The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2026 Edition Recognizes Japan Team

2 minute read | January.15.2026

日本語: The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2026において引き続き高評価を取得

Orrick continues to be recognized in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2026 Edition, receiving positive feedback in 4 practice areas and 4 individual recognitions in Japan. To view the details of the ranking results, please visit the publication’s website here.

Projects and Energy: International Firms and Joint Ventures (Tier 2)
Labour and Employment: International Firms and Joint Ventures (Tier 2)
Corporate and M&A: International Firms and Joint Ventures (Tier 3)
Intellectual Property: International Firms and Joint Ventures (Tier 3)

The following members of our Tokyo office have been recognized for their ongoing efforts, ranked in the practice areas below.

Minako Wakabayashi as Leading Partner for Projects and Energy
Hiroki Sugita as Leading Partner for Corporate and M&A
Yumiko Ohta as Leading Partner for Labour and Employment
Anri Nakamoto as Leading Associate for Intellectual Property

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Minako Wakabayashi Partner, Energy & Infrastructure, Renewable Energy

Tokyo

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D:+81 3 3224 2926
E: [email protected]

Practice:

Energy & Infrastructure Sector
Energy & Infrastructure
Renewable Energy
Infrastructure
Energy
Japan

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Minako Wakabayashi Partner

Tokyo

Minako has significant experience advising international and domestic sponsors and developers on complex and innovative projects. She was called upon by the Japanese government in structuring the renewable Feed-in-Tariff scheme in Japan and prepared the government’s model contracts for specific contracts (power purchase contract/interconnection contract), which are a key component of the Feed-in-Tariff scheme in Japan. Recently, she has also been handling numerous corporate PPA projects.

She was appointed as Auditor of the Japan Wind Power Association (JWPA) in May 2022.

Minako practiced at Orrick’s New York office in 2004-2005. She also worked as a public prosecutor in Japan for four years and served as a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Supervising Committee for Public Bidding (Tokyo-to Nyusatsu Kanshi Iinkai) for eight years. She is serving as Audit of Veritas In Silico Inc since March 2022.

Hiroki Sugita Partner, Mergers & Acquisitions, Technology Companies Group

Tokyo

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D:+81 3 3224 2953
E: [email protected]

Practice:

Mergers & Acquisitions
Technology Companies Group
Fintech

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Hiroki Sugita Partner

Tokyo

He also has extensive experience in fund formation, real estate and various types of finance transactions.

Hiroki has a deep understanding of clients’ needs from his secondment experience with a U.S. investment bank in 2005 and a Japanese major trading house from 2012 to 2014.

Prior to joining Orrick, Hiroki worked at O’Melveny’s Tokyo office as a counsel where he mainly worked on cross border M&A.

Yumiko Ohta Partner, Employment Law & Litigation, Executive Compensation

Tokyo

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D:+81 3 3224 2829
E: [email protected]

Practice:

Employment Law & Litigation
Executive Compensation
Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Mergers & Acquisitions
International Trade and Investment
Japan
Pay Equity

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Yumiko Ohta Partner

Tokyo

Yumiko also has knowledge related to international trade such as customs rules and export controls.

Before joining Orrick, Yumiko was an associate at Tanabe & Partners and advised clients in corporate transactions and employment law as well as represented clients in civil and family cases. She has experience serving as a statutory auditor for Japanese corporations. Prior to practicing law, she worked at Mitsubishi Corporation for seven years. While there, she was involved in LNG projects and other global business.

Anri Nakamoto Partner, Intellectual Property, Patents

Tokyo; Washington, D.C.

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D:+81 3 3224 2089
E: [email protected]

Practice:

Intellectual Property
Patents
IP Counseling & Due Diligence
Trade Secrets Litigation

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Anri Nakamoto Partner

Tokyo; Washington, D.C.

Anri brings a combination of unique skills and attributes which, collectively, make him essential to both maintaining and growing Orrick's longstanding successful practice representing Japanese clients in high-value IP litigation matters as well as serving Orrick's clients worldwide who have needs in Japan. Unlike the limited role of most lawyers in Japan who focus on U.S. IP litigation to client relationship management, Anri is adept at both client relationship and substantive litigation work including briefing and taking witness at trials.

In addition to many patent cases at district courts, USITC and before the US Patent and Trademark Office, Anri is also an experienced practitioner in international arbitration practice. Most recently, he played a huge role in a massive international arbitration matter, which resulted in a complete victory for his client.

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