Simmons makes major move into Japan market

Simmons & Simmons has become the latest City law firm to set up a Japanese practice by forming a joint venture with leading local firm TMI Associates.The joint venture will see Simmons establish its own office within TMI's offices.

It will focus on finance, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, commercial, intellectual property and anti-trust law.TMI is a 12-partner firm with 80 legal staff, made up of lawyers, patent attorneys and paralegals, making it large by local standards.

The two firms have an existing relationship; two Simmons lawyers are currently on secondment at TMI, while a TMI senior associate recently went the other way to London.More corporate and finance lawyers from Simmons & Simmons, including lawyers from the Hong Kong office, will relocate to Tokyo over the next few months.

TMI will be seconding members of its staff to Simmons offices worldwide.Simmons managing partner David Dickinson said: 'We decided to take this route because it gives our clients the quality and strength-in-depth support in the most critical aspect of service in Japan: Japanese legal advice.

Both firms have taken the time to make sure the cultural fit is right.'Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer was the first UK firm to form a joint venture in Japan - the closest relationship local and foreign firms can have - back in 1998.

Allen & Overy followed suit last year.

Most other international firms are thought to be looking for joint venture partners as the best way to offer a broad legal service in Japan.Neil Rose