Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP continues its strategic expansion in Japan with the addition of real estate lawyer Yuko Ino, the former head of Orrick’s Tokyo real estate team, and Koh Ueda, a real estate and securitization attorney. The new additions cap a period of substantial growth for the firm’s real estate team in Japan.
Ino, a licensed bengoshi in Japan, joins as shareholder and has extensive experience in structuring cross-border real estate acquisitions, complex joint ventures, and real estate finance transactions.
Ueda returns to Greenberg Traurig as an of counsel after a year and a half at Orrick, bringing more than a decade of experience in a broad range of real estate transactions, including real estate securitization.
“The addition of Yuko and Koh to our Tokyo office is a testament to the firm’s strong commitment to providing deep coverage and a wide range of real estate services across Asia and beyond to meet global client demand as part of our premiere global Real Estate Practice. We can advise clients on a full range of real estate equity, debt, and capital markets transactions across virtually all major asset classes,” Greenberg Traurig Executive Chairman Richard A. Rosenbaum said.
“We are very excited to have Yuko join us and to welcome back Koh after his brief departure from the firm. Their arrival tops off a period of significant growth for Greenberg Traurig’s Japan Real Estate Practice, which now is one of the largest amongst international law firms operating in the country,” said Asia Real Estate Practice Chair Joel H. Rothstein, a shareholder in the firm’s Tokyo, New York, and Shanghai offices.
Greenberg Traurig’s Tokyo office has significantly grown during the last three years with the addition of licensed bengoshi, as well as multilingual international real estate lawyers at all seniority levels joining from both leading Japanese law firms and major international law firms.
Ino, who is licensed to practice law in both Japan and New York, advises domestic, regional, and international funds in connection with a wide range of real estate transactions. She regularly assists Japanese companies with their outbound investments in U.S.-based assets, in addition to advising U.S. clients on their inbound acquisitions of real estate in Japan.
She also counsels clients on transactions related to energy projects, fintech, mergers and acquisitions, and licensing. Additionally, Ino advises on compliance and general corporate matters. She has an LL.M. from Northwestern University School of Law.
“Greenberg Traurig’s global platform and collaborative culture are a perfect fit for my practice and will enable me to expand the scope of services I can provide clients,” Ino said. “I look forward to helping the firm continue to build its Japanese presence, particularly in the areas of advising private equity funds, asset managers, and investors from the United States, Europe, and the Middle East who are seeking to invest in Japan-based real estate, as well as Japanese institutional investors who are seeking real estate investment opportunities around the globe.”
Ueda focuses his practice on the structured financing of real estate projects across various asset classes, including hotels, shopping centers, residences, and offices. He represents sellers, buyers, lenders, asset managers, and contractors in transactions for a wide range of asset types, including real property and monetary claims, as well as transactions related to Southeast Asian countries, especially Singapore. He has an LL.M. from Boston University School of Law.
