International law firm Bird & Bird is growing its team in Tokyo with the addition of Masahiro Tanabe as a Corporate partner. He joins the firm on 22 September.
Masahiro has extensive experience in renewable energy and power markets, including battery energy storage systems (BESS), hydrogen, offshore wind and solar, as well as power trading, power retail and corporate power purchase agreements (CPPA), and has advised on a number of first-of-a-kind energy transactions in Japan.
Working closely with over 1600 Bird & Bird lawyers around the network, Bird & Bird Japan provides clients with a holistic offering – combining leading local Japanese knowledge with the global expertise of the firm’s international team. Masahiro’s arrival follows the hire of Legal Director Seiko Hidaka who joined the IP Practice Group in London on 2 June, and Counsel Yuka Yamada who joined the Corporate Practice Group in Tokyo on 1 August.
Hiroyuki Iwamura, Tokyo Managing Partner and Corporate partner at Bird & Bird, says: “Our Tokyo office goes from strength to strength as we respond to increasing client demand in a thriving market. Masa’s arrival not only further bolsters our offering in Tokyo but also strengthens our ability to mobilise a global team, allowing us to provide to our Japanese and international clients with the best legal advice in the practice areas for which the firm is globally renowned for such as renewable energy, technology transactions, data and privacy and cross-border M&A.”
Dr. Matthias Lang, head of Bird & Bird’s international Energy & Utilities Sector Group, comments: “Masa is one of the few Japanese attorneys to specialise in international energy and projects matters, while also bringing valuable regulatory expertise. His arrival will complement our already robust international capabilities in the energy sector, providing immense benefits to clients across the Bird & Bird network.”
Masahiro adds: “I see a growing interest by Japanese companies in the crossover of energy transition and digital transformation, and this is very much aligned with Bird & Bird’s strengths. I’m excited to join a firm with such a strong global platform and network of experts, whilst bringing my own experience in the rapidly changing Japanese energy sector.”