Thai law firm Kudun and Partners has established a Japan practice after hiring disputes expert Emi Rowse Igusa as a partner in Bangkok from Herbert Smith Freehills, where she was a senior counsel.

According to Kudun Sukhumananda, founding partner of Kudun and Partners, the four-lawyer Japan practice led by Rowse Igusa will meet rising demand from Japanese companies in Thailand, as the effects of the pandemic recede in the Southeast Asian country. “We feel it is time to equip our business with a dedicated Japan practice to better serve our Japanese clients,” Kudun said.

A specialist in commercial litigation and international arbitration, Rowse Igusa is experienced in commercial contracts, shareholder and joint venture disputes, employment law, investigations such as corruption, fraud and corporate governance, and competition law. Her clients include financial institutions, energy corporations and global manufacturers throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Rowse Igusa spent more than a decade at Herbert Smith Freehills across that firm’s Tokyo, Hong Kong and Bangkok offices. Prior to that, she worked at Hong Kong law firm Robertsons for seven years.

With this addition, Kudun now has 15 partners.