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Our Japan Practice
The firm has one of the UK’s leading Japan practices, and we advise some of Japan’s most well-known companies. The Japan Practice is led by our Managing Partner (Steve Lewis) who has worked in Japan for over 20 years and who founded the Tokyo office of Herbert Smith Freehills where he worked with Nick Mathys (Head of Data Regulation) and Nick Emmerson (Head of Capital Markets). The firm’s other Partners Oliver Neil and Nicholas Mitchell all have extensive experience advising on cross-border matters and working for global Japanese companies.
The majority of our Partners and staff are fluent Japanese speakers, and the firm also has an established network of Japan-focused local counsel around the world who it can enlist on investments or projects covering multiple jurisdictions. As a result, the firm is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of Japanese clients.
Much of our work is for large multinational companies based in Japan. Our clients include ‘household name’ global companies which are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, as well as privately-owned businesses with international operations.
We have advised on transactions and projects in almost every sector of industry, from heavy industry to digital entertainment, healthcare, food manufacturing and fashion.
Japanese companies are at the forefront of global technology and manufacturing, and our team are experts in technology law, including data regulatory and e-Privacy issues. This expertise, combined with our understanding and appreciation of Japan’s business culture, means we create long-term relationships with our clients based on the value we can add to their businesses.
We have advised Japanese companies on a range of transactions, including high-value M&A deals, joint ventures and public company takeovers on the London markets. We also regularly advise on regulatory and employment matters affecting the UK subsidiaries of Japanese groups.
Our Japan Practice has a particular specialism in advising on global data protection and e-privacy matters, often involving cross-border compliance programs, special projects and new technologies being rolled out across the UK and EU.
KEY CONTACTS:
- Steve Lewis, Managing Partner
- Nick Mathys, Partner and Head of Data Regulation
- Nick Emmerson, Partner and Head of Capital Markets
Our Japan Practice
The firm’s Japan practice is led by Steve Lewis (Managing Partner), Nick Mathys (Head of Data Regulation) and Nick Emmerson (Head of Capital Markets).
Each of them has spent a large proportion of their careers in Japan, including at Herbert Smith Freehills Tokyo office (which was founded by Steve Lewis and Nick Emmerson in 2000). Nick Mathys and Nick Emmerson are both fluent Japanese language speakers.
They are supported on cross-border matters by Partners Oliver Neil and Nicholas Mitchell, together with a legal support team which includes Japanese speakers. The firm also has an established network of Japan-focused local counsel around the world who it works alongside investments or projects covering multiple jurisdictions.
Much of our work is for large multinational companies based in Japan. Our clients include ‘household name’ global companies which are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, as well as privately-owned businesses with international operations.
We have advised on transactions and projects in almost every sector of industry, from heavy industry to digital entertainment, healthcare, food manufacturing and fashion.
Japanese companies are at the forefront of global technology and manufacturing, and our team are experts in technology law, including data regulatory and e-Privacy issues. This expertise, combined with our understanding and appreciation of Japan’s business culture, means we create long-term relationships with our clients based on the value we can add to their businesses.
We have advised Japanese companies on a range of transactions, including high-value M&A deals, joint ventures and public company takeovers on the London markets. We also regularly advise on regulatory and employment matters affecting the UK subsidiaries of Japanese groups.
Our Japan practice has a particular specialism in advising on global data protection and e-privacy matters, often involving cross-border compliance programs, special projects and new technologies being rolled out across the UK and EU.
KEY CONTACTS:
- Steve Lewis, Managing Partner
- Nick Mathys, Partner and Head of Data Regulation
- Nick Emmerson, Partner and Head of Capital Markets
