Mori Hamada & Matsumoto was established with the merger of Mori Sogo and Hamada & Matsumoto on December 1, 2002. The firm subsequently merged with Max Law Offices on July 1, 2005. As of October 2010, the firm has approximately 300 attorneys, 1 foreign law counsel, as well as approximately 400 other support staff such as qualified judicial scriveners, foreign trainees, paralegals, translators and librarians, making Mori Hamada & Matsumoto one of the largest full-service law firms in Japan. In order to meet the requirements of cross-border matters, the firm employs many lawyers who have pursued postgraduate study and study at law firms in the U.S. and other countries. Even now, there are lawyers on exchange at graduate schools in the U.S, and carrying out research at various law firms in the U.S. and beyond. In 1998, the firm opened an office in Beijing, and in 2005 another office was opened in Shanghai.
Mori Sogo, one of the firm's predecessors, built a powerful foundation in domestic legal matters through its founder, Ryosaku Mori, leading to the steady expansion into broader practice areas such as domestic and international corporate law (including M&A, bankruptcy, finance, intellectual property, venture capital, and private equity funds). Mori Sogo was viewed as a law firm that offered quality legal services in each practice area. Hamada & Matsumoto, another predecessor to the firm, developed an international reputation in international practice areas, focusing on finance (including various cross-border, debt-equity financing arrangements, and highly specialized asset management structures). Hamada & Matsumoto also steadily built its practice to include a broad range of matters in domestic and international corporate law. They also had a substantial litigation department.
The practice areas covered by these two law firms were complemented and expanded following the merger in 2002, and Mori Hamada & Matsumoto that was born as a result was better able to meet the various needs of the client than before. The law firm that the firm merged with on July 1, 2005, Max Law Offices, was a well-regarded Japanese law firm, particularly in the field of intellectual property rights. The integration of the firm's existing base, which included an intellectual property department, and the knowledge, know-how and networks of Max Law Offices, resulted in the rapid development of a commanding intellectual property practice that continued to grow to form a platform that offers extensive, high-level legal services.
312 Japanese Law Attorneys (93 Partners)
1 Foreign Law Counsel
12 Foreign Lawyers
414 Staff (as of January 31, 2011)
