Miura & Partners has continued its global expansion with plans to launch its first Greater China office in Hong Kong scheduled for this summer, tapping investment work not only between Japan and Hong Kong but also with mainland China and Taiwan.
Asia Business Law Journal asked Ryota Miura, founding partner of Miura & Partners, why his firm decided to launch its first Greater China office in Hong Kong, rather than other major cities including Beijing and Shanghai.
Miura said Hong Kong was one of the business hubs for the entire Asia region and was an important area not only for investments from Japan into the Greater China region, but also for investments from the Greater China region into Japan.
“[The Hong Kong office] will focus on legal work including the structuring and implementation of investment funds for offshore operations, cross-border transactions for inbound and outbound transactions between Japan and Greater China, and dispute resolution,” he said.
Miura also explained why his firm decided to launch a direct branch office in Hong Kong rather than enter into an association or alliance with a Hong Kong local law firm, saying it was because it had secured the addition of partner Junko Shiokawa to its bench, who has extensive practice experience in Hong Kong.
“Shiokawa has many years of experience in Hong Kong and is a lawyer with strengths in the fields of investment funds, cross-border transactions and dispute resolution. By launching our Hong Kong office together with her, we believe we will be able to build a strong system for providing legal support for inbound and outbound cases in both Japan and Greater China,” he said.
As a Hong Kong-registered foreign lawyer, Shiokawa is admitted in both Japan and New York and has most recently been a consultant at Conyers Dill & Pearman in Hong Kong. With expertise in cross-border transactions, corporate governance and dispute resolution, Shiokawa also previously served as a partner at Harney Westwood & Riegels in Hong Kong and Withers both in Hong Kong and London.
Shiokawa will lead the Hong Kong office while working closely with partner Norika Yuasa, who is a key member of the firm’s China practice.
Miura told Asia Business Law Journal that there were no immediate plans to hire local lawyers in Hong Kong.
Late last year, Nishimura & Asahi also launched a Hong Kong office, becoming the only one among Japan’s five largest law firms to have a direct branch in the city.
