City-Yuwa Partners offers a comprehensive, full-service approach to clients, frequently advising on M&A, corporate matters, real estate, and asset management. The practice is co-headed by Shigeaki Itoh and Hitomi Sakai, who collaborate extensively with tax accountants and financial institutions to support clients across a broad spectrum of wealth management and estate planning matters. Another key contact is Shotaro Aoki, who is particularly recognised for his work in international estate planning, inheritance disputes, and business succession matters.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: NPS ®
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Hitomi Sakai is one of the few Japanese lawyers with a lot of experience working on cross-border estate planning and inheritance. Her approach is practical, which I appreciate.'
‘I engaged the services of City-Yuwa Partners in connection with my estate planning in Japan, and worked with Hitomi Sakai and Kaoru Vaheisvaran. They were both very responsive, providing helpful and practical advice throughout the process. They were also able to compare and contrast estate-planning differences between Japan and the US, and provide practical advice on how to approach my Japan estate planning.'
'Hitomi Sakai was very attentive and responsive at every step of the process.'
‘The team has the expertise in the area of private wealth, especially with global family members. They have an excellent legal network to support the clients who need support globally. They have a diverse set of services in coverage, from visa assistance to offshore estate planning.’
‘The professional who I often work is Ms. Hitomi Sakai. She is very responsive and has experience to support the client with various needs.’
'Hitomi Sakai demonstrated remarkable dedication to helping the clients, motivated by genuine concern. Her sincerity and impressive legal knowledge were truly commendable.'
Lawyers
Leading partners: Bengoshi
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Shigeaki Itoh; Hitomi Sakai
Other key lawyers
Shotaro Aoki; Kaoru Vaheisvaran