Bar Association Activities

Lawyers at the firm are active participants in bar association committees and serve as court appointed defense counsel and duty attorneys. Highlights of our lawyers’ activities during 2011 are described below.

Lawyers at the firm are active in committees of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA), the Tokyo Bar Association, the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association and the Daini Tokyo Bar Association (Niben). As for activities during 2011, Yumiko Waseda became the Chairperson of the JFBA Training Center, Satoshi Kawai became the Chairperson of the Steering Committee for the Arbitration Center at the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association, and Yukinaga Kojima became a financial ADR mediator and arbiter for Tokyo San Bengoshikai. Also, Harumichi Uchida became the Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific Regional Forum of the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Chairman of the Competition Law Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA).During 2011, a total of 68 of the firm’s lawyers served as duty attorneys in 49 cases and as court-appointed defense counsel in 65 cases, and provided free legal counsel in 97 cases.

Public Organization Activities

Many lawyers from the firm have been seconded to public offices and other public organizations to participate in forming policies and systems and drafting legislation, or to serve as members of various councils, research groups, and advisory panels.

・ Financial Services Agency (FSA)
The FSA’s Working Group on Disclosure Systems, in which Toru Ishiguro serves as a member, released a report called “Report of FSA Working Group on Disclosure Systems – Development of Legal System for Capital Increase by Gratis Allotment of Stock Acquisition Rights (Rights Offering).” Seven lawyers from the firm were seconded to the FSA in 2011.

・ Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
Two lawyers from the firm were seconded to METI.

・ Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology
Kaoru Kamata became a member of the Dispute Reconciliation Committee for Nuclear Damage of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology. Also, Satoshi Kawai became a special member of the Reconciliation Committee.

・ Ministry of Justice
Hiroshi Takahashi became the Chairperson of the Hague Convention Council (for Procedures for Return of Children) of the Legislative Council of the Ministry of Justice. One lawyer from the firm was seconded to the Ministry of Justice.

・ Cabinet Office
Shuya Nomura became a member of the Second Working Group of the Subcommittee for Independent Administrative Agency Reform in the Government Revitalization Unit of the Cabinet Office.  

・ Consumer Affairs Agency
The Study Group for Door-to-Door Purchases of Precious Metals, etc. formed by the Consumer Affairs Agency, in which Junichi Tobimatsu serves as a member, released an interim report. One lawyer from the firm was seconded to the Consumer Affairs Agency.

・ Japan Patent Office
Yumiko Waseda became a temporary member of the Industrial Property Council (Patent Attorneys Examining and Disciplinary Subcommittee) of the Japan Patent Office.

・ Agency for Cultural Affairs
One lawyer from the firm was seconded to the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

・ Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
One lawyer from the firm was seconded to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy.

・ Nuclear Damage Liability Facilitation Fund
One lawyer from the firm was seconded to the Nuclear Damage Liability Facilitation Fund.

・ The National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission Shuya Nomura became a member of the National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission. Also,  Kaoru Matsuzawa and Hisako Takahashi became the Research Section Managers (Research Management Team), General Affairs and Investigation Department, Secretariat Division of the National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission.

・Activities in other public organizations
Takeshi Komatsu became a member of the Corporate Legislation Study Group of The 21st Century Public Policy Institute of Nippon Keidanren.
Daisuke Oda was involved in the preparation of “Revision of Reference Examples for Provisions Concerning the Exclusion of Anti-Social Forces in Loans and Check Accounts Transactions” published by the Japanese Bankers Association.
Masafumi Masuda was involved in “Research on Creation of Legal Environment Contributing to Virtuous Cycle for Intellectual Creation Cycles Related to Contents – Last 10 Years and Future of Legal Environment Surrounding Contents – Report” published by the Digital Content Association of Japan.
Hideki Matsui was involved in the preparation of “Case Study on Corporate Governance and Audit Practices in Companies with Committees System – Based on Survey and Examples” published by the Japan Corporate Auditors Association.

Activities at Educational Institutions

A number of lawyers from the firm have been teaching at law schools, universities and legal organizations. During 2011, a total of 50 lawyers served as lecturers or committee members in 24 different educational institutions, actively participating in training initiatives for future legal professionals. In April 2011, a total of seven lawyers became associate professors, lecturers or part-time lecturers at universities, graduate schools or law schools.

The firm’s lawyers have also been actively working to train future legal professionals by accepting legal apprentices for practical training and training at a large-scale firm, as well as through other programs such as externships for students.

During the practical training and the training at a large-scale firm, Ryota Yamagishi, Satoshi Kawai, Hideki Matsui and Chisako Takaya accepted and trained 13 legal apprentices, and Ryota Yamagishi,Yumiko Waseda and Takuya Iizuka accepted three externship students from the Chuo University Graduate School of Law and the Tokyo Metropolitan University.