Cross-border
Our firm provides a wide range of legal services for foreign companies considering Japanese market entry,financing,and intercompany transactions. In particular, our attorneys have extensive experience and expertise in areas related to IT and startups.
MONOLITH LAW OFFICE has extensive experience in the Japanese legal system and business environment and can provide solutions to the legal challenges and risks associated with foreign market entry, including licensing agreements in the IT field, intellectual property protection, data privacy compliance, contract drafting and negotiation, and legal risk management.
We also provide legal services for startup companies in the areas of fundraising, investment contracts, and IPOs. Through legal assistance, we help startups grow and businesses succeed.
Our primary goal is to comprehend the distinctive traits and objectives of our clients’ businesses in order to give them strategic advice. We combine our global perspective with our knowledge of Japanese circumstances to offer you the best legal solutions.
Resolving legal issues is a significant component of every company seeking to expand into Japan. Our knowledgeable and experienced attorneys are ready to help you succeed, so please contact us to discuss how we can assist you in confidently entering the Japanese market.
TOPICS
Serving Clients Worldwide
We have handled cases from all over the world as a Japanese law firm with a strong focus on IT/Internet business.
*Requests from countries not listed below are also welcome.
Clients we’ve worked with are located in the following places: the United States, the European Union, China, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Korea, Turkey, Taiwan, Israel, Singapore, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Ukraine, Mongolia, Bahamas, and Seychelles.
Our Areas of Practice
Legal Assistance for Business
We offer comprehensive legal services including providing legal advice, drafting and reviewing contracts and terms of use, and other related documents based on our experience in offering legal support to a total of 912 companies in Japan, ranging from listed companies to start-ups.
IT & Advanced Technology
As a law firm led by managing partner who has a background as a former IT engineer and IT company owner, we have a team of lawyers and IT consultants. Our firm specializes in IT and internet-related businesses, aiming to deeply understand our clients’ business models and system behaviors. We manage to provide accurate and high-quality legal support by meticulously analyzing the requirements that need to be met in terms of legal compliance, contracts, and terms of service.
Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions
As a law firm with a large number of venture company clients, we have assisted many venture companies in Japan with regard to venture company investment. We are well-positioned to handle both the venture company and the investor sides, and, with our knowledge and know-how, we are also well-positioned to help foreign investors and CVCs invest in IT ventures in Japan. in connection with foreign investors and CVCs investing in IT ventures in Japan.
YouTube and Other Media
We have been providing legal support to various media entities, including YouTuber/YouTube related companies and VTuber related companies, since our inception as a law firm with a strong presence in the Internet field. We can provide full support for relevant media laws and regulations, such as beauty and medical-related advertising regulations, as well as the terms of use of each platform.
Our Highly Specialized Team with Global Reach
It is crucial to have the support of a highly specialized team, especially in international legal matters involving cutting-edge industries like IT. We have assembled a group that includes attorneys with strong IT expertise, overseas lawyers with licenses in the US (including the state of California), IT consultants, and engineers to share and gather expertise through our global network.
General Corporate
In order to provide accurate legal support in the fast-paced environment of IT and startups, it is important to have specialized knowledge and experience. We have many experts in this field and have provided legal counsel (including reviewing contract regarding directors, executive officers, etc.) for 810businesses, primarily IT businesses, ranging from publicly traded companies to startups in the seed stage.
As a law firm with in-depth expertise in the legal system governing corporate structure, administrative laws and regulations pertaining to business in Japan, and related fields, we are dedicated to fully supporting the expansion of foreign companies’ operations in Japan.
M&A
We have handled numerous M&A transactions, including business transfers and equity-related legal matters such as third-party share allotment, stock option issuance, management buyouts (MBO), and JV formation, as well as dispute resolution related to these transactions, primarily in the IT field, including apps and web services. Furthermore, we have a system in place to handle legal due diligence (DD), which is a legal investigation to determine whether or not there are any particularly serious legal issues in situations such as corporate acquisitions.
