Tokyo, Japan Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, Japan

 

Japanese firm TMI Associates has hired Lisa Yano as a partner in Tokyo from Hogan Lovells.

U.S.-qualified Yano focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate and employment matters, technology transactions and internal investigations in the technology, media and telecommunications; life sciences; energy; media, entertainment and sports; and consumer sectors. In 2017, Yano was part of the team that advised U.S. nuclear operator Exelon Corp. on a joint venture with The Japan Atomic Power Co.

Yano leaves Hogan Lovells after three years with the firm. Previously, she was the Tokyo managing partner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, which she joined in 2007. Morgan Lewis has had a joint venture with TMI Associates since 2005. Prior to that, Yano was also Tokyo managing partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison since 2000 and practised at Morrison & Foerster, where she made partner in 1995.

TMI Associates is a 400-lawyer Japanese law firm just outside the traditional Big Four – the four top local firms in Japan: Nishimura & Asahi, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu. In addition to Morgan Lewis, the firm also has joint ventures with Simmons & Simmons, since 2001; and German firm ARQIS, since 2009. TMI has also had an office in Palo Alto since 2014.

Yano's departure leaves Hogan Lovells with about 40 lawyers in Tokyo, including seven partners – making it one of the largest international firms in the Japanese capital.

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