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Announcing The Best Lawyers in Japan™ 2025

For a milestone 15th edition, Best Lawyers is proud to announce The Best Lawyers in Japan.

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Best Lawyers

Written by Best Lawyers

Published: April 17, 2024

The Best Lawyers in Japan Awards

In the milestone 15th edition, The Best Lawyers in Japan™ awards celebrates legal excellence and leadership across Japan. This edition underscores the outstanding contributions to the legal industry made by lawyers through all stages of their careers.

Employing the rigorous Best Lawyers Purely Peer Review® methodology, which involves nominations, voting and thorough research, these awards stand as the most comprehensive acknowledgment of legal talent in Japan.

The 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in Japan™ boasts 1,616 esteemed lawyers hailing from two major metropolitan areas, with Tokyo leading with most recognized lawyers.

Across 47 practice areas, the top 10 with the highest number of recognized lawyers include Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Intellectual Property Law, Banking and Finance Law, Litigation, Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice, Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Real Estate Law, Antitrust/Competition Law, International Business Transactions and Patent Law.

For those seeking legal counsel in Japan, the Best Lawyers website emerges as the primary resource, particularly for Banking and Finance Law, Intellectual Property Law, Arbitration and Mediation, Capital Markets Law, Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Insolvency and Reorganization Law, International Business Transactions, Litigation, Real Estate Law and Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice.

Gold symbols and black text with red Best Lawyers logo showing Japan 2025 stats

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Japan

For Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Japan category, an award initiated in 2020 to recognize emerging talents with less than 10 years of private practice experience, we are honored to announce the 3rd edition.

Following the same rigorous methodology, this edition celebrates 335 lawyers from 55 law firms across two metropolitan areas. Of the 28 practice areas with awarded lawyers, the ten with the most honorees include Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Arbitration and Mediation, Intellectual Property Law (Non-Patent), Labor and Employment Law, Capital Markets Law, Patent Practice, Litigation, Financial Institution Regulatory Law, Banking and Finance Law and Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

Blue symbols with black text showing Japan Ones to Watch stats for 2025

Celebrating Excellence: "Lawyer of the Year" Accolades

In this year's awards, we shine a spotlight on the "Lawyer of the Year" distinctions, which recognize one exceptional lawyer per practice area within each metropolitan region. In 2025, we proudly bestowed this prestigious title upon 48 lawyers across Japan.

Showcasing Your Award

For those recognized, Best Lawyers offers various avenues to showcase their awards through impactful marketing strategies. To explore options for highlighting individual lawyer and firm awards via websites, social media channels, Best Lawyers Profile Suite packages and commemorative items, please contact sales@bestlawyers.com.

Curious about the honored legal practitioners in Japan? Utilize our Find a Lawyer tool to search by location and specialty.

Access the complete report of Best Lawyers international releases, continuously updated to stay abreast of legal excellence worldwide.

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Japan

Resources For Lawyers

Lawyers in Columbus, Ohio

Lawyer of the Year Badge
Scott N. Friedman
Scott N. Friedman
Friedman & Mirman Co. LPA
Columbus, OH
Practice Areas
Family Law
Recognized since 2015 in
Scott N. Friedman
Scott N. Friedman

Scott Friedman is an OSBA Board Certified Specialist in Family Relations Law. Mr. Friedman is also licensed to practice law in the State of Florida. Mr. Friedman was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and attended The Columbus Academy. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Miami University and his Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School, where he was honored with the Order of the Curia. Scott served as President Chair of the American Bar Association Family Law Section for 2013-2014 ...

