Tokyo-based law firm Isshiki & Partners has empowered its litigation and dispute resolution team with the addition of US IP disputes partner Akira Irie from Morrison Foerster.
The hiring of Irie, who previously practised as a partner at Morrison Foerster’s IP litigation group for more than five years in Tokyo, has come after a series of senior partner appointments in recent years. High-profile partner moves include last year’s hire of Yaeko Hodaka, a former Baker McKenzie partner and chair of the global law firm’s Asia- Pacific industrial, manufacturing and transportation industry group.
As a registered foreign attorney in Japan, Irie, who is admitted to California and the District of Columbia, specialises in representing clients in disputes before US district courts, the US International Trade Commission and the US Patent and Trademark Office.
The US-qualified IP litigator started his legal career as an associate at American intellectual property firm Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner in Washington DC in 2008. Over the years, he has been called on to advise clients on IP disputes concerning various types of technology including chemical composition, digital image processing, rare earth magnet and semiconductor circuit design.
