Masahiko Ishida promoted as DLA Piper's new Tokyo co-head

Masahiko Ishida promoted as DLA Piper's new Tokyo co-head

DLA Piper's Masahiko Ishida is promoted as co-country managing partner for Japan with Lance Miller, sharing joint leadership responsibilities.

Over the next year, the Tokyo-based Ishida bets on the region's most active technology and financial sector, as Asian countries open up to quicken their recovery.

Ishida informed Asia Business Law Journal, that the technology sector is the least affected sector by the pandemic and this sector will continue to reach great height of development henceforth. As the population lessens in Japan, a number of professionals are looking for opportunities outside Japan.

Ishida expects Japanese companies will increase their investments overseas to spread their supply chains as indecisions and uncertainties began by Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"For law firms and international trade regulations practices, the corporate and M&A sectors will endure to be a key practice zone. Considering that government authorities in many countries are now contracting their foreign investment-related regulations, they are also getting gradually important," he added.

Including lateral partners or senior members, Ishida plans to appoint more legal faculty for the Tokyo office, moreover DLA Piper's global network of lawyers in other jurisdictions.

"We wish to be the best player in this market in international transactions. Hence, one of our top prominence is to continue growing our corporate and M&A practice," he added. "We have also considerably upgraded our corporate finance and international dispute competences."

Ishida is self-assured of building mutually beneficial relationships with both to maintain the firm's market profile. As the first Japanese dual-qualified country managing partner in the Tokyo office, he holds strong relationships with large Japanese companies and law firms.