White & Case LLP - White & Case Law Offices (Registered Association) has been strengthened by the arrival of investment funds specialist Eriko Sakata, who brings more than 20 years of experience advising global asset managers and blue-chip corporations in relation to large-cap investment platforms, and Sayako Shiraki, who regularly advises fund managers, fund service providers, investors, and financial institutions. The two partners joined the firm from Linklaters in May 2024. Other individuals to note in the team include Hiroto Nakayama, who specialises in financial regulatory issues, and Mao Muraguchi, who counts sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and institutional investors as clients.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Eriko Sakata is a highly experienced lawyer who is able to bridge both the local and the international extremely well.’

  • ‘Eriko Sakata's team is one of the most effective investment funds teams in Japan. They set themselves apart by being able to work efficiently with international and domestic clients, and advise on domestic and international legal issues affecting investment funds matters.’

  • ‘Eriko Sakata stands out as solutions-focused, practical and extremely easy to deal with. Her style brings people together in a collaborative manner which extracts the best possible results in complex matters. This approach has resulted in the development of a strong and stable team, including rising stars Sayako Shiraki and Mao Muraguchi.’

  • ‘Eriko Sakata is the partner and leads the team by example. Sayako Shiraki manages a number of key clients and is very user-friendly.’

  • ‘This practice is unique in the investment funds space in Tokyo, as the practice is able to act with a local and international lens.’

  • ‘The team is widely known in the market for their expertise and work on a number of high-profile transactions.’

Lawyers

Leading partners: Bengoshi
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Eriko Sakata
White & Case LLP - White & Case Law Offices (Registered Association)

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Eriko Sakata, Sayako Shiraki

Other key lawyers

Hiroto Nakayama, Mao Muraguchi