Mayer Brown continues to strengthen Tokyo office with eight-lawyer team led by Masahisa Ikeda, Toshiro Mochizuki, and Kana Morimura. Related People: Mayer Brown announced today that partners Toshiro Mochizuki and Kana Morimura have joined the firm's Tokyo office. Their arrival follows the recent addition of Masahisa Ikeda, who now serves as the managing partner of the firm's Tokyo office. Together, the three partners - supported by a group of five Tokyo-based associates - form an eight lawyer team that significantly enhances the firm's ability to support Japanese clients on complex cross border matters. The team joins from A&O Shearman. The arrival of Mr. Mochizuki and Ms. Morimura marks a significant expansion of Mayer Brown's Tokyo offering. Their combined strengths deepen the firm's ability to assist Japanese companies with cross-border matters across the full corporate lifecycle - from capital raising and cross border transactions to regulatory compliance, investigations, and complex disputes. Together with Mr. Ikeda's recent addition, the team brings a strengthened platform designed to meet the increasingly global needs of Japan's leading businesses. Mr. Mochizuki advises issuers and underwriters on global offerings, SEC registrations, SEC reporting and governance, and other US securities law matters. He also has significant experience advising on business combinations and compliance, including anti-corruption, sanctions, and merger clearance. He brings a background that includes in-house experience at a leading international investment bank in Tokyo and work on both issuer- and underwriter-side assignments in Tokyo and New York. His representative matters span high-value tender offers, take-private transactions, global equity offerings, SEC-registered debt financings, and SEC-registered business combinations for prominent Japanese corporates. Ms. Morimura focuses on complex dispute resolution and multi-jurisdictional investigations and disputes, including anti-bribery, antitrust, fraud, False Claims Act matters, product-quality issues, and commercial disputes. She has extensive experience advising on regulatory and internal investigations, class actions, global compliance program design and restructuring, and regulatory matters, with a particular focus on supporting Japanese companies operating globally. "Toshiro and Kana each bring a caliber of experience that is highly relevant to the challenges Japanese companies face today," said Mr. Ikeda. "Their understanding of US regulatory expectations and cross border transactional dynamics strengthens our ability to deliver clear, practical guidance on matters that span multiple markets. I am thrilled to welcome them and their team, and I look forward to the impact they will have for our clients."

Licensing International to host 2026 AI & Licensing Summit next month. by Billy Langsworthy Published 25.03.26 "Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how brands create, collaborate, and connect with consumers," said Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. Licensing International's 2026 AI & Licensing Summit - hosted by Mayer Brown LLP - is taking place on April 16th at the firm's Chicago office. "AI's impact effects businesses across every industry and it's more important than ever for licensing professionals to understand the benefits, pitfalls, and uses for this rapidly evolving technology," said Kristine Young, Partner at Mayer Brown. "Pairing Mayer Brown and Licensing International's expertise, this important summit will feature panels on navigating privacy considerations while also exploring practical uses for these technologies across the licensing industry." Programming will include panels and presentations on incorporating AI into licensing agreements, developing internal AI policies, sustainability considerations, data privacy, and practical applications of AI in everyday licensing workflows. "Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how brands create, collaborate, and connect with consumers," said Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. "As the technology continues to evolve, resources like this upcoming summit will ensure the licensing community evolves with it, understanding both the opportunities it presents and the potential challenges that come with it." Registration is currently open. For more information and to register, please visit: licensinginternational.org/events/ai-licensing-summit-2/

Skadden welcomes partners Archis Parasharami, Daniel Jones and Kevin Ranlett, expanding capabilities in consumer class actions, multidistrict litigation and mass arbitration. Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Skadden is pleased to welcome Archis Parasharami as a partner in the firm's Washington, D.C. and Palo Alto offices. Mr. Parasharami joins Skadden from Mayer Brown LLP, where he served as co-head of its Washington, D.C. litigation and dispute resolution practice and co-leader of its class action practice. With two decades of experience managing complex litigation, he will play a pivotal role in expanding Skadden's leading class action defense, multidistrict litigation and mass arbitration capabilities. He will be joined in Washington, D.C. by Daniel Jones and Kevin Ranlett, who are also joining the firm as partners and previously worked with Mr. Parasharami at Mayer Brown LLP. Together, Mr. Parasharami, Mr. Jones and Mr. Ranlett bring a distinguished record of defending businesses in high-stakes class action litigation in federal and state courts nationwide. Their combined practice spans all aspects of consumer class actions and complex litigation, with a particular focus on developing strategies to defeat class actions, address sprawling multidistrict litigation and combat mass arbitrations. They regularly advise companies in the technology and consumer-facing sectors. "The arrival of Archis, along with Dan and Kevin, reinforces our commitment to providing our clients with unparalleled aptitude in class action defense, aggregate litigation and mass arbitration," said John Beisner, of counsel and leader of Skadden's Mass Torts, Insurance and Consumer Litigation Group. "Archis' comprehensive understanding of class action lawsuits, coupled with his success in high-stakes litigation - including his involvement in multiple victories before the U.S. Supreme Court - positions him as a true leader in the field. With a presence in both Washington, D.C. and Northern California and a national practice, he further strengthens our ability to serve clients wherever these matters arise." James Carroll, global head of Skadden's litigation/controversy practices, added, "Archis and his team's impressive track record in defending against class actions and mass arbitrations will further enhance our ability to deliver exceptional results for clients. Their background complements our existing strengths, and we look forward to leveraging their insights to tackle the most complex class action challenges." "We have worked closely alongside Archis for years, and we're delighted to welcome him, Dan and Kevin to Skadden," said class actions and mass arbitration partners Michael McTigue and Meredith Slawe. "Their depth of knowledge and experience at the intersection of consumer class actions, mass arbitration and multidistrict litigation will align well with Skadden's leading practice in this space." Mr. Parasharami has extensive experience drafting and defending the enforceability of arbitration agreements, particularly in the consumer and employment contexts, and addressing mass arbitrations. He has also played a pivotal role in landmark U.S. Supreme Court class action- and arbitration-related cases, including AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion, Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, Lamps Plus, Inc. v. Varela and Kindred Nursing Centers L.P. v. Clark. "Skadden's reputation for excellence in complex litigation, class actions and mass arbitration is unmatched," said Mr. Parasharami. "The firm's global platform and collaborative culture provide an ideal environment to help clients tackle their most challenging disputes." Mr. Parasharami received his J.D. from Harvard Law School (cum laude) and his A.B. from Princeton University (summa cum laude). Daniel Jones helps clients to prepare and present appeals, and has authored numerous briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court, federal and state appellate courts and trial courts around the country, with a focus on class action and arbitration issues. He has represented businesses in defeating class certification in multiple federal trial courts and routinely briefs cutting-edge class action defense issues at both the trial and appellate levels. Mr. Jones received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and his B.A. from Amherst College. Kevin Ranlett defends businesses in complex class and representative actions in state and federal courts across the country, as well as in high-stakes mass arbitrations. He has successfully defended and resolved a wide variety of claims, including allegations of false or deceptive advertising, data breach and other privacy claims and alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Alien Tort Claims Act and various other consumer protection statutes. Mr. Ranlett received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. Analysis | Jobs | News