Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is set to open its doors in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, and Osaka later this year.
The Yangon office will be headed by corporate and finance partner Takeshi Mukawa, currently a co-representative partner of the firm’s Singapore office. Mukawa will be joined in Yangon by several other attorneys, according to a statement issued by Mori Hamada.
The office is expected to open in the spring of 2014 upon completion of necessary procedures with Myanmar’s government agencies, the statement added.
As Japanese companies continue to expand in Southeast Asia, Japan’s Big Four law firms too are following their clients abroad. Mori Hamada & Matsumoto and Nishimura & Asahi both opened offices in Singapore in 2012, while Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu and Anderson Mori & Tomotsune set up shop in Singapore in January and November last year, respectively.
Mori Hamada will be the second Japanese law firm to open in Myanmar, after Nishimura & Asahi opened a Yangon office in May last year.
For an in-depth analysis of Japan Inc’s foray into Southeast Asia, click here.
Mori Hamada is also primed for domestic expansion, and is scheduled to open an office in Osaka – its third office in Japan – on April 1.
The Osaka office will focus on corporate, M&A, finance, intellectual property, litigation and alternative dispute resolution matters. The office will initially be staffed by corporate and finance partner Takuya Eguchi, as well as associates Hirokazu Hayashi and Takamasa Sato.
Kanish Verghese is North Asia journalist at ALB. Follow us on Twitter: @ALB_Magazine.
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