Join a leading international law firm in Tokyo as a Corporate M&A Associate, advising major Japanese and multinational clients on sophisticated domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
This opportunity is designed for a Japanese-qualified lawyer (弁護士) with strong Corporate M&A experience who wants to deepen both Japanese transactional expertise and international deal experience within a highly regarded global legal platform.
You will work across the full M&A transaction lifecycle, from legal due diligence and transaction structuring through drafting, negotiation, signing, and closing. Working directly with partners, international clients, and lawyers across overseas offices, you will provide practical Japanese law advice while coordinating complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions.
The position offers substantial responsibility for transaction execution and the opportunity to build a long-term career advising global clients on some of their most significant Japan-related and cross-border M&A transactions.
Key Responsibilities
- Advise multinational and Japanese clients on complex domestic and cross-border M&A transactions.
- Lead and coordinate legal due diligence processes for significant corporate transactions.
- Identify material legal risks through due diligence and communicate practical findings to partners, clients, and transaction teams.
- Draft, review, and negotiate Japanese transaction agreements and other M&A-related deal documentation.
- Provide practical Japanese law advice to international clients and global deal teams.
- Manage transaction workstreams from initial due diligence through signing and closing.
- Work closely with partners and clients on M&A transaction strategy, execution, and legal risk assessment.
- Coordinate with lawyers across international offices on multi-jurisdictional transactions.
- Manage multiple transaction workstreams, stakeholders, documents, and deadlines across complex deals.
- Support negotiations and help progress transactions efficiently while protecting client interests.
- Take meaningful ownership of transaction execution while collaborating closely with senior lawyers and international colleagues.
Required Skills and Qualifications
Experience:
- Japanese-qualified lawyer (弁護士) with strong Corporate M&A experience.
- Experience advising clients on sophisticated domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
- Demonstrated experience leading or managing legal due diligence processes.
- Strong experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating Japanese M&A transaction documents and agreements.
- Experience providing Japanese law advice to international clients.
- Practical experience supporting transactions throughout the M&A lifecycle, including diligence, drafting, negotiation, signing, and closing.
- Experience working directly with partners, clients, and transaction stakeholders on complex corporate matters.
- Ability to manage transaction workstreams and progress deals with an appropriate level of independence.
Soft Skills:
- Strong commercial judgement and the ability to provide practical, business-oriented transaction advice.
- Excellent legal drafting and analytical capabilities with high attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple workstreams and demanding deadlines across complex transactions.
- Confidence working directly with international clients, partners, and overseas lawyers.
- Collaborative mindset suited to a highly international and multicultural legal practice.
- Strong ownership and ability to progress transactions independently.
- Ability to communicate complex Japanese legal issues clearly to international stakeholders.
Language Requirements:
- Japanese: Native level
- English: Strong business level in reading and writing
Preferred Skills & Qualifications
- Business-level spoken English for direct communication with international clients and stakeholders.
- Experience working within an international law firm or leading Japanese law firm.
- Experience coordinating multi-jurisdictional M&A transactions with overseas counsel.
- Experience working directly with international clients on Japan-related transactions.
- Exposure to sophisticated cross-border corporate transactions involving major Japanese and multinational companies.
About the Company
Our client is a leading international law firm with a long-established and highly regarded presence in Japan.
Its Tokyo Corporate M&A practice advises major Japanese and multinational companies on sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions, combining deep Japanese law expertise with an integrated international legal platform.
Lawyers in Tokyo collaborate closely with colleagues across the firm's international network, allowing them to advise on transactions spanning multiple jurisdictions while maintaining substantial responsibility for Japanese legal analysis, documentation, negotiation, and execution.
The firm's strong exposure to technology-driven and global businesses provides an attractive platform for Japanese-qualified lawyers seeking to combine Japanese Corporate M&A expertise with international transaction experience.
Why You'll Love Working Here
- Work on sophisticated cross-border M&A transactions involving major Japanese and international companies.
- Build substantial experience advising global clients directly on Japanese law and M&A transaction strategy.
- Take meaningful ownership of legal due diligence, drafting, negotiation, and overall transaction execution.
- Collaborate closely with experienced partners and lawyers across a genuinely international legal network.
- Develop both Japanese transactional expertise and international deal experience within one global platform.
- Gain exposure to complex multi-jurisdictional transactions and overseas counsel.
- Join a highly regarded Tokyo Corporate practice with strong exposure to technology-driven and global businesses.
- Build a long-term international legal career while retaining a strong focus on Japanese law and Corporate M&A.
- Receive compensation of ¥30M+.
Don't Miss Out - Apply Now!
