Hitomi Iwase is a partner at Nishimura & Asahi specializing in the areas of IP (intellectual property), IT (information technology) and data privacy. She handles patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and other IP-related matters in multiple business sectors, including IT, life sciences and healthcare, machinery, food, fashion, environment and energy, entertainment, financial services, and e-commerce. Ms. Iwase’s expertise encompasses all forms of IP transactional work, both cross-border and domestic, including licensing, strategic alliances, joint development, and asset transfers, as well as various types of IP disputes, including patent/trademark infringement litigation. She also assists clients in anti-counterfeiting and in the development of IP portfolios and prosecution strategies. Ms. Iwase regularly advises clients on emerging legal issues relating to the latest technology, such as IoT and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as on complex system-related transactions and disputes over such transactions. In the area of data privacy, Ms. Iwase extensively provides data protection and privacy compliance including establishing global compliance systems as well as incidents such as data breaches. Ms. Iwase also advises on related areas such as e-commerce, advertising, and consumer protection.

Recent activities

1/2023

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023: Outstanding Results for Nishimura & Asahi

Awards

12/2022

Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023: Top rankings for Nishimura & Asahi

Awards

10/2022

Asian Legal Business: Top 15 Intellectual Property Lawyers 2022 in Asia

Awards

Education

2003

Stanford Law School (LL.M.)

1994

Waseda University (LL.B.)

Professional experience

2018 -

Lecturer, Hitotsubashi University, Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy (ICS)

2003 - 2004

Visiting Scholar, The George Washington University Law School

1997 - 2000

SAH & Co., Tokyo