Asia Newsletter (August 2016)

Since joining the firm in 2003, he has gained experience mainly in the corporate field. Following a one-year secondment from 2008 to the New York Branch of a Japanese financial institution, he worked at a local Thai law firm for two years starting in 2011 to deepen his knowledge of a wide range of fields, particularly concerning the Kingdom of Thailand. In July 2013, he was appointed as the representative of the Bangkok Office along with establishment of the office. He has the advantage of communicating closely with local Thai lawyers and providing appropriate and professional legal advice quickly. Currently based in Bangkok, he is widely involved in M&A, labor, and international transactions, such as general corporate legal matters, investment, joint ventures, and acquisitions in Southeast Asian countries, mainly concerning the Kingdom of Thailand. He is involved in many activities, including the establishment of Japanese companies and organizations in Thailand and other Asian countries, as well as the subsequent issues, seminars, and articles on internal compliance of the companies.

He advises on a wide range of merger-and-acquisition transactions, joint ventures, foreign direct investments, general corporate, international corporate finance, and restructurings. His expertise is advising, structuring and leading complex transactions both within and outside of Thailand. He regularly represents, among others, Japanese, Thai and international investors, international investment banks, international private equity investors, hedge funds and international corporations and financial institutions. His main areas of practice include public and private mergers and acquisitions (takeover rules), legal due diligence, joint ventures, fund raising, listings, block trades, stock exchange and securities exchange related laws, restructuring of shareholdings and general corporate advice. His additional areas of practice also cover banking and finance, renewable energy in Japan and Thailand, exchange control law, labor law, and debt restructurings. Before setting up the Bangkok office of Nishimura & Asahi in 2013, he worked with Linklaters for almost a decade. He is also a registered arbitrator of the Thai Arbitration Institute (TAI) with the areas of expertise in corporate M&A, joint venture, banking and finance, capital markets, debt restructurings and energy.

Clients value Isamu’s unique insight into the challenges and uncertainties that they face in a dynamic, growing region. In addition to his experience in Vietnam, he has practiced in Tokyo and various other Asian locations, including a secondment to an Indian law firm. He is known for leveraging his international experience and cultural insights into the local legal and commercial practices to resolve complex, cross-border legal issues in a timely manner, working closely with local counsel. He advises on investments at all stages, from inception to post-closing operations, as well as dispute resolution.

Apinya’s extensive practice covers a wide array of matters ranging from business set-up, domestic and cross-border transactions to day-to-day business operations, to name a few. Her clientele includes both local and international conglomerates, trading companies, aircraft operators, real estate developers, petroleum and energy companies, financial institutions, securities companies, venture capitalists, and fund managers. Well-read and a holder of law degrees from three different jurisdictions - Thailand, the United States and Japan, Apinya is able to leverage her international experience and cultural insights to effectively and efficiently resolve complex cross-border legal issues and provide tailored legal services and solutions to her clients. In addition to being a practicing lawyer, Apinya is regularly invited to teach business law at various prestigious universities in Thailand, and serves as a counsellor to the Ad-hoc Committee of the House of Representatives of Thailand for consideration of amendments to the Civil and Commercial Code. Her other notable achievements include being registered as a Barrister-at-Law, Attorney-at-Law, and Notarial Services Attorney in Thailand.