Join a leading international law firm in Tokyo as a US Litigation Associate, handling sophisticated commercial litigation, investigations, and cross-border disputes involving Japan, the United States, and multinational clients.
This opportunity is designed for a US-qualified attorney with approximately 3-5 years of post-qualification experience who wants to continue high-quality US-style litigation work while developing a long-term international legal career in Japan.
You will work on complex contentious matters across the full dispute lifecycle, including legal research and strategy, briefing, discovery, depositions, oral arguments, expert interviews, investigations, and direct client advisory. Working alongside experienced lawyers in Tokyo and international offices, you will play a substantive role in matters requiring coordination across jurisdictions.
For US litigators currently based overseas, visa sponsorship and full relocation support to Tokyo are available. The position provides a rare opportunity to combine sophisticated international disputes work with long-term career development in one of Asia's most important legal markets.
Key Responsibilities
- Handle complex commercial litigation, investigations, and cross-border disputes involving multinational clients.
- Draft briefs, motions, legal memoranda, and other litigation-related documents to support contentious matters.
- Conduct sophisticated legal research and analysis and translate findings into effective case strategies.
- Manage discovery processes across document-intensive and complex disputes.
- Support litigation strategy throughout discovery, including the organisation and analysis of relevant evidence and case materials.
- Prepare for and participate in depositions, oral arguments, and expert interviews.
- Advise clients throughout the dispute lifecycle and provide practical recommendations on contentious legal issues.
- Work directly with clients and senior lawyers on strategically significant litigation and investigation matters.
- Coordinate with lawyers across Japan, the United States, and other international offices on cross-border cases.
- Manage multiple demanding matters and competing deadlines while maintaining consistently high standards of legal analysis and written advocacy.
- Contribute to an international disputes practice handling sophisticated matters for major global companies.
Required Skills and Qualifications
Experience:
- US-qualified attorney with approximately 3-5 years of relevant post-qualification experience.
- Strong commercial litigation or investigations experience gained at a reputable law firm.
- Hands-on experience drafting legal briefs, motions, memoranda, and other litigation materials.
- Practical experience with discovery, depositions, and litigation case management.
- Strong legal research, analysis, and written advocacy capabilities.
- Experience developing legal arguments and case strategies for complex contentious matters.
- Experience advising clients throughout complex litigation or investigation matters.
- Ability to work directly with clients and senior lawyers on sophisticated disputes.
Soft Skills:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong analytical judgement and exceptional attention to detail.
- Ability to manage demanding litigation matters and competing deadlines effectively.
- Confidence communicating and working directly with clients and senior lawyers.
- Collaborative mindset suited to an international and multicultural legal practice.
- Ability to coordinate effectively with lawyers and stakeholders across different jurisdictions.
- Commitment to delivering high-quality legal work in complex and time-sensitive matters.
- Willingness to relocate to Tokyo and build a long-term legal career in Japan.
Language Requirements:
- English: Native level
- Japanese: Basic level acceptable
Preferred Skills & Qualifications
- Fluent Japanese language ability.
- Experience handling cross-border commercial disputes or investigations.
- Previous experience working with Japanese clients.
- Experience advising on Japan-related contentious matters.
- Experience coordinating litigation or investigation work across Japan and the United States.
- Exposure to multinational clients and international legal teams.
About the Company
Our client is a leading international law firm with a long-established presence in Tokyo and a sophisticated commercial disputes and investigations practice.
The firm represents major global companies in complex commercial litigation, investigations, and cross-border legal matters, with particularly strong exposure to technology and innovation-driven industries.
Its international platform enables lawyers in Tokyo to collaborate closely with colleagues across major global legal markets while retaining substantive responsibility for complex client matters. This provides a strong environment for US-qualified attorneys seeking to build an international career without stepping away from sophisticated US-style litigation work.
Why You'll Love Working Here
- Rare opportunity for a US-qualified litigation attorney to build a long-term career in Tokyo while continuing sophisticated international disputes work.
- Work on complex cross-border commercial litigation and investigations alongside experienced lawyers in Japan and the United States.
- Gain direct exposure to multinational clients and take substantive responsibility throughout the litigation lifecycle.
- Continue developing experience across briefing, discovery, depositions, investigations, oral arguments, and strategic client advisory.
- Join a highly international Tokyo law firm environment where US litigation experience and bilingual capabilities are valued.
- Visa sponsorship and full relocation support are available for candidates currently based overseas.
- Build meaningful Japan-related and cross-border disputes expertise while maintaining exposure to high-quality US-style litigation.
- Develop your career through close collaboration with lawyers across Japan and international offices.
- Receive compensation of ¥30M+.
Don't Miss Out - Apply Now!
