10 October 2007 – LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire – Tokyo: Leading international law firm Clifford Chance celebrates 20 years of operations in Japan on 11 October.
Since opening formally in 1987 with just seven lawyers, the firm has grown to include some 50 Japanese and foreign legal professionals.
About half of these are bengoshi, allowing the firm to provide local and foreign law advice on a full range of projects to an impressive list of Japanese and international clients.
The firm’s current managing partner in Tokyo, partner Tim Jeffares, attended the 1987 opening party, and will preside over a similar celebration on 11 October.
“We have come a long way since those early days, although the important features of the firm remain the same. We had excellent lawyers, great staff and an exciting client base doing the most complex work in the marketplace – and still do today,” said Tim.
“Clifford Chance’s aim for the next 20 years is to remain a leader among the international firms in Japan, providing the service that our clients require and continuing to strengthen our local and international capabilities through balanced growth and expansion.”
“We also know that the coming years will present a number of challenges and opportunities for the Japanese economy. I hope that in that period we will be able to combine our knowledge of Japan with the strengths of our global network to find new solutions for our clients and the wider business sector in this country.”
