Squire Patton Boggs is pleased to announce the arrival of two highly regarded lawyers in its Global Corporate Practice. Kenji (Ken) Funahashi and Hiroki Suyama join as partners and will be resident in the firm’s Los Angeles office.
“Ken and Hiroki’s strong portfolios of connections in the Pacific Rim and Japan, coupled with their robust skill sets in domestic corporate transactional matters, will bolster our Los Angeles-based Americas corporate capabilities and deepen our abilities to service clients who are engaged in inbound and outbound Asian cross-border transactions,” said Daniel Berick, partner and Americas Chair of the Squire Patton Boggs Global Corporate Practice. “Their arrival is another step in our strategic plan and we’re excited for the international experience Ken and Hiroki bring to this team.”
“Our Los Angeles office historically has had a strong connection with clients across the Pacific Rim and is known as a ‘go to’ firm in the Southern California marketplace for Asian companies,” said Chris Amantea, managing partner of the Squire Patton Boggs Los Angeles office. “Ken and Hiroki’s energy and depth of experience will strengthen our burgeoning Asia Pacific practice and presence in Los Angeles.”
Mr. Funahashi has extensive experience representing companies, venture capital funds and strategic investors in M&A, joint ventures, and equity and debt financings, including many cross-border transactions involving Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Mr. Funahashi has handled more than US$8 billion in various transactions, including more than 50 financings and M&A transactions since 2010. In addition, he has broad experience advising a wide range of clients on corporate governance and commercial matters, from early stage startup companies to multinational and Fortune 500 companies in the technology, life sciences, software and analytics, financial services, apparel and consumer products industries.
Mr. Funahashi has served as chair of the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Committee and Cleantech Subcommittee; president, chair, and board member of the Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana; co-chair of the Judicial Endorsements Committee and board member of the Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego; board member of the Union of Pan Asian Communities; and pro bono counsel to a number of nonprofit entities. Mr. Funahashi joins from Jones Day.
“I am excited to join the Squire Patton Boggs team, with its extensive global reach in 21 countries including Japan, China and Korea, its exceptional West Coast technology and life sciences practices in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley and San Francisco, and its unparalleled expertise in lobbying, public policy and FDA matters throughout the Firm in connection with its merger with Patton Boggs,” said Mr. Funahashi.
Fluent in Japanese, Mr. Suyama’s primary clients are US subsidiaries of Japanese corporations and Japanese corporations located throughout Japan. He has substantial experience in a broad range of services, including general corporate work, mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, and litigation and dispute resolution concerning intellectual property, trade secrets, labor and employment, and other business disputes. Mr. Suyama joins from Pillsbury.
“Squire Patton Boggs’ close network between its Los Angeles, Tokyo, and other Asian offices made this firm an obvious choice for me,” said Mr. Suyama. “As a lawyer who truly understands US and Japanese business cultures, I welcome the opportunity here at Squire Patton Boggs to add versatility to the practice group by effectively assisting Japanese clients through all phases of litigation and corporate transactions.”
Mr. Funahashi and Mr. Suyama are the second and third lateral hires, and the first in the United States, since Squire Sanders and Patton Boggs officially merged on June 1. Their arrival comes on the heels of partner Li Hua, who joined the firm’s Global Corporate Practice in Beijing.
Squire Patton Boggs’ Global Corporate Practice represents nearly one-third of all Fortune 500 and FTSE 350 companies, including in areas of corporate activity such as corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, public takeovers, IPOs and secondary offerings, private equity, venture capital and joint ventures. The Global Corporate Practice is regularly recognized by leading global legal directories including Legal 500, IFLR 1000, Chambers and Partners, US News & World Report, The Lawyer, The Deal, and International Financial Law Review.