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  • Awards

Nishimura & Asahi received top accolades in the 2023 edition of IAM Patent 1000

Nishimura & Asahi is pleased to announce that the firm has been recognized in the following categories in the 2023 edition of IAM (Intellectual Asset Management) Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, published by Law Business Research Ltd., London, UK. Nishimura & Asahi received top accolades for litigation and transactions in the Japan: Domestic category, and our Bangkok office has been ranked among firms in Thailand.

The following lawyers have also been identified as leading individuals in their respective practice areas.

Individuals: transactions - Japan (Domestic)
Yoshiyuki Miyashita, Hitomi Iwase, Satoshi Niki

Individuals: litigation - Japan (Domestic)
Hitomi Iwase, Yoko Kasai

Individuals: Luminaries - Japan (Domestic)
Makiko Takabe

Individuals - Thailand
Pavinee Bunyamissara, Narongcachon Chomsa, Benjapol Kongsombut

Individuals: Luminaries - Thailand
Chavalit Uttasart

People

宮下 佳之

His clients include mass media companies, leading IT vendors, telecommunications companies and motion-picture production & distribution companies and other media and technology-oriented enterprises, as well as a variety of global companies. He has held the positions of Vice Chairman of the Computer Research Committee of Japan, Federation of Bar Associations (1993-1997), Special Committee Member of the Copyright Council of Japan, Agency for Cultural Affairs (1995-2002), Working Team Member of International Jurisdiction and Governing Law, Agency for Cultural Affairs (2009-2010), Committee Member of Centralized Administration and Competition Policy, Agency for Cultural Affairs (2010-2012), Chairperson of the China IP Issues Research Committee, SOFTIC (2012-2015) and Chairperson of the OSS Legal Issues Research Committee, SOFTIC (2015-present).

チャワリット・ウッタサート

With more than forty years of experience, Chavalit is highly regarded as a leading figure in Thailand. His areas of specialization include dispute resolution, intellectual property, TMT and e-commerce, as well as M&A, foreign investment and corporate law. His extensive experience also includes advising on trade competition, corporate recovery and business reorganization. In particular, Chavalit is renowned in the areas of dispute resolution and intellectual property. He was selected as a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation Thailand 2021 and is ranked as a leading individual for intellectual property in Thailand by Chambers Asia-Pacific 2021.

岩瀬 ひとみ

Hitomi 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. Hitomi also assists clients in anti-counterfeiting and in the development of IP portfolios and prosecution strategies. Hitomi 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, Hitomi provides extensive advice on data protection and privacy compliance, including on establishing global compliance systems and incidents such as data breaches. Hitomi also advises on related areas such as e-commerce, advertising, and consumer protection.

パヴィニー・ブンヤミッサラー

Pavinee is a leading expert in intellectual property (IP) law. She joined the Intellectual Property Practice Group of SCL Law Group (currently known as SCL Nishimura & Asahi) as an associate upon its formation in 2005. Prior to that, Pavinee was an in-house legal counsel at many companies where she gained extensive hands-on experience within general law practice, IP and e-commerce related matters. She also gained comprehensive knowledge of contracts and telecommunications working with government agencies while she was an in-house legal counsel. Pavinee was a guest lecturer and speaker on IP and information law at various forums. Currently, Pavinee routinely advises major clients on matters relating to trademark and patent registrations, copyright recordation, license agreements, as well as trademark, patent and copyright infringement. Versatile and keen, she also assists with overseas trademark and patent registration applications and acts as counsel providing expert guidance to clients throughout IP enforcement process and litigation proceedings. She has been consistently consulted with on cases involving electronic trade and commerce, domain name registrations and personal data and privacy protection. Representing numerous international and domestic organizations in both public and private organizations, Pavinee takes advantage of a refined understanding of IP prosecutions and commercial risk to deliver to the clients borderless and practical legal advice based upon reliable and comprehensive understanding of the laws, regulations and best practices in Thailand. With her comprehensive knowledge and extensive experience, she is well-equipped to meet the clients’ diverse needs whereby she tailors her legal service and professional advice to suit the particular needs of each client. Pavinee was also named an IP expert by magazines[Ed: I suggest listing which magazines, or listing only a couple if there are many.]. AsiaIP Informed Analysis and the 2022 edition of World Trademark Review 1000 are publishing the recent list.

