Greenberg Traurig has opened its doors in Tokyo, raiding partners from DLA Piper and White & Case to head the new office.
The new outfit aims to assist Japanese companies with their business activities abroad, and advises international clients handling corporate, capital markets, dispute resolution, employment, intellectual property, energy and infrastructure work in Japan.
Former DLA Piper Tokyo partner Koji Ishikawa joined Greenberg Traurig as managing shareholder of the new office, while Japan practice co-chairs Yuji Ogiwara and Koichiro Ohashi joined from White & Case, where they were both partners.
Ishikawa specialises in corporate finance and capital markets work, while Ogiwara focuses on Japanese employment litigation and compliance matters. Ohashi advises clients on investment funds, finance and M&A transactions. All three partners are licensed in Tokyo and New York.
“This is the perfect time for us to enter Tokyo with our own full service office,” said Richard Rosenbaum, Greenberg Traurig’s chief executive officer, in a statement.
“With [Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s] recent victory in the lower house election, many expect an acceleration of structural reform, and a further increase, over time, of business generation from and with Japanese businesses.”
The Tokyo office is Greenberg Traurig’s 37th worldwide and third in Asia. The firm set up shop in Shanghai and Seoul in 2008 and 2013, respectively.
