Davis Polk & Wardwell is a New York-headquartered law firm with 982 lawyers across 10 offices in North and South America, Europe and Asia. The firm established its office in Tokyo in 1987 but can trace its Japanese presence back to a series of Japanese government bond financings during the decade following the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is best known for its high-end debt and equity capital markets and M&A practices, routinely advising Japanese and non-Japanese issuers and underwriters on their rule 144A and SEC-registered transactions, while acting for potential buyers and sellers in a variety of cross-border transactions, including a mix of outbound, inbound and Japanese business combinations.
Key clients
Key clients include SMFG, SMTB, JFM, Development Bank of Japan, Nippon Paint, Money Forward, Shiseido, IRE and Kobe Steel.
Client feedback:
32nd edition (2022/2023)
M&A
“The firm has broad and long experience in M&As involving Japanese companies and are knowledgeable about M&A practices both in the US and Japan, effectively combining their global capabilities. In addition, they are well aware of potential issues and concerns from not only the transaction parties’ viewpoint but also the financial advisors’ viewpoint (including our standards and stances). Therefore, they are always helpful and important resources for our evaluating potential issues which may arise from our Japan-related M&A financial advisory work.”
