Morrison & Foerster has hired Jesse Gillespie as a corporate partner in Tokyo from Sullivan & Cromwell.

Gillespie’s practice focuses on capital markets transactions involving Japanese and Asian issuers. He has represented issuers and underwriters in connection with debt securities offerings, as well as banks and issuers with complex liability management exercises.

At S&C, Gillespie was involved in deals related to SoftBank Group, such as its non-investment grade perpetual bond offering in July, which was the largest of its kind.

According to the ALB Top 50 largest law firms 2017 ranking, MoFo is the second-largest international firm in Japan with 106 lawyers, 37 of whom are partners. The firm says it is has the only capital markets practice in Tokyo that covers both Japan and U.S. laws.

Meanwhile Sullivan & Cromwell has nine lawyers in Tokyo, including two partners.

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