In the 28th installment of this series, we spoke with Abe Marcos of Abe Law Firm and Marcelo Cargano, chief of the firm’s Japan desk.
The firm is one of the leading law firms that has been providing services to Japanese companies and their subsidiaries and affiliates in Brazil for many years. The firm has organized a team of experienced Brazilian lawyers from the Japan Desk, which serves as the Japanese language liaison office, and works with Japan’s big four law firms and major government-related organizations to provide a full range of legal services that customers can rely on.
Achievements recognized by global legal ranking authorities
Abe Law Office provides legal advice on M&A/corporate law, which is Mr. Abe’s specialty, as well as tax law, venture capital, labor law, contract law, innovation, copyright, personal information protection law, dispute resolution, real estate, and wealth management. While the firm focuses on providing legal support to large and medium-sized companies, in the wealth management field it also provides services to individuals, such as CEOs, major shareholders, and senior executives, in areas such as tax planning, inheritance planning, asset management and operation, and dispute resolution.
The firm’s ability to provide high-quality, reliable and secure services is also evidenced by its inclusion in The Chambers Brazil 2022 “Best Law Firms in Brazil” by the UK-based Chambers & Partners, a global legal ranking authority. The firm has also received various awards, including “Best Law Firms in Latin America” and various other awards by type of law.
Work with the same time frame as in Japan
One of Brazil’s leading law firms has been building long-term partnerships with Japanese companies not only because of its legal capabilities but also because it operates with the same schedule as Japan.
The Japan Desk was established based on close ties with Japanese companies, and its Brazilian lawyers have a deep understanding of Japanese business etiquette and culture and are able to communicate in fluent Japanese, providing a great sense of security to Japanese clients.
Attorney Marcelo studied at Osaka University as a Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology exchange student, and says, “The first Japanese I learned was the Osaka dialect.” He even cracks jokes in Japanese. His perfect Japanese and speedy, detailed responses are the epitome of Japan.
In order to gain more experience in dealing with Japanese companies, the firm also works to send Brazilian lawyers to Japan through exchange education programs with partner Japanese law firms, and is committed to providing regular training for Japanese and Brazilian lawyers and legal experts. At the same time, the firm also welcomes Japanese lawyers who wish to deepen their knowledge of Brazil.
The firm’s 40 lawyers all work on a level playing field, utilizing their respective areas of expertise to solve problems that meet the legal needs of their clients.
Latest legal and economic information: Brazil Business Law Review
Recently, the company has begun providing services related to clean energy and carbon credits, and supporting Japanese innovative companies, including startups, in entering the Brazilian market.
The Brazilian Business Law Review, which the firm publishes in cooperation with the Brazilian Embassy in Japan and other law firms, provides the latest information on Brazilian law and the business world in both Japanese and English, in line with new social needs and the ever-changing needs of the country. Based on the concept of directly connecting Japan and Brazil, the publication is also accessible via the Internet.
Supporting refugees: the hardships of my immigrant grandparents overlap
Abe traveled to the Amazon region for work during the pandemic, and seeing Venezuelan refugees sleeping on the streets and suffering like they had when they had lost their homes reminded him of the hardships his grandparents faced when they first immigrated to the country. During World War II, when the Japanese language was banned, his grandfather took the lead in burying various books and records in the ground to prevent them from being confiscated by the government, and was even arrested when they were found.
“Despite the hardships that Japanese immigrants faced, their children were able to receive an education and succeed in Brazil. In the same way, today’s refugees and immigrants need support to access similar opportunities,” says Abe, who founded the NGO AIRE in 2020 to provide support to help new immigrants establish the minimum necessary to start a new life.
They purchased an 8LDK house in the city of Ziadema and are currently providing Venezuelan and Afghan refugees with basic living needs, including housing, food, Portuguese language lessons, job hunting, and psychological support, on a temporary basis.
The office encourages its staff to actively participate in social projects that support the socially vulnerable. In addition to providing free support for access to the justice system through several NGOs, the office also works on music education for children, and some of them have gone on to become professional musicians.
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Abe Law Firm Overview |
*This article is reprinted from the Brazil Nippo (May 11, 2024).
© 2024 Tomoko Oura
