Eiichi Kanda > Clifford Chance > Tokyo, Japan > Lawyer Profile

The ‘expert advice’ provided at Clifford Chance encompasses handling M&A, financial regulation issues and financings. The team is well versed in the technological aspect of fintech and frequently advises on issues such as blockchain, smart contracts and artificial intelligence work. Clients range from international and Japanese financial institutions to hi-growth fintech start-ups. Yusuke Abe steers the practice and is a key contact for matters involving derivatives transactions. Reiko Sakimura has longstanding experience in advising on international debt and equity capital market mandates. Michihiro Nishi is a key driver behind the transactional fintech expertise at the firm, while Eiichi Kanda is well placed to advise on the newly established ICO regulations in Japan. Capital markets expert Chihiro Ashizawa is another name to note.

Housing a strong and ‘knowledgeable’ team, Clifford Chance is well-positioned to advise foreign clients investing in the Japanese market, and has experienced growth in data centre and logistics related matters, in addition to mandates concerning assets from the hotel and hospitality industries. The group also advises on a number of significant infrastructure transactions and projects within the construction space. Eiichi Kanda, who co-leads the practice, specialises in asset management, joint venture and securitisation issues. The team also assists with asset acquisitions and divestments and private equity transactions, and Leng-Fong Lai advises sponsors and financiers on real estate investment and financing transactions, including mezzanine and hybrid financing. Practice co-head Yoshiaki Shimizu, who specialises in real estate finance, investment and development, was promoted to partner in May 2023, and Natsuko Sugihara specialises in handling private equity and M&A transactions. Hans Menski contributes his expertise in projects, with particular emphasis on the development and financing of power, infrastructure, and oil and gas projects.

The well-renowned capital markets team at Clifford Chance is lauded by clients as ‘one of the best UK law firms in Japan’, and complimented for its ‘practical advice’ on real estate asset acquisitions, innovative asset backed financing, and public convertible bonds. Leng-Fong Lai, who is dual qualified in England and Wales and Singapore, leads the team, regularly advising hedging providers, trustees, sponsors, and banks. The group is known for assisting clients with international debt cases, medium-term notes, and equity capital markets products, areas in which Reiko Sakimura has a great deal of knowledge. Key members within the practice also include Eiichi Kanda and of counsels Chihiro Ashizawa, Hajime Saito, and Matthew Ball.