Yuko Tani joined Kitahama Partners in March 2022 and is currently Of Counsel based in our Osaka office. Mr. Tani began his career as an assistant judge appointed to the Osaka District Court in April 1992. From that time on Mr. Tani was engaged in various matters, mainly involving civil litigation in district courts, the Litigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice, and the Legal Training and Research Institute for over a period of 30 years. Approximately, 150 judgments, which he was involved in as a judge, have been registered in the case search system of the courts. For approximately 10 years prior to his retirement in November 2021, he served as a presiding judge in the Intellectual Property Division of the Osaka District Court and the Medical Affairs Division of the Sapporo District Court, and was in charge of handling the patent litigation case involving Opdivo (Nivolumab), which was finalized by reaching a settlement. At the Litigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Tani served as a representative of the Japanese government in large-scale administrative litigations concerning nuclear power plants and airports, etc. In addition, at the Legal Training and Research Institute, as a civil court instructor, he taught approximately 500 legal apprentices across the country. In providing the best advice and solutions for his clients, Mr. Tani draws on his wealth of experience in civil litigation, with a strong emphasis on intellectual property matters, his experience as a representative of the government, as well as his experience in legal professional training. Mr. Tani has also accepted the role of professor at a law school for the purpose of training young legal professionals from April 2022.

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