Global legal practice Squire Sanders announced today that Hisao Hirose has joined the Tokyo office as Partner in the firm’s Financial Services Practice Group. Mr. Hirose is a highly regarded legal expert in aircraft finance, whose clients include leading Japanese leasing companies, major banks and major airlines as well as low cost carriers (LCCs). Mr. Hirose will play a key role in Squire Sanders’ global aviation industry group and lead in the strategic growth of the practice in Japan and Asia-Pacific.
Prior to joining Squire Sanders Hisao Hirose was Partner at the Tokyo office of Latham & Watkins, where he headed up the aviation finance practice in Japan and acted on behalf of numerous airlines, leasing companies and financial bodies. A graduate of the Law Faculty of Waseda University and Japan’s Legal Research and Training Institute, Mr. Hirose has been practising law in Japan for more than three decades. After establishing his own office in 1992, with an increasing focus on aviation finance, he merged the practice in 1998 with the Tokyo office of White & Case, where he continued to specialise in aviation finance. In 2000 Mr Hirose went in-house at Citibank Japan and as general counsel for five years had extensive experience of dealing with Japanese regulators and banking authorities. He returned to private practice in 2005.
Ken Kurosu, Squire Sanders’ Asia Regional Coordinator and Office Managing Partner in Tokyo, commented: “Hisao Hirose is one of the leading finance and aviation lawyers in Japan, with a wealth of experience in corporate finance, bankruptcy law, financial services and security law. We are delighted to welcome Hirose-sensei to Squire Sanders and his move here is indicative of our commitment to the important global aviation sector.
“With high energy costs, many traditional legacy airlines looking to upgrade their fleets, and a growing number of LCCs entering the market in the Asia region, the industry faces considerable challenges as well as opportunities. With Hisao Hirose, and the development of our finance team in the Tokyo office, we will be adding considerable value as well as expanding our services to this sector.”
