Latham & Watkins Adds Three Prominent Corporate Partners in Tokyo

Latham & Watkins¹ is pleased to announce that Ivan Smallwood, Noah Carr, and Stuart Beraha have joined the Tokyo office as partners in the Corporate Department. With the addition of this formidable team, Latham stands poised to capitalize on the strong and growing outbound M&A market in Japan.

The group advises Japanese companies and financial investors on outbound M&A, joint ventures, strategic investments, and IP and technology licensing matters.

Smallwood and Carr have extensive experience advising Japanese corporates and sponsors on structuring and negotiating outbound acquisitions, investments and divestitures, strategic alliances, and joint venture transactions. They have advised on high profile transactions in the technology, telecommunications, and financial services industries, including acquisitions of and investments into businesses in Japan, China, India, Southeast Asia, and across the United States.

Beraha’s practice focuses on technology, content, branding, and other intellectual property development, licensing and partnering transactions. He has a strong track record advising Japanese companies on structuring and negotiating joint ventures and strategic alliances; technology, software and content licenses; development and outsourcing agreements; intellectual property components of mergers and acquisitions transactions; and other transactions relating to the transfer of technology and intellectual property.

“Ivan, Noah, and Stuart have stellar reputations for handling complex M&A and related transactions and are widely acknowledged as leaders in their respective fields. Their stature in the business community and track record advising major Japanese companies on complex cross-border matters will bolster our strategic goal of expanding our practice in Japan and across Asia,” said Stephen McWilliams, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in Tokyo. “Each one brings a wonderful mix of experience and talent.”

Rich Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins, said: “The Japanese market, with its sophisticated global needs, continues to be very important to our platform. Ivan, Noah, and Stuart are a cohesive team who will add momentum to an already powerful practice, serving leading multinationals to fast-growth startups across the Pacific Rim and around the world, spanning diverse industries from financial services to technology. This is an exciting milestone for Latham.”

“We’re focused on building the absolute best practice globally. You can only do that by having incredible talent on the ground in every major economy. With the addition of Ivan, Noah, and Stuart to our terrific Tokyo-based lawyers, our firm comes one step closer to achieving this goal,” added Marc Jaffe, Global Chair of Latham & Watkins’ Corporate Department.

Sharon Lau, Global Vice Chair of the firm’s Corporate Department, said: “This group has a well-earned reputation for being super-competitive and very entrepreneurial, with a tremendous drive to serve their clients coupled with a positive attitude that supports a culture of teamwork. They will be exceptional colleagues and excellent additions to the practice.”

Smallwood, Carr, and Beraha join Latham & Watkins from Morrison & Foerster LLP in Tokyo.

Smallwood graduated with a BA from the University of California, Berkeley in 1994 and earned a JD from the University of Michigan Law School in 2000. He is a member of the California Bar and a registered foreign lawyer in Japan.

Carr graduated with a BA from New York University in 2003 and earned a JD from Columbia Law School in 2008. He is a member of the New York Bar and a registered foreign lawyer in Japan.

Beraha graduated with a BA from the University of Michigan in 1990 and earned a JD from New York University Law School in 1993. Early in his career, he clerked for the Honorable Avern Cohn in the Eastern District of Michigan. He is a member of the New York Bar and a registered foreign lawyer in Japan.

About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world’s largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

¹Latham & Watkins operates as a limited liability partnership worldwide with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as affiliated partnerships conducting the practice in Hong Kong and Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins works in cooperation with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.