December 20, 2023 at 03:35 AM
Brian Yap
Tokyo-based TMI Associates, one of Japan’s largest law firms, has entered into a business alliance with Frans & Setiawan Law Office, a Jakarta-based corporate and commercial law firm.
The business association, which will operate under the name “Frans&Setiawan Law Office in association with TMI Associates”, took effect on December 18 in the newly-built Jakarta Mori Tower located in Jakarta’s central business district.
The Indonesian alliance office marks one of the firm’s 11 outfits across Asia, including in Shanghai, Beijing, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Yangon, Bangkok, Phnom Penh and Singapore, as well as local desks in Manila and Kuala Lumpur.
Japan and New York-qualified associate Eisuke Saito, an Indonesian-speaking TMI Associates attorney who specializes in mergers and acquisitions advice as well as dispute resolution is serving as TMI’s Indonesia-based regional partner in Jakarta. The representative partner of the alliance office is Alfin Frans Nainggolan, who is also a partner and co-founder of Frans & Setiawan.
Founded in 2019 by Hendra Setiawan Boen and Nainggolan, Frans & Setiawan counts approximately ten qualified lawyers. The firm advises major Japanese and Indonesian corporations as well as U.S. and European public institutions, the firm said in its press statement.
Earlier this year, TMI Associates, which operates offices in Silicon Valley and London as well as local desks in Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Nairobi, also launched an office in Paris.
TMI Associates is not the only Japanese law firm to have expanded its Indonesia practice in recent years. Big Four Japanese law firm Mori Hamada & Matsumoto officially launched its Jakarta office through a strategic alliance with Indonesian law firm ATD Law earlier this year. Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu opened its Indonesian outfit with local alliance practice IM & Partners in January. And in April, Tokyo-based Miura & Partners also commenced a business alliance with Indonesian law firm Atama Law and started operations under the name “Atama Law in association with Miura & Partners”.
The other two Big Four Japanese law firms, Nishimura & Asahi and Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, also have offices in Jakarta. Both firms operate through strategic alliances on the ground.
Anderson Mori is allied with local firm H&A Partners, while Nishimura has two Indonesian alliances with local firms Rosetini & Partners and with Walalangi & Partners.
https://www.law.com/international-edition/2023/12/20/japans-tmi-associates-launches-new-indonesian-office-with-local-alliance/?slreturn=20231122201930
