Established in California in 1934, Latham & Watkins is an international firm with 2700 lawyers across 29 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It has been active in Japan for over 20 years. 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm in Tokyo comprises of bengoshi and US-qualified lawyers focused on high-end, inbound and outbound M&A transactions across the automotive, technology, communications, semiconductor, life sciences, private equity and financial services sectors; and Asia-Pacific project financings across the energy, infrastructure, mining, transport, and telecommunications sectors.

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include Z Holdings Corporation, SB Investment Advisers, Kioxia Corporation, Saputo, Pengerang Energy Complex, JPMorgan Securities and Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)

During the research period the firm’s corporate practice handled the Z Holdings/ Line merger, private equity and stake acquisitions alongside investments and joint ventures. The projects team were active in a host of outbound thermal, power, petrochemical, energy, oil and gas, and mining projects in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Guam and Australia. 

The firm bolstered its M&A team in 2019 with the hires of partners Noah Carr and Ivan Smallwood from Morrison & Foerster but it also lost Nozomi Oda to the same firm. 

Deal highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)

-Grab Holdings $1.46 billion series H financing 

-Line Corporation / Z Holdings merger 

-Mong Duong 2 1240MW thermal power project 

-Saputo / Mori International Corporation joint venture