Masuda & Partners Law Office

Senior Advisor

Professional ExperienceLegal Research and Training Institute, the Supreme Court of Japan (1982-1984)Nishimura & Asahi Law Office (current name), practicing primarily international capital market, corporate finance and structured finance area (1984-1992)Hughes, Hubbard & Reed Law Office (New York), practicing general corporate law (1990-1991)Merrill Lynch Japan Securities (1992)General Counsel of Merrill Lynch Japan Securities (1996-2008)Member of the Board of Directors of Merrill Lynch Japan Securities (2001-2009)Head of Legal, Bank of America Group, Japan (including Merrill Lynch Japan Securities) (2009-2019)Masuda & Partners Law Office-Senior Advisor (2019-present)

Professional LicensesAdmitted to the Japanese Bar, Japan (1981)

Key Experience at Merrill Lynch/Bank of America-Contributed by providing legal support regarding documentation and regulatory aspects in order to further the establishment and development of Merrill Lynch/Bank of America’s investment banking and wholesale security businesses in Japan. My duties also included legal support and oversight of the execution of critical transactions related thereto, among other things, Equity and Equity Linked Capital Market (including IPOs, Privatizations, Global Add on Offerings, CB and Convertible Preferred Offerings), M&A Advisory (including advisory business for friendly, competing or raid defense M&A deals), Leveraged Financing, Securitization and Principal Investment. 

-Involvement in Merrill Lynch/Bank of America’s own M&A, Strategic Alliance, Reorganization and other projects in Japan driven by its U.S. corporate strategy team including Consolidation of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch Japan Operations, Sale of Joint venture stakes in Private Banking Wealth Management business, Creation of Joint Venture as to Private Banking Wealth Management business with an alliance Mega Bank and Acquisition of Security Firm’s Retail business operations, resources and infrastructure.

-Analyzing and advising local and global regulatory development, dealing with regulators including the Financial Services Agency, Bank of Japan, Security Surveillance Commission and Japan Fair Trade Commission as well as managing litigations and incidents.

-Contributed to corporate governance in Japan, including management and administration from legal aspect of the board of directors and shareholders meetings of local legal entities as well as participation in the board and local management and transaction vetting committees as a regular member.

Japanese and English

Professional Activities, Memberships and AppointmentsMember of the Whole Sale Business Discussion Committee of Japan Securities Dealers Association (2013-2018)Visiting instructor, Waseda University, Graduate School of Finance, Accounting and Law (2009-2014)

Waseda University, Faculty of Law, Japan (1981, LL.B.)University of Washington (Seattle), Graduate School of Law, USA (1989, LL.M.)