads impressive cross-border deals from Japan, coordinating with team members across the law firm's international network. The team has particularly close ties with the London office, as well as with wider teams in Europe, Australia and South-East Asia, regularly assisting Japanese clients with foreign investments into various markets. The law firm is also adept at liaising with local law firms to ensure effective coverage of all local law aspects.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer stands out for its cross-border capabilities in the contentious space, with particular expertise in international arbitration, investigations and large commercial litigation. The practice has particular strength working in the technology, life sciences and energy sectors, and matters often involve Middle Eastern jurisdictions. The law firm also offers cross-border transactional skills, notably in M&A matters.

Freshfields offers international transactional and contentious capabilities, with the Tokyo office collaborating closely with colleagues across the law firm's international network to assist foreign clients in Japan and Japanese clients with their overseas business. The law firm has a leading global offering in multi-jurisdictional mergers that is complemented by its renowned merger clearance and competition law expertise.

The Japan dispute resolution team at Freshfields is integrated with the law firm's renowned litigation and arbitration practitioners around the world. The law firm often forms multi-jurisdictional teams alongside partners in Singapore, Hong Kong and Europe, to assist Japanese multinationals, notably in the energy and resources sector.

Clients benefit from Hogan Lovells' breadth of experience leading cross-border mandates, regularly selecting the firm to handle EU-wide projects and arrange comprehensive input from local counsel across multiple jurisdictions. The law firm has particular strength working in the energy, finance and corporate/M&A sectors, which form the cornerstone of Hogan Lovells' international practice.

Hogan Lovells' Tokyo office is renowned for its impressive global network, with strong ties in key European jurisdictions. Also adept at managing regional cross-border matters across South-East Asia, the firm is lauded for its ability to advise multinational companies on a country-specific level.

Linklaters' Tokyo team consists of experienced lawyers well versed in the handling of cross-border matters, particularly in the capital markets sphere. The law firm is a popular choice for its capacity to coordinate transactions into the European market and frequently works on a mix of inbound and outbound deals. Its clients include major international banks and Japanese financial services clients that benefit from the firm's network.

Linklaters is highly rated for its adept handling of cross-border derivatives and convertible bond matters, working with regard to foreign jurisdictions including the USA, the UK and throughout Asia. The team also offers notable strength in investment funds, advising on cross-border fund formation matters for clients establishing new funds in Japan and those making international investments.

Milbank Tokyo is renowned internationally for its dominance in the projects and energy sectors. Having adopted its energy sector-specific international strategy, the team regularly liaises with eminent offices throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including Singapore and Seoul. Clients benefit from the added support played by its significant US and European energy, projects and corporate teams.

Milbank are especially experienced in the financing and development of projects across South-East Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, and are involved in the full spectrum of matters from renewable energy and sustainability projects to petrochemical and infrastructure developments. Milbank remains a favourite for homegrown Japanese clients as well as major international clients with interests in the ASEAN region.

Davis Polk & Wardwell's Tokyo office consists of distinguished US law-qualified financing and capital markets practitioners. Clients benefit from the cooperation between the Tokyo office and the law firm's hubs in key financial centres across the USA and Europe.

The Tokyo team concentrates on corridors of international activity with the USA and Europe, advising multinational and Japanese clients on high-profile debt and equity offerings, as well as corporate mandates.

Global law firm DLA Piper is frequently praised for its geographic reach, and its Tokyo office offers strong cross-border capabilities. Clients value the wide global network and cite it as a key attraction when facing multi-jurisdictional transactional challenges. The team handles both inbound and outbound work for its client base, which consists of Japanese multinationals and international companies.

The Tokyo team is particularly well regarded for its tax practice, which regularly advises on matters that involve cross-border considerations, particularly with the USA and Canada. The firm also assists on major international corporate transactions, including a range of joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, notably in the pharmaceutical, technology, finance and hospitality sectors.

Norton Rose Fulbright provides a strong global offering across a plethora of diverse practice areas. The law firm's international and cross-border capabilities are strengthened by its extensive international network and resources, which enable the firm to deliver a seamless service, especially when collaborating with its foreign counterparts in APAC region offices such as Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Norton Rose's Tokyo banking and finance team is adept at handling complex multi-jurisdictional matters in a number of sectors ranging from investment in tech to financing in transport. The law firm's projects team is also well regarded for its international and multidisciplinary practice, which focuses on major projects spanning a number of diverse jurisdictions.

Skadden is sought out in Japan for its notable US law capacity. The team leverages the firm's extensive international network on complex cross-border transactions, typically handling high-value mandates. It assists an impressive client base of major Japanese corporations, financial institutions and sovereign entities.

It offers particular expertise in international M&A and capital markets matters, deploying multi-office teams with colleagues in the USA on complex cross-border acquisitions and assisting with global debt and equity offerings and IPOs.

Ashurst's Tokyo office is well known in the market for handling international transactions, specialising in the energy and financial sectors. The team's sector strength is further complemented by a broad global network, incorporating Asia-Pacific regional expertise from offices in Singapore, China and Australia along with strength in major European hubs.

At Ashurst, transactional and financing matters in the projects space are the cornerstone of the Tokyo team's international practice. The team is regularly called upon to manage development and infrastructure projects involving ASEAN jurisdictions by multinational banks and sponsors.

Jones Day handles international and cross-border work with a mix of local and foreign lawyers, and is appreciated by clients for the combination of its in-depth knowledge of the market and its US law capacity. Through its respected global reach, the law firm assists clients on both outbound and inbound matters, and it has a strong track record of coordinating with various Jones Day offices across a range of jurisdictions.

The team has a multidisciplinary offering, and a particularly impressive offering in IP and life sciences. Work for clients in the pharmaceutical industry often has international aspects, on which the team works fluently in conjunction with its US-based colleagues. Jones Day's M&A, competition and tax teams also provide cross-border support for transactions into South-East Asia and Europe for clients in a range of industries.

Latham & Watkins is sought out for its geographical reach and knowledge of US and EU capital markets. Composed of top legal talent, the law firm is particularly adept at handling complex cross-border transactions.

The Tokyo office stands out for its expertise in the projects and energy space, regularly advising multinational and Japanese clients on high-profile transactional matters focused on South-East Asia. Additionally the team is noted for its work with startups and impressive corporate/M&A practice. Clients benefit from the law firm’s extensive resources and technical know-how.

Ropes & Gray's Japan offering consists of bilingual lawyers with particular capabilities across the corporate/M&A, banking, leveraged finance and private equity practice areas, often through a cross-border lens. Clients can expect a seamless round-the-clock service from the firm, which utilises its network across the USA, Europe and Asia, including numerous offices in the USA and a presence in China, Korea and Singapore.

Located in Tokyo, the Ropes & Gray team represents a range of clients, from multinational corporations and private equity firms to a range of Japan-based companies and clients. The team is adept at handling complex cross-border finance and capital markets matters.