SONODA & KOBAYASHI offers dependable legal services for intellectual property in Japan.

Our multinational team of approximately 100 experts in technology, law, language and international communication has served companies worldwide and gained a reputation for thoroughness and reliability. Our high standards, expertise and teamwork have defined us since the founding of the firm in 1998 in Tokyo, Japan. Since 2021, we offer full one-stop prosecution and enforcement services in Japan as well as in China, where we recently opened an office in Beijing.

Reliable legal services in intellectual property can only be provided by having a deep understanding of technologies and legal issues. Our patent attorneys and specialists are equipped with world-class training and hands-on experience, often directly in R&D, which can be crucial in difficult cases. Approximately half of our attorneys and specialists hold doctorates.

Candid discussions and open efficient communication, which are rarely found at law firms in Japan, are deeply embedded in the culture of our firm. This atmosphere is key to being able to give legal advice of true value.

Finally, we fully appreciate the value of diversity and put this value into action. Currently our board of partners/directors consists of 4 women and 4 men, and we aim to maintain gender parity to reflect the same gender distribution as among our staff. Furthermore, we encourage all employees to take maternity/paternity leave as well as provide the option of full remote and flex-time work arrangements in order to support the varied circumstances and lifestyles of our team members.