TMI Associates has broadened its European base with the opening of a Brussels office, advising Japanese companies in navigating EU regulations from competition to data protection laws.
The announced expansion into Brussels by TMI, which is one of Japan’s largest law firms, follows its establishment of a Paris office last year. The Brussels outfit marks the Tokyo-based firm’s third outpost in Europe since its first foray into the continent in 2018 with the opening of a London branch.
“Utilising TMI’s international network built to date, the newly established Brussels office will provide legal support to Japanese companies in [complying with] competition and data protection laws in Europe, [as well as] dealing with EU authorities,” the firm said. It added that the new European office would also focus on assisting Japanese companies in navigating new EU regulations in areas such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
Mizuki Koshimoto, a Japan and New York State-qualified partner with extensive experience in energy and cross-border transactions, will be stationed in Brussels. Koshimoto, who practised at White & Case earlier in his legal career, will focus on helping Japanese companies with their renewable energy and carbon credit transactions as well as environment and ESG-related cases in the EU. Koshimoto will be working alongside London-based partner Akihiro Kudo, a former Ashurst lawyer who specialises in EU competition law and will be supporting the Brussels office in providing advice on EU competition law and different regulations enacted in recent years.
Another main function of TMI’s Brussels branch is to help European companies with their entry into the Japanese market, particularly in the areas of energy, environment and ESG. The firm also recently hired former London-based senior partner of Simmons & Simmons Colin Passmore as a special adviser and an independent contractor, TMI told Asia Business Law Journal.
Passmore, who left Simmons & Simmons on 30 September this year, practised at the UK law firm for close to 40 years specialising in commercial litigation, including both international and domestic disputes, with a particular focus on finance litigation, extradition disputes and large professional indemnity claims.
“Passmore is mainly responsible for providing advice and support for the development of our firm in Europe and Africa,” TMI told Asia Business Law Journal.
In 2001, TMI entered into a qualified joint venture with Simmons & Simmons and re-registered its alliance with the UK law firm as a foreign law joint enterprise (FJV) in 2005 covering all areas of law with a particular focus on sectors including finance, antitrust and M&A, the Japanese firm on its website
