We provide advice on a wide range of legal issues which a company may encounter in the course of its operations. In particular, we provide highly practical and effective advice on the drafting, review and negotiation of agreements such as master sale and purchase agreements, distribution agreements, agency agreements, joint venture agreements, business alliance agreements, share transfer agreements and business transfer agreements, based on the know-how and experience which managing partner Mr. Minagawa has acquired through handling many general corporate matters.

Compliance is one of the most important areas of concern for the management of companies. If a compliance issue arises and it is not handled properly by experienced professionals, the company in question may face excessive and unwarranted accusations from the mass media, and in the worst case scenario the company may go bankrupt, as we have seen on several occasions in Japan. The establishment and maintenance of an effective compliance system is without doubt one of the most important tasks faced by the management of companies. Based upon managing partner Mr. Minagawa’s extensive compliance experience at Mitsubishi Corporation, we provide advice on the establishment and maintenance of an effective compliance system and we provide internal compliance seminars to clients’ employees .We can also act as an outside consultant for whistleblowers and conduct an internal investigation in the event that a compliance problem arises.

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If a dispute arises involving your company, it is crucially important to review the situation and decide how to resolve such dispute in the best interests of your company. We offer prompt and flexible advice to assist clients to resolve disputes through litigation, arbitration or negotiation outside court.

Due to the ever-increasing globalization of business, both Japanese and foreign companies now frequently need to do business and negotiate and enter into agreements with companies which have very different business practices and cultures from their own. We advise both foreign and Japanese companies on their review and negotiation of agreements such as master sale and purchase agreements, master service agreements, distribution agreements, agency agreements, joint venture agreements, business alliance agreements, share transfer agreements and business transfer agreements.

Managing partner Mr. Minagawa has extensive experience working at both foreign and Japanese companies and law firms, and is thus familiar with companies’ decision-making processes. We provide effective and practical legal advice with a focus on the material conditions and clauses which need to be negotiated. In addition, through Mr. Minagawa’s broad network of contacts, we are able to provide legal advice on cross-border transactions jointly with foreign lawyers to be retained on an as needed basis.

Art and entertainment law is these days forming an area of practice independent from the area of intellectual property rights. We provide advice on drafting and negotiating online game end user license agreements, player-team contracts, player-agent contracts, personal appearance release agreements and other entertainment related agreements.

Due to the recent changes to laws and regulations concerning the financial sector, the laws and regulations which financial institutions must comply with have increased and become more complex. We provide legal advice on such matters as regulation of financial instruments trading and businesses, disclosure rules, clearing and settlement systems, banking business and trust business. In addition, we provide legal advice regarding structured finance, securitization and acquisition finance. We also provide SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) with practical and effective advice to enable them to borrow from banks and other financial institutions on better and more appropriate terms and conditions.

We provide advice on competition law and regulation in Japan, including merger regulations. We also provide advice to SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) on how to use the “Act against Delay in Payment of Subcontract Proceeds, Etc. to Subcontractors” (Subcontractor Protection Act, hereinafter the “Act”) to obtain better terms and conditions from the main contractor (referred to as the “main subcontracting entrepreneur” in the Act). We also provide legal advice on US anti-trust law and EU competition law jointly with qualified foreign lawyers to be retained on an as needed basis.

Intellectual property rights, such as patents, copyright, trademarks and knowhow, are a complex and unique area of practice and give rise to special issues under Japanese law, regulation and business practice. In order to enter into an agreement in relation to intellectual property rights, a deep experience and understanding of this area is essential. Managing partner Mr. Minagawa has extensive experience of drafting, reviewing and negotiating such agreements through his previous role as legal counsel at a global software company handling numerous end user license agreements, master end user license agreements, master service agreements and software development agreements. We are capable of providing practical and effective legal advice on agreements in relation to intellectual property rights. We are also able to assist with litigation involving copyright and patent infringement jointly with a patent lawyer to be retained on an as needed basis.

Regardless of the size of the company, labor law issues are an area which the management of a company cannot avoid. We provide specialized and attentive labor and employment law advice and litigation assistance tailored to the circumstances of each client. Japan can be a challenging environment for employers with regard to labor issues, and it is crucial for clients to receive timely and expert advice. We provide practical advice and solutions to even the most complex labor and employment matters.