The Law Office of Douglas K. Freeman was established for the purpose of providing high quality English language legal advice and assistance to corporations, law firms and individuals engaged in business relating to Japan.
The firm’s principal, Mr. Freeman, possesses the unique combination of being licensed as a Japanese lawyer fluent in written and spoken Japanese, and having broad international transactional experience working at one of the world’s most prestigious international law firms.
The first American to pass the Japanese bar examination, Mr. Freeman received extensive Japanese legal training in Japan, with graduate degrees from the prestigious Faculty of Law of the University of Tokyo and The Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan. Mr. Freeman honed his skills as a practicing Japanese lawyer (bengoshi) under the tutelage of the late Shunro Hamada, Esq., an esteemed lawyer and former professor at the Institute. After a total of nine years studying and practicing Japanese law in Japan, Mr. Freeman went on to spend seven years in New York, receiving a J.D. from Columbia Law School where he was a James Kent Scholar and a Notes Editor of the Columbia Law Review. He also received a judicial externship at the Federal District Court of the Eastern District of New York for the Honorable Jack B. Weinstein. Mr. Freeman practiced law at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP for five years, where he advised on a broad range of transactions, including multinational mergers and acquisitions and securities offerings, and represented clients on advisory matters relating to financial institutions, investment management, regulatory investigations and litigation.
Mr. Freeman is capable of negotiating and drafting contracts and legal documents and offering legal advice and opinions in both Japanese and English. He is willing to tackle one-of-a-kind matters particularly in areas where a fundamental understanding of the Japanese and U.S. legal systems adds particular value.
Mr. Freeman is dedicated to quality and excellence, and maintains the highest ethical standards in his legal practice.
For areas requiring special expertise, the firm maintains a broad network of Japanese and international lawyers and law firms, including the “top four” Japanese firms, and will assist in engaging the firm most suited for the particular matter.
Location
Our office is located in the heart of Tokyo’s Marunouchi business district near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district.
We can provide a list of international hotels and less expensive accommodations upon request.
Please see our map and directions. (PDF format)
Local time in Japan is 1:32 PM on Thursday, Feb 23, 2012.
