AI Issue 8 2017

36 Acquisition International - August 2017 Founded in 1902, Japanese law firm Yuasa and Hara has developed expertise covering seamless intellectual property protection, various business legal issues, and accounting. We spoke to the firm’s partner at the patent division and chief of chemical section, Osamu Yamamoto, to celebrate their receiving of the Leading Intellectual Property and Patent Practitioner of the Year – Japan accolade. ounded in 1902, Yuasa and Hara is a pioneer in multidisciplinary practice. The firm is organised into four divisions: law, patent, trademark & design and accounting & auditing. It is one of the oldest law and patent firms in Japan today. Partner at the patent division and chief of the chemical section, Osamu Yamamoto provides an excellent introduction to the firm’s work and his own role within it. “At Yuasa and Hara, we have many professionals specialising in a variety of areas, including 21 lawyers, 63 patent attorneys, three certified public accountants and one tax accountant. While each division functions independently as a legal, patent and accounting firm, our members also closely cooperate with each other. They do this to provide complete and multiple intellectual property services to clients, both in Japan and overseas. “Since the early days of the firm, provision of an international service for both Japanese and foreign clients have been at the core of our legal and intellectual property practice. We have unprecedented expertise across all relevant legal and technical fields and providing seamless integration of intellectual property protection, business law and accounting. “My major areas of expertise are: biochemistry; diagnostics; food science; pharmaceuticals; microbiology; polymer chemistry (all aspects of patent issues, including filing patent applications and patent term extensions, handling Japan Patent Office actions, providing expert opinions, defending or attacking patent rights in invalidation trials or post-grant oppositions, and representing clients in infringement litigation).” Since the early days of Yuasa and Hara, the provision of expeditious international services, for their clients both in Japan and overseas has been the core value of the firm’s practice, Osamu tells us. “To sustain and enhance this capacity, we have always valued international cooperation with overseas law and patent firms and have established a strong global network. We have built up alliances Company: Yuasa and Hara Name: Osamu Yamamoto Email: yamamoto-ch@ yuasa-hara.co.jp Web: www.yuasa-hara.co.jp Address: Section 206, New-Ohtemachi Building, 2-1 Ohtemachi, 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-0004 Japan Phone: +81 3 3270 6641 AWide Range of Legal Experience F 1708AI10 with overseas reliable law firms, especially about corporate legal and IP cases. “In addition to these private alliances, there are always several members of our firm actively engaged in international associations relating to law and IP such as AIPLA, AIPPI, ALAI, APAA, FICPI, INTA, IPBA and LES, thus building close relationships with foreign lawyers and patent attorneys.” Osamu then tells us about the firm’s general corporate legal services of their attorneys-at-law. “We handle professional legal services in various areas. We prepare a system to immediately respond to cases that require understanding of complicated facts - or technologies and process cases more promptly and adequately - even in areas that require advanced expertise. “The firm’s major areas of legal expertise are: corporate legal practice, corporate and commercial dispute resolution services, patent and intellectual property litigation, unfair competition litigation, and licensing.” The firm has several attorneys-at-law, who are former judges at the intellectual property division of high court, or those whose major in university was in science and technology. “We can handle various cases relating to intellectual property - with the help of our patent attorneys – who have specialised knowledge at the firm’s patent as well as our trademark and design division. “We have a wide range of experience in legal advice when it comes to the preparing or reviewing of expert opinions, contracts and company rules in case of disputes, on pursuing negotiations, litigations, arbitration and mediation procedures.” Yuasa and Hara provides support and representation in all aspects of patent administration, Osamu tells us. “We have an experienced group of patent attorneys, specialising in a wide variety of technical fields including chemical, electric/electronic, mechanical and highly advanced technologies.