Akiko Yamakawa

Akiko specialises in employment law, dispute resolution and financial regulatory matters. She provides day-to-day employment advice to various multi-national clients, and her litigation experience includes employment litigation and general commercial litigation and arbitration. She has also led numerous teams as they conducted internal and regulatory investigations. Akiko’s clients hail from a broad range of sectors including financial services and multi-national corporations. Since August 2017, Akiko has also been serving as a member of the Basic Sub-Committee for the government’s Labour Policy Council, and in October 2021 she was also named a Public Relations Officer for the JCAA (The Japan Commercial Arbitration Association).

Admitted as a Japanese bengoshi (lawyer) in 1999, Akiko is a member of the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association and the New York Bar. She was educated at the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1997) and the Legal Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan (1999). She completed an LL.M at Harvard Law School in 2003 and is fully bilingual.

Quotes

"Akiko Yamakawa is well experienced advising foreign entities on internal investigations and contentious employment matters involving non-compete clauses and terminations. One impressed client highlights: "Her advice and explanations are always clear, concise and logical. She understands the nature of issues and can offer practical commercial advice. I would definitely recommend her." " Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022

"Akiko Yamakawa is our main attorney who is fully bilingual and also provides practical advice to our overseas legal and people team. Her advice and explanations are always clear, concise, and logical. She understands the nature of the issues and can offer practical commercial advice. There is always “answers” whenever we go to Akiko sensei’. " The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2022