Clifford Chance is pushing to build a strong corporate and projects team to work with Japan’s top companies and to this end has appointed former Ashurst partner Alan Kitchin to head up the firm’s corporate and projects practice in Japan. Kitchin founded Ashurst’s Tokyo office in 1991 and served as its managing partner until 2002.

“Alan is the latest recent key appointment in Tokyo, and underlines how importantly we view that market,” said Peter Charlton, the firm’s regional managing partner. “Last year, dispute resolution partner Jim Jamison relocated from Hong Kong and, in March 2009, we were joined by capital markets partner Reiko Sakimura.”

The firm is experiencing a rapid increase in work levels across all of its Asia offices, and Tokyo is no exception. Kitchin will contribute to the firm’s work in international corporate and commercial transactions, including domestic and cross-border M&A, joint ventures, listings and projects. 

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