Moves – 17 February 2011

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe has appointed Yoshihiro Takatori as partner and chair of the firm’s Japan litigation practice. He brings with him a team of lawyers and professionals, including Of Counsel Shinsuke Yakura. They join the firm from Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker.
• Takatori has successfully tried and won several high-profile commercial cases for both Japanese and international clients. His most pioneering work involves representing pharmaceutical companies in cases relating to HIV-contaminated blood products. He has made Japanese judicial history, obtaining landmark judgments on several multi-jurisdictional IP and anti-trust cases. Takatori has also advised clients on cross-border compliance issues concerning asbestos-related products.
• Yakura’s practice focuses on IP, product liability, anti-trust, medical, pharmaceutical, and other commercial disputes. He has represented both Japanese and international companies in patent infringement litigation involving a wide range of technologies including pharmaceuticals, computer software, electronic devices and industrial machinery. Yakura also counsels clients on antitrust and competition matters, advising on transactional matters, including M&As and licensing, as well as litigious issues.

White & Case has bolstered its M&A, real estate and restructuring practice in Japan with the hire of Jun Usami and Ayako Kawano who join the firm from Paul, Hastings , Janofsky & Walker.
• Usami’s experience spans all areas of corporate practice, including M&A, private equity, MBOs, LBOs, strategic alliances and joint ventures. He has a strong track record in cross-border work, from mid-market to large complex deals, as well as in representing investors in the telecommunications, media and technology, asset management, transportation, retail and leisure sectors.
• Kawano is a corporate and real estate specialist, dual-qualified in Japan and New York, with extensive experience in acquisitions, dispositions and restructuring of distressed loan and real estate portfolios, as well as in private equity investments, restructuring and cross-border bankruptcy-related M&A. She is a real estate expert across a broad range of practices, from formation of funds, to acquisitions and dispositions, including J-REITs and complex financing deals.

Zhong Lun Law Firm has appointed Robert Lewis as international managing partner. He has practiced in China for nearly 20 years. Lewis was formerly the managing partner of the Beijing office of Hogan Lovells for nine years before joining the Beijing office of Shanghai-based AllBright Law Offices earlier last year, making him one of the first senior foreign lawyers to make the move from an international law firm to a Chinese law firm.