業務内容

Labour Law

Labour Law

Iwata Godo is highly experienced in labour law, including (i) regularly advising on internal rules and compliance with employment-related laws and regulations, including recruitment, tentative job offers, HR matters such as reassignment and secondment of employees, overtime work, disciplinary measures and labour unions, (ii) handling legal issues arising in the course of corporate restructuring (e.g., handling of labour unions, reduction in workforce, succession of labour contracts, unification of labour conditions) and (iii) conducting labour-related due diligence to assess risk on issues such as unpaid overtime, disguised contract labour, and nominal management positions.

We further offer a wide range of legal services, drawing upon our experience in litigation and expertise in dispute resolution, including (i) representation of employers in mediation, labour tribunals and litigation, (ii) advising employers on internal disciplinary actions and measures to prevent recurrence in employee fraud cases, and (iii) representation of employers, if necessary, in litigation to seek damages from employees in fraud cases.

Recently, we have seen a significant increase in the number of cases where we advise and represent employers on matters of public concern (e.g., cancellation of tentative job offers, refusal to extend or renew contracts with contingent workers, early retirement programs, sexual harassment, power harassment, work-related injuries and health issues, including karoshi (death caused by overwork) and mental disorders) and litigation by employees seeking damages on such matters. Such advice may include the handling of labour union reactions on these issues, if necessary. We further offer legal services on the labour issues specific to non-profit corporations, including educational corporations.

Publications Related to Labour Law

  • 2024.02

    Fujiwara Hiroki authors "Employees Getting a Worse Deal When Switching from Fixed Term to Indefinite Term" in Roumu Jijo

    Author:
    FUJIWARA Hiroki 
  • 2024.02

    Fujiwara Hiroki and Fukuchi Takumi co-author an article for HR managers on legal issues relating to hiring of employees (Jinji Romu Jitsumu no Q&A)

  • 2024.01

    Toyooka Hiroto authors a commentary on the MHLW Labor Policy Council's review of the unemployment insurance system (Shoji Homu Portal website)

    Author:
    TOYOOKA Hiroto 
  • 2024.01

    Fujiwara Hiroki and Fukuchi Takumi co-author an article for HR managers on legal issues arising when an employee is arrested or detained by police (Jinji Romu Jitsumu no Q&A)

  • 2023.12

    International Employment Lawyer carries comments by Tago Shinya, Fujiwara Hiroki, Landry Guesdon and Kitagawa Hiroki in its article "Restructuring a Cross-Border Workforce"

Lectures, Seminars and Conferences Related to Labour Law

  • 2023.11

    Nakano Masayuki gives a webinar on "Dealing with the new Freelancer Protection Act" for Rodo Shimbun

    Speaker: NAKANO Masayuki 

  • 2023.02

    Nakano Masayuki is keynote speaker on "Unreasonable Differences in Treatment of Employees" at an equal pay conference of the Japan Federation of Labor and Social Security Attorneys' Associations

    Speaker: NAKANO Masayuki 

  • 2021.09

    Fujiwara Hiroki, Kudo Ryohei, and Saito Hiroki conducted a seminar titled "Labor Management and Information Security Measures during Telework" at Tokyo Hosen-Kai.

  • 2018.08

    Motomura Takeshi, Mutou Yuuki and Sasaki Tomoo participated in a panel discussion of IPO seminar jointly held by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group, Plutus Consulting and Iwata Godo.

News Related to Labour Law

  • 2022.08

    A comment by Landry Guesdon appeared in the article "Japan Pushes Businesses to Postpone Mandatory Retirement Ages Amid Declining Workforce" in International Employment Lawyer on July 28.

  • 2022.04

    11 lawyers of our firm were recognized in The Best Lawyers in Japan 2023.

    Best Lawyers
    ■ Litigation
    TOJI Yoshihiro
    WAKABAYASHI Shigeo
    MOTOMURA Takeshi
    URANAKA Hirotaka

    ■ Product Liability Litigation
    TOJI Yoshihiro

    ■ Insolvency and Reorganization Law
    TAGO Shinya
    URANAKA Hirotaka

    ■ Labor and Employment Law
    TAGO Shinya

    ■ Arbitration and Mediation
    UEDA Atsushi

    ■ Banking and Finance Law
    SAKAMOTO Tomoko

    Best Lawyers - "Ones to Watch"
    ■ Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
    KARASAWA Akira
    FUKUCHI Takumi

    ■ Arbitration and Mediation
    SAITO Hiroki

    ■ Privacy and Data Security Law
    HORITA Koji

  • 2022.02

    Landry Guesdon's comment appears in "Unions push for more flexible working in Japan ahead of labour negotiations" in the February 24 issue of International Employment Lawyer.

  • 2019.06

    Fujiwara Hiroki's comment was introduced in the article of the Nikkei.

    Fujiwara Hiroki commented as a lawyer specialized in labor laws on an article titled "Practical Rules for Doing Side Business Need to be Established" which appeared in the morning edition of Nikkei newspaper dated May 20, 2019.

  • 2018.03

    Fujiwara Hiroki's comment was introduced in the article of the Nikkei.

    A comment of Fujiwara Hiroki, as an expert lawyer in labor law, was introduced in the article titled "Treatment of Freelance Workers, How to Prevent 'Abuse of Superior Bargaining Position'" in the morning edition of the Nikkei dated March 19, 2018.

Practice Areas