Atsumi & Sakai

Atsumi & Sakai was the first independent Japanese law firm to create a foreign law joint venture.

Our Firm is committed to three core values, “Respect diversity, be rich in creativity, and have a flexible attitude.”  Consistent with these values, the Firm has established a variety of systems that emphasize equitable evaluation and work-life balance, and we are pursuing a comfortable workplace environment where diverse human resources with different backgrounds, such as nationality, gender and career, can optimize their skills and abilities.

As a result, the Firm continues to maintain a high ratio of female attorneys, as well as non-Japanese attorneys, as described below.

• Out of more than 120 attorneys, around 30% are women
• Out of more than 60 partners, nearly 30% are women (more than 70% of whom have children)
• Out of 15 Management Committee members, nearly 30% are women
• We have Registered Foreign Lawyers licensed in Japan to advise on the laws of the US States of New York and California, the People’ s Republic of China, England and Wales, India, the States of Queensland and Victoria (Australia), United States and Australian Federal law, and the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany (in collaboration with Janssen Foreign Law Office)

In particular, the firm has earned high evaluation from Japanese and international organizations for equal treatment of men and women, etc. and initiatives for work-life balance, including in the following areas:

1. The ratio of female partners at Atsumi & Sakai who are members of the firm's Management Committee is very high. (The Atsumi & Sakai Management Committee is responsible for management and HR related decision making, and this high ratio of female attorneys on the committee reflects a family friendly office culture on the firm's management decisions.)
2. Atsumi & Sakai has systems in place for maternity leave and child-care leave that also apply to attorneys, and the rules relating to these systems are published internally on the firm's intranet.
3. The activities of the firm are team based and built up around divisions and practice groups, which allows for flexibility in handling each individual's circumstances and support for child-care needs, etc.
4. Atsumi & Sakai has a solid IT environment that utilizes cloud computing and virtual private networks, etc., enabling attorneys to handle work outside the office and work from home while caring for children, etc.;
5. Atsumi & Sakai has an internal system for reporting of sexual harassment and power harassment, with multiple reporting options, in addition to which there are also annual training seminars regarding such harassment for attorneys; and
6. Atsumi & Sakai has an occupational health physician visiting the office once a month offering free consultations for attorneys and staff alike.

While cooperating with highly talented human resources, the firm will continue to improve its diversity in order to provide an environment in which each individual can maximize his or her abilities.