Features of Our Practices

Iwata Godo, which grew focusing on corporate legal services, has long been providing clients with advice on a wide range of legal issues that arise from day-to-day business activities and has also represented clients in litigation and other dispute resolution. We have represented clients in large-scale litigation that attracted considerable public attention and submitted legal opinions on issues of extreme importance that have had significant impact not only for the clients but also the entire business world. We have made major contributions and achievements in areas that are essential to the existence and core activities of business corporations. In addition, we have for a long time provided many companies including listed companies with advice on convocation procedures for shareholders' meetings and guidance on the management of the proceedings, and attended those meetings.

In recent years, as the business activities of clients and the legal environment surrounding them have changed, there have been an increasing number of complex cases such as class actions and local residents' campaign type lawsuits, as well as disputes related to intellectual property rights and IT systems. For shareholders' meetings, there have been a growing number of cases where we advise clients on takeover defenses and how to respond to shareholders' proposals and associated proxy fights, as activists seek more influence over management. Also, in other fields of corporate practice, the issues have become more diverse and complex in many areas, including M&A, restructuring, governance, finance, bankruptcy, corporate rehabilitation, competition and antimonopoly laws and information technology. Iwata Godo has been responding to such trends and continues to provide clients with the best possible solutions.

Specifically, attorneys of Iwata Godo have continued to provide clients with legal services in response to clients' needs on each occasion. Such services have included (i) disposition of a bankrupt financial institution and advice on corporate restructuring and schemes for disposal of non-performing loans in the aftermath of the collapse of the bubble economy, (ii) advice and documentation concerning establishment of a financial holding company, asset liquidation and securitization, structured finance, PFI and derivative transaction structures in the Financial Big Bang, (iii) measures to respond to major legislation such as amendments to the Companies Act and the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, and advice and representation in filings for licenses, permits and notifications in connection therewith, and (iv) advice and documentation regarding "going private" in the wake of the Lehman Shock. Iwata Godo remains at the forefront in the midst of rapid changes in the corporate environment and the financial and legal systems, and continues to provide clients with wide-ranging legal services in matters such as (i) responding to amendments of Tokyo Stock Exchange regulations and other regulation of corporate governance, (ii) advice and representation in seeking reduced financial penalties under the Antimonopoly Act, (iii) measures in response to corporate scandals, including assistance to the internal investigation committee, as well as management of the third party committee, investigation and reporting of the results thereof to the third party committee and (iv) advice on providing new FinTech services and responding to increasingly complex financial regulations and data privacy legislation. As mentioned above, attorneys of Iwata Godo have experience in handling not only traditional corporate legal affairs but also various cutting-edge matters. We advise clients and act on their behalf with respect to legal issues in general relating to their business activities. One of the major features of our firm is this comprehensive capability.


In addition to our track record in domestic corporate legal services, as the business activities of our clients have become more globalized, we have in recent years had more opportunities to provide legal advice in international disputes, bankruptcies, corporate matters, finance issues, response to the authorities related to overseas competition laws, other cross-border data protection and IoT matters. Iwata Godo sends member attorneys to study abroad, and also welcomes participation by American attorneys admitted in New York and by attorneys practicing Chinese and French law, as well as cooperation with a leading Chinese corporate law firm (Jin Mao P.R.C. Lawyers in Shanghai). We have established a network with local law firms in ASEAN countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, as well as in the United States and Europe. Through the cooperation and the network, we provide clients with one-stop and detailed legal services in international practice.