East Asia - Japan

Norton Rose Fulbright

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Clients seeking assistance from the banking and finance team at Norton Rose Fulbright are able to receive advice on a variety of finance matters, including asset finance, corporate finance, and aviation finance work. The practice has been especially busy with restructuring transactions and LIBOR cases, as well as IPOs, joint venture financings, and project finance work, for which department head George Gibson is the name to note. Paul Coggins is adept at advising clients in offshore sectors and international shipping, with a specialism in financing ships using cross-border project and asset-based leasing and debt facilities. Akihiko Takamatsu joined the practice from Clifford Chance in February 2023.

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Client friendly, and a very good level of knowledge.’

  • ‘They are eager to help even when our business proposal is at brainstorming stage, which is extremely important to us.’

  • ‘Very patient and understand very well the interests of different stakeholders. I would highly recommend Akihiko Takamatsu.’

  • ‘Deep knowledge of asset financing, not only within one area, but throughout the globe.’

  • 'Paul Coggins differentiates himself from others with his vast knowledge and understanding on the Japanese trading firms.'

  • 'Paul Coggins and his team are excellent. He and his team are dedicated in supporting our transactions.'

Key clients

  • Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited
  • BNP Paribas
  • ING Bank
  • Japan Bank for International Cooperation
  • JERA
  • Mitsubishi Corporation
  • Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
  • Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.
  • Mizuho Bank
  • MUFG Bank
  • Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Co. Ltd.
  • Nippon Export and Investment Insurance
  • Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
  • ORIX Corporation
  • Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
  • ITOCHU Corporation
  • Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.
  • Tokyo Century Corporation

Lawyers

Next Generation Partners: Gaiben

Paul Coggins

Paul Coggins

Norton Rose Fulbright

Paul is a banking and finance lawyer based in Tokyo, focusing on the shipping and offshore sectors. He acts for commercial banks, ECAs and sponsors in the financing of all manner of ships and offshore units using various financing structures, including complex cross-border project and asset-based leasing and debt facilities. Paul also has considerable experience drafting and negotiating commercial shipping agreements, including shipbuilding contracts and charterparties, and advising on the sale and purchase of ships, ship-owning companies and distressed shipping loans, acting for ship owners, charterers and financiers. Before joining the Tokyo office in 2010, Paul spent time in London and Singapore with a well-known international shipping law firm and on secondment to the Asia Shipping Desk of a leading bank in Hong Kong.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

George Gibson

Other key lawyers

Akihiko Takamatsu, Paul Coggins