Japan’s TMI establishes 2nd Malaysia alliance, sets up new office
BY Mari Iwata |Major Japanese law firm TMI Associates has entered into an alliance with Malaysian law firm SY Teo & Co, set up by Sze Yi Teo, an associate in TMI’s Singapore office. The alliance will also establish an office in Kuala Lumpur under the name of SY Teo & Co in Association with TMI Associates.
Latham, CAM advise on $370 mln India gas deal
BY Nimitt Dixit |Latham & Watkins and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas have advised a Japanese consortium on its $370 million primary investment into India’s AG&P LNG Marketing.
Latham taps rival MoFo for M&A partner in Tokyo
BY Nimitt Dixit |Global law firm Latham & Watkins has turned to U.S. rival Morrison & Foerster to bolster its M&A capabilities in Japan with the hire of deals and private equity partner Yohei Nakagawa in Tokyo.
Cleary, A&G advise Japan’s Mitsui on $360 mln Ecuador shrimp deal
BY Sarah Wong |U.S. law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Singapore’s Allen & Gledhill and two Ecuadorian firms have advised Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co on its $360 million investment in an Ecuadoran shrimp farming company.
Skadden, AMT, MHM, Davis Polk advise on Trial Holding’s $258 mln Japan IPO
BY Nimitt Dixit |Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Anderson Mori & Tomotsune have advised Japanese discount-store chain operator Trial Holdings on its $258 million initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), the largest IPO of the year so far.
CROSS-BORDER INVESTMENT: Asia’s New Power Couple
BY Nimitt Dixit |Increased economic activity between India and Japan is creating new work for lawyers in both countries, but there is still a long way to go to facilitate cross-border legal market growth and expansion.
Yulchon continues disputes hiring spree with AMT practice head
BY Nimitt Dixit |International arbitration veteran David MacArthur is moving from Tokyo to Seoul, joining the partnership at South Korean Big Six firm Yulchon as co-leader of the disputes practice. His move comes at a time when Yulchon has been aggressively bulking up its disputes offering.
Nishimura, MHM advise on Dai-ichi Life’s $2 bln acquisition of Benefit One
BY Mari Iwata |Nishimura & Asahi has advised Japanese life insurance giant Dai-ichi Life Holdings on its 2.9-trillion-yen ($2 billion) acquisition of healthcare platform Benefit One, which was represented by Mori Hamada & Matsumoto.
MHM to expand in Japan with Yokohama office launch
BY Mari Iwata |Leading Japanese law firm Mori Hamada & Matsumoto has announced that it will establish a presence in Yokohama, the nation’s second-largest city. It will be the firm’s seventh domestic office.
Clifford Chance, Nishimura, MHM lead on CVC’s $1.2 bln acquisition of Sogo Medical Group
BY Mari Iwata |Clifford Chance and Nishimura & Asahi have acted for private equity firm CVC Capital Partners on its 17-billion-yen ($1.2 billion) acquisition of Sogo Medical Group, Japan’s fifth-biggest pharmacy by store numbers. Sogo was represented by Mori Hamada & Matsumoto.
PRIVATE EQUITY: New Dawn
BY Sarah Wong |With global private equity investors falling out of love with a misfiring China, and other Asian alternatives coming up short, Japan has become the region’s new PE darling, bolstered by favourable monetary policies and government initiatives, market and regulatory reforms, and its unique socio-economic development. And lawyers are bullish about the country’s PE activity going into 2024.
Nishimura, NO&T, AMT advise on $3.3 bln Lawson privatization bid
BY Mari Iwata |Nishimura & Asahi has advised Japanese telecommunication company KDDI on its 496.5 billion yen ($3.3 billion) offer to take convenience store chain Lawson private. Lawson is being represented by Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, with Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu guiding current shareholder Mitsubishi Corp.