Legal notice: Japan

We practise in Japan through Allen Overy Shearman Sterling GKJ (A&O Shearman Tokyo). Our lawyers are licensed to practice English law, Japanese law, Australian law (New South Wales, Victoria) and US law (New York)* in Japan.

(*Although none of the A&O Shearman Tokyo lawyers actually practice New York law, some of the Japanese bengoshi at A&O Shearman Tokyo are dually qualified in Japan and New York.)

Contact details for our office in Japan can be found here. 

Professional regulation of A&O Shearman Tokyo 

A&O Shearman Tokyo is a partnership established in accordance with the Japanese Civil Code and the provisions of the Act on the Handling of Legal Services by Foreign Lawyers (the Foreign Lawyers Act) and is regulated by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations. The Foreign Lawyers Act permits Japanese qualified lawyers (bengoshi) to form a partnership with only non-Japanese lawyers who are registered foreign lawyers in Japan (gaikokuho jimu bengoshi). In accordance with this legislation, A&O Shearman Tokyo is organized as a local partnership whose partners are only Japanese qualified lawyers (bengoshi) and non-Japanese lawyers who are registered foreign lawyers in Japan (gaikokuho jimu bengoshi). For further details of the Foreign Lawyers Act see the English translation of the Act here.

Professional regulation of our lawyers

Bengoshi and gaikokuho jimu bengoshi are regulated by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations and the Tokyo Bar Association, the Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association or the Dai-Ni Tokyo Bar Association. Lawyers based in Japan who are qualified in other jurisdictions are also subject to regulation by the relevant regulatory body in their place of admission. Further information about our lawyers and their qualifications can be found here.