Respecting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I)

 

 

Respect for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is an integral element of our Sustainability Declaration, and we will promote DE&I in various ways as a full-service law firm that forms part of the social infrastructure supporting sustainable value creation.

 

Pick-Up

DE&I Perspective - 1: Gender Equality/LGBTQ

We have established support systems for maternity leave, childcare leave and returning to work, including babysitting support, and implemented basic policies for the prevention of sexual and power harassment, all of which contribute to creating a healthy work environment where employees can work and feel comfortable without having to be conscious of their gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
 
In addition, lawyers of Atsumi & Sakai participate as instructors in external seminars on sexual harassment and power harassment prevention, thereby contributing to the development of fair and equitable work environments in the broader society.
 
Since our early days, many female lawyers and staff members have flourished in Atsumi & Sakai. Our New York affiliate office and Brussels office are headed by female lawyers, and many female lawyers also serve as managers and lead activities in our practice groups.
 
26% of our partners, 37% of our foreign lawyers, and 90% of our managerial staff are women.*

 

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Some awards received by Atsumi & Sakai's lawyers in rankings and awards focused on the participation of women in the law:

 

  • IFLR1000 Women Leaders 2022 (Miho Niunoya was one of eight women selected in the Japan category)
  • ALB Asia’s Top 15 Female Lawyers 2021, 2022 & 2024 (Miho Niunoya (2021), Yuri Suzuki (2022) and Setsuko Yufu (2024) were selected as one of 15 attorneys in their respective years, as the only attorneys from Japan)
  • ALB Japan Law Award 2017 “Woman Lawyer of the Year” (Setsuko Yufu)

 

※Please see "DE&I Perspective 3: Lifestyle and Wellbeing" for information on respecting and encouraging flexible work styles, such as family-care leave and telework, which are important initiatives to support gender equality.

 

 

DE&I Perspective - 2: Race and Nationality

Atsumi & Sakai was the first independent law firm in Japan to create a foreign law joint venture so enabling us to admit foreign lawyers as partners.  14% of our partners and 11% of all our lawyers are foreign lawyers.*

 

Each of our offices in Japan and overseas is committed to deepening our understanding of the local culture, way of thinking, and requirements for legal services through close contact with local stakeholders, and we have established cooperative relationships with local law firms across the world. Atsumi & Sakai provides its lawyers with opportunities for study abroad and secondment, in particular for junior lawyers, with the expectation that they will broaden their perspectives through exposure to the cultures of other countries and to foreign law firms and companies.

 

In order to ensure fairness of opportunities, where appropriate, internal notifications and communications are made in both Japanese and English so that everyone has easy access to necessary information, even if Japanese is not their first language.

 

 

DE&I Perspective - 3: Lifestyle and Wellbeing

Atsumi & Sakai respects and encourages flexible work styles that suit each individual's stage of life.

 

We have established a comfortable teleworking environment through the use of remote working tools and online conferencing systems and have also adopted a hot desk system.

 

In recent years, we have had staff members telework full time from outside of Japan, and we are working to ensure that opportunities to be an active member of our Firm are not compromised by personal or family circumstances.

 

We are also committed to providing a workplace where everyone can stay healthy both mentally and physically. We have a "Suggestion Box Hotline" for completely anonymous consultation and reporting, introduced a health management system for employees, and have employed a full-time industrial health nurse and three industrial insurance physicians who are available for consultations daily, thereby taking care of employees' daily and mental health.

 

•     Full social insurance

•     Childcare and family-care systems

•     Babysitter assistance program

•     Refreshment leave regulations (Long-term service regulations)
  (Vacation and a cash bonus based on years of service; provided after 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of service.)

•     Retirement allowance regulations

•     Early retirement incentive system

•     Overtime meal system

•     Daycare for sick child assistance program

•     Self-development assistance system

•     Regular consultation with industrial insurance physicians (three physicians) and an industrial health nurse (on-site full-time employee)

•     Regular health checkups and medical examinations (for those aged 35 and over)
  (Basic medical checkup costs are borne by A&S, and all or part of the costs of some optional items of high importance are borne by A&S)

•    Tokyu Harvest Club Member (resort club)

 

 

DE&I Perspective - 4: Persons with Disabilities

In order to meet the needs of each individual, we do not limit the types of jobs for which we recruit persons with disabilities, but rather allow each individual to demonstrate their abilities and co-create value through work that matches those abilities.

 

Working styles are also determined based on individual circumstances, including the option to choose forms of work, such as full- and part-time  remote work.

 

 

DE&I Perspective - 5: Engagement

To increase engagement through transparent communication within our Firm, we conduct regular partner and junior associate interviews and staff 1-on-1 meetings.

 

In addition, to invigorate communication, we hold in-house events and study sessions on various topics and have introduced an expense subsidy system for online/offline get-togethers.

 

Next to our office library is an open lounge area called "HIROBA," which is freely accessible to all members of our Firm. The comfortable, green-themed space helps to create an environment that fosters dialogue and a sense of unity during gatherings and among those who drop by.

 

Most recently, we established a new division to promote interactions and support face-to-face relationships through an in-house social networking platform, with the aim of fostering new perspectives and empathy while also creating new value.

 

 

* As of August 2024 (Includes professionals at our offices and affiliate offices and firms within the group, excluding A-PAC INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM and SA Partners.)


 

Awards (excerpt)
  • ALB Japan D&I List 2022 - Selected as one of the ten law firms in Japan
  • ALB, Asia Top Innovative Law Firms 2023 - Selected as one of the top 15 innovative law firms
  • ALB Japan Law Award 2021 “Managing Partner of the Year”- Hiroo Atsumi
  • Daini Tokyo Bar Association's first "Family Friendly Award”
  • Asian Legal Business (ALB) “Employer of Choice” - Awarded 9 times, more than any other law firm in Japan
  • Chambers Global 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024 Leading Firm - International & Cross-Border Capabilities
  • ALB Japan Law Awards 2018, 2019 & 2020 “Overseas Practice Law Firm of the Year”
  • ALB Japan Law Award 2021 “Foreign Lawyer of the Year”- Ian S. Scott 
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