Scott N. Friedman
Scott N. Friedman
Stephanie T. Greene Duffy
Stephanie T. Greene Duffy
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Columbus, OH
Practice Areas
Real Estate Law
Recognized since 2025 in
Stephanie T. Greene Duffy
Stephanie T. Greene Duffy

Stephanie T. Greene Duffy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Stephanie T., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephanie T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Stephanie T. Greene Duffy
Stephanie T. Greene Duffy
Lawyer of the Year Badge
CH
Courtney Hanna
Joseph & Joseph & Hanna Co., LPA
Columbus, OH
Practice Areas
Collaborative Law: Family Law
Litigation - Real Estate
Recognized since 2024 in
CH
Courtney Hanna

Courtney Hanna is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law and Litigation - Real Estate. Courtney, who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Courtney is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

CH
Courtney Hanna
David M. Abromowitz
David M. Abromowitz
Taft
Columbus, OH
Practice Areas
Health Care Law
Recognized since 2013 in
David M. Abromowitz
David M. Abromowitz

David M. Abromowitz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law. David M., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David M. Abromowitz
David M. Abromowitz
Kevin O'Donnell Stanek
Kevin O'Donnell Stanek
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Columbus, OH
Practice Areas
Government Relations Practice
Recognized since 2026 in
Kevin O'Donnell Stanek
Kevin O'Donnell Stanek

Kevin Stanek brings nearly a decade of experience working in the executive and legislative branches of Ohio state government, including as Gov. John R. Kasich's assistant director of policy for asset management and assistant chief counsel. Kevin’s hands-on government experience supports him in providing practical solutions and comprehensive plans of action for clients. Kevin represents governmental clients on policy matters and other legal issues before the Ohio General Assembly, execut...

Kevin O'Donnell Stanek
Kevin O'Donnell Stanek
Katrina M. Thompson
Katrina M. Thompson
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Columbus, OH
Practice Areas
Real Estate Law
Recognized since 2026 in
Katrina M. Thompson
Katrina M. Thompson

Katrina M. Thompson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Katrina M., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Katrina M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Katrina M. Thompson
Katrina M. Thompson
Scot C. Crow
Scot C. Crow
Dickinson Wright PLLC
Columbus, OH
Practice Areas
Cannabis Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tax Law
Recognized since 2013 in
Scot C. Crow
Scot C. Crow

Scot Crow has extensive experience in corporate, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and tax law. His clients rely on him to advise them with respect to their complex financial transactions as well as serving as their outside general counsel. Scot provides proactive advice with respect to sensitive management matters, litigation management, day to day transactional needs and objective assessments for the development of successful business strategies. Scot has served as lead counsel to ma...

Scot C. Crow
Scot C. Crow
David K. Stein
David K. Stein
Taft
Columbus, OH
Practice Areas
Banking and Finance Law
Cannabis Law
Commercial Litigation
Recognized since 2024 in
David K. Stein
David K. Stein

David K. Stein is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law, Cannabis Law and Commercial Litigation. David K., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David K. Stein
David K. Stein
Douglas M. Oldham
Douglas M. Oldham
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Columbus, OH
Practice Areas
Employment Law - Management
Recognized since 2023 in
Douglas M. Oldham
Douglas M. Oldham

Doug Oldham advises employers of all sizes on a broad range of fair employment and wage and hour policies and practices to avoid disputes with employees. When those disputes are inevitable, Doug represents employers in employment discrimination and wage and hour litigation in courts across the country. Since joining the firm more than a decade ago, Doug has accumulated significant labor and employment litigation experience. Doug is actively involved in briefing motions for summary judgment, m...

Douglas M. Oldham
Douglas M. Oldham
Mark A. Shaw
Mark A. Shaw
Eastman & Smith LTD
Columbus, OH
Practice Areas
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
Recognized since 2019 in
Mark A. Shaw
Mark A. Shaw

Mark A. Shaw represents employers in workers' compensation, litigation and employment matters. He has represented both private and public sector employers before state courts and at all administrative levels before the Industrial Commission. He is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer at seminars regarding workers' compensation and employment law topics. Mr. Shaw is a member of Eastman & Smith, practicing in the Firm's Columbus, Ohio, office, and is listed in Best Lawyers in America®....

Mark A. Shaw
Mark A. Shaw

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