On the ground of this, we provide full legal support to foreign companies who want to invest in Japanese IT ventures and acquiring Japanese companies.
Personal Information Protection
As a law firm with strong expertise in IT-related business, Monolith Law Offices has handled numerous legal matters in Japan involving personal information, including the creation of privacy policies, internal company manuals, and reactions in the event of a personal information leak.
The Japanese Personal Information Protection Law has different regulations from those in other countries. When entering the Japanese market, it is necessary to have a privacy policy that complies with these regulations, as well as to prepare internal manuals, etc., and to train employees. Furthermore, localization which is based on an understanding of global data protection laws such as GDPR and CCPA is also required. Our company is capable of handling such a variety of tasks.
IT
It is important for attorneys supporting IT-related businesses to understand the technology and operations related to IT and intellectual property in the business.
The key strength of our law firm, which is led by managing partner with a background as a former IT engineer and IT company owner, lies in providing high quality, highly specialized legal support in the IT field, with a team of lawyers and IT consultants who specialize in the IT field, including current IT engineers, represented by a former IT engineer and IT company owner.
As an IT-focused law firm with in-depth knowledge of the following technologies, we provide legal support to our international clients entering the Japanese market.
System Development
From drafting, revising, and negotiating contracts to resolving disputes when problems arise.
Terms of Use
Creation and modification of terms and conditions as well as privacy policies, necessary for publication or operation.
OSS
Various types of support based on understanding of the software, including license design and license agreements.
AI (ChatGPT, etc.)
Drafting of legislation, including measures to protect intellectual property rights and privacy, that is required for public disclosure and operation.
Crypto Asset and Blockchain
Blockchain is a decentralized database that uses consensus algorithms, cryptography, and P2P networks to enable extremely low record loss risk and. We have been involved in crypto asset and blockchain legal matters since shortly after their conceptualization in 2017 and have extensive experience in cases involving business schemes that extend across multiple countries.
YouTuber/VTuber
As a law firm with extensive Internet experience, we have been longly supporting Internet media operations involving intellectual property rights and advertising regulations. Also, we have been providing legal support to various media entities, including YouTuber/YouTube related companies and VTuber related companies, since the early days of the Internet. We can fully assist with applicable media laws and regulations, such as beauty and medical-related advertising regulations, as well as the terms of use of each platform.
Based on our extensive experience and track record, we are well-positioned to support overseas companies, organizations, and YouTubers in their entry into the Japanese market.
Total Support for Japanese Market Entry
Entering the Japanese market can be a complex endeavor for foreign businesses. Having a Japanese law firm with native speakers on staff can provide invaluable assistance throughout the entire business process. We can help with pre-startup considerations, company establishment, visa, and labor law matters, as well as contracts during market entry. This support is particularly crucial for businessmen and entrepreneurs who do not yet speak or read Japanese. A Japanese law firm’s involvement is highly significant because documents and contracts must be prepared in the local language, ensuring compliance with Japanese law and standards.
The establishment and operation of a company in Japan is subject to the regulations of Japanese law, the development of business in Japan is subject to Japanese civil and corporate law and administrative regulations, and employment relationships are subject to Japanese labor law. These may differ from regulations in your home country.
Track Record of Support offered by Our Law Firm
As a law firm with expertise in IT, the Internet, and business, we have been giving various types of legal support for foreign businesses and entities entering the Japanese market.
Below are some examples of our support track record.
Support for the Japanese market entry of SaaS Companies Entering
We provided comprehensive legal services to a SaaS-related IT company based in Asia that was looking to enter the Japanese market.
Given the potential issues related to compliance with various administrative regulations, our firm first conducted a detailed investigation into Japan’s legal system, identifying potential legal risks and regulatory requirements. This allowed us to anticipate and address legal challenges related to their business expansion in advance.
