Abe, Ikubo & Katayama

Silver - Firms: prosecution

Gold - Firms: litigation

Highly-recommended - Firms: transactions

“AIK are excellent and have solid experience in IP litigations, especially in the pharmaceutical field. They are flexible thinkers who support their clientele in line with their goals. They are also passionate in tackling new areas and adapt at a fast pace.” Abe, Ikubo & Katayama is a well-established presence on the Japanese patent scene, with extensive experience in both contentious and non-contentious matters. The team of almost 70 IP professionals includes former JPO officers and judicial researchers. Leveraging their technical expertise, the experts are quick to grasp patrons’ needs, and offer a multi-pronged approach to each case. Eminent managing partner Eiji Katayama deftly handles litigation and cross-border transactions. He is especially formidable in the field of pharmaceuticals. Equally strong in this area is Hiroshi Kobayashi, a former chief patent counsel at Pfizer Japan, who recently successfully defended Novartis’s patent against opposition, and filed patent term extension (PTE) applications for Eli Lilly, Janssen and Takeda. Also working on the PTEs was Mami Hino, a staunch ally of innovator pharma companies, and a New York-qualified lawyer who excels at cross-border infringement litigations. When it comes to contentious matters, seasoned and fierce Junichi Kitahara is a formidable presence with a knack for complex technologies. His expertise in high-profile, high-stakes battles allows him to obtain successful dismissals of competitors’ claims, often on behalf of marquee players. Dual qualified in Japan and New York, bold and relentless Makoto Hattori is often the first choice of major players for bet-the-company litigations. He famously obtained the second highest damages in the history of patent infringement cases in Japan. Also admitted in the same jurisdictions, Tomohiro Yoneyama provides comprehensive assistance to domestic companies involved in US lawsuits, and excels in licensing matters, especially pharma-related ones. Experienced across diverse fields, such as pharmaceuticals and mechanical engineering, former JPO appeal examiner and judicial research official Shimako Kato leverages her knowledge to achieve clients’ desired results in courtrooms. Emiko Maki specialises in both contentious and non-contentious matters, especially cross-border ones, while Hirokazu Honda uses his strong business acumen to deliver insightful licensing advice and handles patent lawsuits, including those brought by overseas patrons.