Tasha Yorozu is the Managing Attorney at Miura & Partners US and Chair of the firm’s Corporate, M&A, Technology and Media Licensing, and Employment Law practices. She has more than 20 years of experience advising multinational corporations on cross-border transactions, with a particular expertise representing Japanese companies and their U.S. subsidiaries on their investments in the United States and Japan.

Raised in Kyoto, Ms. Yorozu moved to the United States to begin her professional education and launch her legal practice. After graduating with an M.B.A. and a J.D., she began working with multinational clients, capitalizing on her fluency in Japanese and English, and her understanding of business, legal and cultural practices in Japan and the United States. As her legal practice grew, she worked on increasingly complicated cross-border transactions, honing her legal and negotiation skills in specific areas, such as M&A and technology and media licensing. And, she built a legal team with complementary backgrounds to support her clients. She also developed strong relationships within the Japanese American legal and business community.

Today, she represents some of Japan’s largest corporations and their U.S. subsidiaries as outside general counsel in the areas of corporate, M&A, technology and media licensing, and employment law, advising them on strategies and best practices to help achieve their business objectives while minimizing legal risk.

Her several decades of experience advising multinational corporations on complex cross-border transactions, combined with her Japanese/English bilingual communication skills and deep understanding of Japanese and U.S. legal frameworks, business practices, and corporate cultures, enables her to effectively communicate with multiple parties to efficiently negotiate and close deals.

Professional Associations:

• U.S. – Japan Council:)
  • Member (2012 – Present)
  • Secretary (2018 – 2022)
  • Board of Directors (2017 – 2022)
  • Delegate, 2016 Japanese American Leadership Delegation (2016)
  • Vice-Chair, 2016 Annual Conference in Silicon Valley (2016)
  • Vice Chair, Northern CA/NV Region (2016 – 2017)

• Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California:
  • Board of Directors (2011 – Present)
  • Auditor (2022 – 2024)
  • President (2021 – 2022)
  • Vice President (2020 – 2021)
  • Chair, Membership Committee (2019 – 2020)
  • Chair, Public Relations Committee (2012 – 2017)
  • Chair, Ad Hoc 501(c)(3) Evaluation Committee (2011 – 2012)
  • Member since 2008
• Third Arrow Strategies Japan Board Diversity Network: Charter Member (2021 – Present)
• JETRO San Francisco: Legal Coordinator for Japanese Small and Medium Sized Companies (2016 – 2023)
• San Francisco-Osaka Sister City Association: Member, Board of Directors (2011 – Present).
• Alliance Forum Foundation: Master of Ceremonies, 2013 World Alliance Forum, Executive Benkyokai Member (2012 – Present).
• Oakland Triathlon Club: Member (2013 – 2021)
• California International Relations Foundation: Board of Directors (2021 – 2022)

Presentations:

• “How to Navigate Local U.S. Labor & Employment Law for a Successful Hiring Experience” [link to blog post]
• “Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for Executives from Japan”
• “U.S. Employment Laws and Case Studies that Managers from Japan Should Know”
• Other presentations on the following topics: interpreting U.S.-style contracts, investing in the United States, understanding U.S. corporate law and compliance issues, effective negotiating with U.S. business executives, and providing feedback to employees.

Publications:

• Kigyo Gaikyo News, monthly article
• J-Weekly, monthly article

Education:

• J.D., Willamette University College of Law
• M.B.A., Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management
• B.A., Economics, Bryn Mawr College

Admissions:

• State Bar of California
• State Bar of Oregon

Select Representations:

• M&A
  • A Japan-based internet media corporation in the sale of its Holland-based subsidiary to a Dutch corporation and the closure of its U.S.-based subsidiary.
  • A prominent Japanese auction platform provider in its asset acquisition and expansion in Silicon Valley.
  • One of the oldest privately held Japanese printing and marketing corporations in its acquisition of a U.S. printing company.
  • A publicly traded Japanese electronics components manufacturer in its divestiture of its Mexican manufacturing plant to a U.S.-based manufacture-operations corporation.
  • A major Japanese life science and biotechnology corporation in its divestiture of assets to a Silicon Valley biotechnology company.
• Corporate
  • A publicly traded U.S. communication chip developer and provider of software products in its high-risk, high-stakes negotiations with several of Japan’s leading corporations.
  • A leading U.S. engineering firm in its communication with a Japanese auto manufacturer.
  • A publicly traded Japanese electronics components manufacturer in its business negotiations and drafting of patent licensing agreement with a major German medical equipment manufacturer.
• Technology and Media Licensing
  • A major Japanese publisher and content holder in its negotiations with several U.S. production companies.
  • A Japanese mobile media/marketing company in negotiating and drafting its license agreement with a U.S. advertising agency.
  • A prominent Japanese online auction platform provider in its license agreement with the largest service provider in the United States.