仁木 覚志

Satoshi manages a wide range of domestic and cross-border M&As, capital and business alliances and technology alliances where intellectual property rights and technologies, such as semiconductors, autonomous driving, electric vehicles, AI, and systems, were important elements to the transaction. Satoshi is also heavily involved in supporting high-tech startups such as space development, quantum computers, and regenerative medicine, and has extensive experience in contract structure ground design and contract negotiations for building new businesses. In addition, Satoshi makes use of his engineering background to deal with a number of disputes, such as patent infringement proceedings and disputes related to defects in advanced technology products, where technical issues are the main issues.

葛西 陽子

Yoko KASAI

  • Partner
  • Tokyo

Yoko’s practice focuses on representation of life sciences and technology companies that develop and market pharmaceuticals, biologics, vaccines, diagnostics, medical devices, and digital health products. She specializes in corporate transactions involving complex intellectual property and pharmaceutical regulatory issues, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances and asset transfers. In addition, she counsels clients on matters involving research and development collaborations, clinical trials, technology licensing, supply and distribution agreements, and co-promotion arrangements. She also advises clients in connection with privacy and personal data protection matters.

髙部 眞規子

Ms. Takabe has over 40 years’ experience as a senior judge handling civil proceedings in a variety of fields, including more than 20 years presiding over intellectual property proceedings. Ms. Takabe was in charge of numerous cases during her time as a judge and led intellectual property proceedings in Japan. This experience has made her exceptionally capable in assisting her clients achieve favorable results in patent infringement proceedings, trademark-related proceedings, copyright proceedings, and trade secret infringement proceedings. She also advises clients on matters relating to design, brand, character, honor, privacy, publicity, portrait rights and license agreements.

ナロンカチョン・チョムサー

Narongcachon joined the firm in 2012 as a member of our Intellectual Property Practice Group. While in the IP department, he has conducted patent prosecution, advising relating to intellectual property matters, conducting patent searches and providing analysis and draft opinions based on the analysis. He is also very hands-on with giving advice on the patentability of an invention, infringement and opposition. He has extensive technical experience in preparing patent specifications, preparing and reviewing design drawings and descriptions, as well as preparing and filing patent, design and utility model applications and responses to office actions with the Thai Patent Office. He is also active in intellectual property and information technology court matters, as well as providing legal advice on emerging legal issues. Previously, Narongcachon worked in the telecommunications industry as a Technical Service Engineer and Service Manager, in the fields of telecommunications and data network technologies, with Siemens Limited Thailand, Siemens AG (Germany) and Nokia Siemens Networks (Thailand) Ltd. As a result, he has high technical expertise in telecommunications and data networks. With a long working history in the telecommunications industry and his academic background in engineering, Master of Business Administration (MBA) and related laws, he is a technical/business minded lawyer and is well attuned to legal developments in the intellectual property, telecommunication and information technology industries.

ベンジャポン・コンソンバット

Benjapol joined SCL Law Group in 2020 and has expertise in assisting clients with the drafting and prosecution of patent applications across a wide range of technologies, including chemicals, petrochemicals, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, diapers, and others. He also has experience in patent due diligence and freedom to operate projects involving chemical/polymeric products and many countries. Benjapol is also experienced in hearings at the Intellectual Property & International Trade Court of Thailand and in supporting several landmark patent/design litigation cases in Thailand, particularly relating to flexible printed circuit board used in hard disk drives, designs of motorcycle, and production of brine shrimp which can be used to feed fish or shrimp. Benjapol has been an invited speaker for WIPO-KIPO Advanced Training Course on Design to share knowledge about the use of design rights with new patent professionals.