A place to hone your expertise and build a career that suits you
—Challenges at Mimura and Komatsu Law Offices (Part 2)

[Recruit Interview Part 2]

From corporate law and startup support to international cases and the arts and culture fields, Mimura Komatsu Law Office offers an environment where each lawyer can grow by leveraging their strengths, while balancing high levels of expertise with a broad range of practice.
This time we spoke with Mr.Attorney Kotaro Tanabe, a rising star in his second year since transferring.Attorney at Law Yuka Saito, and the CEO who has shaped the firm's philosophy.Attorney Junya KomatsuThree people:
We bring you the second part of the discussion, which reveals the firm's culture and sense of growth, along with real voices from each of their positions.

The first part isCLICK HERE

—Mr. Saito, in your second year as a lawyer, you became interested in the field of fashion law and joined Mimura Komatsu Law Office, but what kind of work are you doing now specifically?

Yuka Saito (hereinafter Saito): The cases we handle most often are those related to fashion law. For example, we handle cases related to brand trademarks, dealing with counterfeit goods, and reviewing contracts such as collaboration agreements and retailer agreements.
In addition to fashion-related cases, I also handle cases in various industries, including art, architecture, and the food and beverage industry. In addition to the industry, my work is also broad, and I am involved in litigation and crisis management cases.

Komatsu Shunya (hereinafter Komatsu): Some people looking to change jobs worry that "Mimura Komatsu Law Office is too specialized in specialized fields like intellectual property and fashion, and that it might be difficult for me," but we handle a wide range of cases, from general corporate law to civil and criminal cases, and we try to have young people, in particular, involved in a wide range of cases.

-You joined the firm with the aim of working in the fashion field, but in reality, there are many projects that are not exactly what you expected. Do you ever feel like it's not what you expected? This might be difficult to answer in front of your seniors (laughs).

Saito: Of course, there are times when you actually get involved and feel like, "Maybe this field isn't for me." However, at my previous firm, I only handled a limited range of fields, and I still had little experience as a lawyer, so I feel that being exposed to such a wide variety of cases like I am now is extremely valuable in building my future career.

Komatsu: Lawyers' work is often divided into vertical sections such as "general civil," "criminal," and "intellectual property," but at Mimura Komatsu Law Office, we have a perspective that threads the "woof" between these sections. For example, "fashion law" is not just about intellectual property law; it is also closely related to other fields such as labor law and the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations. I think that cultivating the ability to deal with cases from such a multifaceted perspective is a major strength of our office.
Our goal is to have lawyers who are specialists in their respective fields, but also possess the qualities of a generalist with extensive experience in many fields. Tanabe-san has gained a wide range of experience at two law firms, and his qualities as a generalist shone through from the moment he was hired. He also has a wealth of experience in court cases, so we were able to trust him with any case.

Kotaro Tanabe (hereafter referred to as Tanabe): Thank you (laughs). I have experience in patent litigation and other matters.

Komatsu: Patent litigation is a very rare field. I think that even among lawyers, only a handful of people practice patent litigation.

-What exactly is a patent litigation?

Tanabe: Imagine a company inventing some amazing technology and obtaining a patent. However, if another company manufactures and sells a product using that invention, the patent holder can claim that the manufacturing and sales activities constitute patent infringement, and sue the company, seeking an injunction to stop the manufacturing and sales and compensation for damages.
Since a deep knowledge and understanding of not only the law but also products and technology is required, litigation is handled in cooperation with non-lawyer experts, including patent attorneys. Judges are usually not experts in the field, so the key is being able to understand and explain technical content in an easy-to-understand manner.

—Patent litigation sounds like a highly specialized field, but did you have any experience in patent litigation before transferring to Mimura Komatsu Law Office?

Tanabe: I had no experience in patent litigation. There are only a limited number of firms that can handle patent cases, so I think it's probably normal for many lawyers to have no experience in patent litigation.

-Were you worried about being transferred to Mimura Komatsu Law Office, which handles a lot of patent litigation, even though you had no experience in patent litigation?

Tanabe: The elective subject for the bar exam was intellectual property law, so I was not completely devoid of knowledge, but naturally I was anxious. Immediately after joining Mimura Komatsu Law Office, I diligently read all the books that Mr. Mimura told me I should read. I also read high school chemistry textbooks.

-I understand that you are currently seconded to the Cabinet Office. What are your specific duties?another articleIt's explained in detail in the article, but what kind of work do you do?

Tanabe: Yes, I am currently seconded to the Cabinet Office's Intellectual Property Strategy Promotion Office on a part-time basis.
I work part-time at the Cabinet Office while continuing to work as a lawyer. I value my relationships with my clients, so I can't afford to miss out on my work as a lawyer.

—Attorney Kengo NoseHe was seconded to serve as a policy secretary to a member of parliament and is scheduled to study abroad in London this year. Mr. Komatsu also studied in New York before setting up his own law firm. Are secondments and overseas studies common in the career development of lawyers?

Komatsu: That's right. At Mimura Komatsu Law Office, it's relatively common for lawyers to gain several years of experience, then go on a two-year transfer or study abroad program once they've "become able to handle all the office's work," and then return to the office. However, this is by no means the norm for lawyers overall.
In addition, to be seconded to a government agency, you will need a certain level of career and achievements.

-I understand that you are currently teaching at Bunka Fashion College. What kind of classes do you teach?

Saito: As an overview of fashion law, we mainly teach copyright law, trademark law, and the Unfair Competition Prevention Act.
Many of the students in the course are aspiring to work in the fashion business, so at first I was worried that they might think law is boring, but they all listened very seriously and I was surprised at how well they did on the tests.
Although it's still just the beginning, it's clear that people are taking a real interest, and I would be happy if I could continue to contribute to the industry in this way.

Komatsu: Mimura Komatsu Law Office regularly holds fashion law classes at Bunka Fashion College. We also regularly hold cross-industry networking events in our seminar room, inviting fashion designers and other industry professionals, as well as people involved in the arts.

- Many people may have the impression that law firms are intimidating, but holding such networking events is what makes Mimura Komatsu Law Firm unique. Mr. Komatsu's art collection is also on display throughout the office.

Komatsu: When it comes to art, clients are more interested in it than lawyers (laughs).

Tanabe: It's rare to see a law firm with Jomon pottery casually placed in a conference room. (laughs)

Mimura Komatsu Law Office is looking for motivated lawyers who share our philosophy and goals, have a spirit of challenge, and want to grow by leveraging their interest in various industries and past experience.

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【2025.8.27】