East Asia - Japan

Morrison Foerster

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Morrison Foerster‘s market-leading mergers and acquisitions group in Tokyo is headed by Ken Siegel, who is an expert in representing technology companies in matters such as acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic alliances. The team of more than 50 gaiben and bengoshi also includes the ’highly experienced‘ Jeremy White, international joint venture specialist Randy Laxer, life sciences and TMT specialist Gary Smith, Stanley Yukevich, and ’very reliable‘ senior associate Ganesh Vaheisvaran. Other work the practice covers includes advice on shareholder activism situations, tax-free spinoffs, prospective buy–out deals, minority investments, and financing for venture capital investments. Stephen DeCosse rejoined the firm in October 2023.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Solid array of lawyers with both US and UK qualifications. Also a range of skills across venture capital, private equity, and more specialized sector groups.’

  • ‘Jeremy White - highly experienced. Deals with issues in a calm and balanced manner. Inspires confidence.'

  • 'Ganesh Vaheisvaran is a very reliable and hard working senior associate who undertakes his work diligently and efficiently.’
  • 'Morrison Foerster's Tokyo Office M&A practice has not only the high quality of professional skills but also very good people and the proper flexibility in their response to matters.'
  • 'Among many attributes, what made them really unique was their ability to listen carefully to our situations and needs, to understand what we would like to accomplish.'

Key clients

  • SoftBank Group Corp.
  • TDK Corporation
  • Fujitsu Limited
  • Renesas Electronics Corporation
  • Tencent Holdings Limited
  • NTT Communications
  • Toshiba
  • Onsemi
  • L Catterton
  • Palantir Technologies Inc.

Work highlights

  • Represented TDK Corporation and Hong Kong subsidiary Amperex Technologies Limited in a business alliance with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited, a publicly traded company in China.
  • Represented Zeon Corporation, a leading Japanese manufacturer of advanced chemicals and materials, in its acquisition of Aurora Microplates, a US maker of microplates for drug research applications.
  • Advised Renesas Electronics Corporation, a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, in its acquisition of Steradian Semiconductors Private Limited, a fabless semiconductor company based in Bengaluru, India, that provides 4D imaging radar solutions, in an all-cash transaction.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame

The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Ken Siegel

Other key lawyers

Jeremy White, Randy Laxer, Stanley Yukevich, Gary Smith, Stephen DeCosse, Ganesh Vaheisvaran