Masashige Horiuchi joined our Fukuoka office in February 2022. Prior to that, he had been working for a law firm in Tokyo until January 2022. Since joining Kitahama Partners he has been engaged in a wide range of matters focusing on M&A, corporate legal matters and dispute resolution.

He was seconded for three years to the Business Development Department (M&A Advisory Division) of the Development Bank of Japan Inc., where he handled a great many M&A projects as a financial advisor in addition to his position as an attorney.

He strongly believes that M&A has become an important management method and a matter for consideration for companies regardless of their size or business field in recent years. Nevertheless, not all companies are accustomed to M&A and a considerable number of companies seek legal advice not knowing where to start. Furthermore, once a project has begun, numerous situations will arise wherein each party, such as the purchaser, seller and target company, will be required to make critical management decisions. Therefore, when becoming involved in M&A projects, Mr. Horiuchi firmly believes that it is important to build a relationship of trust with his clients first and foremost so that they can express their opinions or ask questions without any hesitation. As a personal principle, he always tries to establish such relationship with his clients.

Work Highlights

• Restitution for Unjust Enrichment on the Grounds of Conflict-of-Interest Transactions concerning a Management Dispute between Family Companies
• Various types of M&A projects (share transfers, business transfers, company splits, etc.)
• Legal advice on the acquisition of treasury stock of a listed company
• Negotiations relating to a dispute among shareholders over control of a closed company and the purchase of its shares
• Business rehabilitation cases in accordance with the procedures within the framework established by SME Business Rehabilitation Support Co-operatives, etc.
• Pursuing the liability of a former director of a listed company
• Various types of disputes such as claims for damages, etc. due to defaulting on debt
• Family court cases such as divorce, inheritance, etc.

Education & Professional Career

Feb 2022	Joined Kitahama Partners
Mar 2021 – Jan 2022	Seconded to the Development Bank of Japan Inc.
Nov 2017 – Dec 2019	Seconded to the Development Bank of Japan Inc.
Jan 2016	Joined Okuno & Partners
Dec 2015	Graduated from the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan; Admitted to practice in Japan
Mar 2014	Hitotsubashi University School of Law (J.D.)
Mar 2011	Hitotsubashi University, Faculty of Commerce and Management

Other Activities

Apr 2020	Representative, Japan Federation of Bar Associations; Permanent Member, Tokyo Bar Association
Apr 2017 – Apr 2021	Adjunct Professor, Hitotsubashi University School of Law