SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO

What SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO does

SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO is a privately held Japanese intellectual property, technology and commercial law firm founded in 1979 by Shusaku Yamamoto in Osaka, now led by Managing Partner Kensaku Yamamoto. The firm delivers a one-stop legal service spanning patent prosecution, trademark and design registration, anti-counterfeiting enforcement, health and consumer regulatory compliance, commercial counselling, corporate M&A, and litigation (domestic and cross-border). It serves Japanese market-leading corporations, North American and European multinationals seeking representation in Japan, research institutions and universities (including multiple Nobel laureates), and SMEs/venture companies introduced through the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ alliance.

The firm operates five offices (Osaka headquarters, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Fukushima, and Nanjing, China — opened April 2019) with a culturally diverse bench of 130-150 IP practitioners holding qualifications across 10 jurisdictions and originating from 17 countries; 69 hold advanced degrees and average attorney tenure is 9.8 years. Service delivery is partner-led, matter-based, and supported by a global network of foreign associates in North America, Latin America, Europe, PRC, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, India, Australia and Africa. Fees are negotiated on a per-matter basis; the firm does not publish pricing.

Since inception the firm has filed 98,700+ patent, trademark and design cases inside and outside Japan, handled nearly 400 litigation and pre-litigation matters, and has represented Nobel Prize winners in Chemistry (2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024) and Physiology or Medicine (2019, 2023). It is consistently ranked in IAM Patent 1000, Asia Pacific Legal 500, Chambers and Partners, IP Stars, Asia Legal Business and Benchmark Litigation, and won ALB Japan Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year in 2023.

Name

SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO

Legal name

SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO (山本特許律师事务所)

Website

https://shupat.gr.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO is a privately held Japanese IP, technology and commercial law firm serving Japanese corporations, multinationals, and academic researchers with patent prosecution, trademark/design registration, anti-counterfeiting, litigation and M&A services across five offices in Japan and China.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual Property Law

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Offices of Lawyers (541110), All Other Legal Services (541199)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Management (BPAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trademark Prosecution & Brand Protection (BPAHAMAB), IP Search, Watch & Competitive Intelligence (BPAHAMAI), Copyright Services & Content Protection (BPAHAMAC), IP Compliance, Anti-Counterfeiting & Enforcement (BPAHAMAK), Trade Secret Protection & IP Strategy (BPAHAMAD)

Keywords

• Patent prosecution services
• Intellectual property law
• Trademark registration
• Patent litigation
• Anti-counterfeiting enforcement

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Professional legal services billed for intellectual property prosecution, litigation, corporate M&A, regulatory compliance, and commercial dispute resolution. Revenue generated through attorney and patent attorney fees for matter-based engagements covering patents, trademarks, designs, licensing, and litigation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO is a Japanese intellectual property and commercial law firm providing patent prosecution before the Japan Patent Office, trademark and design registration, IP litigation, anti-counterfeiting enforcement, corporate/M&A advisory, and privacy/cybersecurity legal services. The firm represents market-leading Japanese corporations, North American, European, Korean and other international clients, with a global network of foreign associates covering patent and trademark matters across 10+ jurisdictions.

Product overview

SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO is a full-service Japanese intellectual property and commercial law firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of legal services. The firm operates as a single integrated practice with specialized teams rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Core services include patent prosecution and litigation, trademark and design registration, anti-counterfeiting enforcement, business dispute resolution, corporate transactions, and privacy/cybersecurity advisory. The firm has represented numerous Nobel Prize winners in Japanese patent matters, demonstrating expertise in complex biotechnology, chemistry, and pharmaceutical patent work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Intellectual Property Services Comprehensive IP services including patent prosecution, trademark and design registration, IP litigation, anti-counterfeiting enforcement, and licensing for domestic and international clients.
• Business Disputes and Litigation Domestic and cross-border litigation, arbitration, mediation, enforcement of foreign judgments, and criminal/civil litigation services.
• Corporate and M&A Corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances, and general corporate governance and compliance advisory.
• Privacy, Cybersecurity and Technology Data protection, privacy compliance, cybersecurity consulting, and technology-related legal advisory services.
• Patent Prosecution Filing and prosecution of patent applications before the Japan Patent Office and international patent offices, including biotechnology, chemistry, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and mechanical technologies.
• Anti-Counterfeiting Enforcement Criminal and civil enforcement actions against counterfeit goods, online piracy, and IP infringement including customs seizures and police coordination.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98,700+ patent, trademark and design cases filed since inception inside and outside of Japan
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Finnegan: US-headquartered global IP boutique with extensive patent prosecution and litigation practices. Relevant peer for US-Japan cross-border IP mandates, particularly in biotech, chemistry, and high-tech sectors.
• Mori Hamada & Matsumoto: Top-tier Japanese full-service firm with cross-border IP licensing, prosecution, and litigation capabilities. Competes for IP mandates as part of a broader transactional practice, especially for foreign multinationals choosing Japan counsel.
• Bird & Bird: Global IP-focused law firm with a strong Japan practice and significant international patent and trademark prosecution. Competes for cross-border IP mandates where clients want coordinated global representation.
• Anderson Mōri & Tomotsune: Major Japanese full-service law firm with a significant IP practice and global network. Competes for IP-heavy Japanese corporate mandates and offers broader corporate/M&A services than a pure IP boutique.

Direct peers

• Ohno & Partners: Long-standing Japanese IP and patent prosecution firm with patent attorneys across chemistry, biotech, and mechanical fields. Direct peer competing for the same Japanese corporate and international-clients-in-Japan mandates.
• Miyoshi & Hanno: Japanese IP firm with strong patent prosecution and litigation practice, particularly in chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Comparable in practice mix and client overlap with Shusaku Yamamoto.
• Yuasa and Hara: Established Japanese IP firm with patent prosecution, IP litigation, and trademark practice. A recognized top-tier domestic IP boutique and direct competitor in the Japan IP market.
• TMI Associates: One of Japan's largest full-service IP and tech law firms with deep patent prosecution and litigation benches. Direct competitor for top Japanese IP mandates, particularly in electronics, software, and life sciences.
• Abe, Ikubo & Katayama: Established Japanese IP boutique known for patent prosecution, trademark, and IP litigation. Comparable to Shusaku Yamamoto in size, scope, and ranked alongside it in IAM Patent 1000 and Legal 500.
• Nakamura & Partners: Tier-1 Japanese IP boutique specializing in patent prosecution, trademark, and IP litigation across chemistry, biotech, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. Direct competitor for Japanese IP mandates and a fellow top-10 patent prosecution firm in Japan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@sycareers
• Facebookfacebook.com/SYCareers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shusaku-yamamoto

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SHUSAKU·YAMAMOTO