We also supported them negotiating and concluding contracts to protect their intellectual property rights in the Japanese market. We managed to draft proper contracts based on our comprehension of their business model and service delivery structure. Additionally, as Data Protection Laws in Japan differs from their home country, we provided legal guidance and collaborated on ensuring compliance with personal data protection laws and creating proper privacy policies.
Support for an OSS Provider’s Japanese Operation
For a client business with a globally competitive OSS planning to sell licenses and negotiate agreements in Japan, we offered services including assisting in designing and creating a licensing model and representing the client in negotiations in terms of contracts.
OSS licenses must adhere to stringent legal requirements, grant users the necessary rights, and safeguard the company’s intellectual property rights. We created a flexible licensing agreement tailored to their business model and goals.
We also drafted and revised contracts, developed negotiation strategies, and assisted with countermeasures and dispute resolution for licensing violations and intellectual property infringements.
Support for Investment in Japanese Venture Companies
We provided legal support for a CVC established by an international IT company to invest in a Japanese IT venture company.
In accordance with the client’s investment strategy, we started by conducting legal due diligence on the target company, that provided us with a thorough understanding of the target company’s legal risks, asset situation, contractual relationships, and other relevant factors and laid the ground for us to make an informed investment decision.
Assistance with negotiating and drafting investment agreements is also essential. In the investment agreement, considerations that should be taken into account include the terms of the investment, the method of acquiring shares, the investor’s rights and obligations, confidentiality, and participation in the company’s management. In the case of companies where Japanese investors or venture capitalists have already invested, there are also questions regarding the extent to which conformity with Japanese venture industry practices should be maintained and how to negotiate with existing shareholders.
Support for YouTuber Business in Japan
We provided legal assistance to foreign YouTubers who decided to start distributing their videos to Japanese audiences, allowing them to enter the Japanese market smoothly.
First, we researched the legal requirements and regulations governing video distribution in Japan, laying the ground for identifying legal obligations and constraints, such as copyright laws, privacy laws, and advertising regulations, with which they must comply.
Following that, we assisted the client in drafting and negotiating the terms of a video distribution contract. When entering into contracts with Japanese advertisers and sponsors, appropriate terms and conditions and rights protection measures are musts. We provided a drafted contract and assisted with furthter negotiation strategies and revisions of the contract, with an emphasis on clearly defining the scope of the video license, the compensation structure, and the handling of copyrights.
Solutions to Support Your Japanese Market Entry
In addition to general legal services such as legal research, contract drafting, and contract conclusion negotiations, we also offer a variety of solutions to support foreign companies entering the Japanese market.
Legislation Monitoring
Foreign companies must respond quickly and appropriately to changes in Japanese laws and regulations in order to continue growing their business in Japan.
In addition to general corporate legal advice such as drafting and reviewing contracts, drafting and revising various regulations, we also provide legal services for companies running their businesses in Japan. This includes monitoring the revision of laws and regulations in Japan, which are listed in a pre-prepared list of laws and regulations relevant to the client’s business, to determine whether there have been any revisions. If so, a summary of those revisions, as well as a summary of the impact that the revisions may have on the client’s business will be provided to our clients.
We aim to be Japan’s leading law firm in the increasingly cross-border and globalized IT field, and one of our key missions is to assist foreign companies in entering the Japanese market.
MONOLITH LAW MAGAZINE
Fee Structure
Hourly Rate
$300per hourIn certain instances, we may consider accepting a dispute or lawsuit with an initiation fee and a contingency fee. For more details, please feel free to contact us.Drafting Contracts
from$500to $2,000 or moreThe pricing structure is subject to variation based on the type and quantity of contracts. We are pleased to offer a preliminary estimate upon inquiry, thereby encouraging you to reach out to us for further details.Other Services
Contact UsWe offer a wide range of services including company formation, contract review, legal opinion, case review, or research letter. Should you have any inquiries or concerns, we cordially invite you to contact us and our knowledgeable team will be happy to assist you.
