Shigetoshi (Toshi) Hirano | Professionals

Practice Areas

Professional Summary

Mr. Shigetoshi Hirano has been practicing law in a variety of fields since 1989. After he was dispatched by the firm to study in the University of Pennsylvania in 1993, he has specialized in intellectual property (IP) disputes representing Japanese and other foreign clients in Japanese courts and arbitration, as well as drafting licensing and franchising agreements. Mr. Hirano also has extensive experience in entertainment law, which is a combined field of copyright, trademark and intellectual property creation, and is derived from IP. In addition to his IP practice, Mr. Hirano has been involved in business transactions and international disputes between Japanese parties and foreign parties in the U.S., E.U, China, Korea, Middle East and many other countries. Mr. Hirano has also worked on many joint venture projects, which has helped clients expand their businesses into new territories. On several occasions, Mr. Hirano has assisted Japanese clients in the closure of their subsidiaries to restructure their chain of supply. Mr. Hirano believes lawyers should have broad experience and knowledge in order to lead their clients to fair and reasonable results, which is why he has tried to obtain a variety of experience, including learning about different cultures. In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Hirano has been teaching Intellectual Property Law at Kyoto University Law School for the past 10 years and has been elected to important bar association positions, including as Vice President of the Osaka Bar Association.

Education & Professional Experience

1993-1994
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP (Los Angeles; currently known as Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP)

1993
University of Pennsylvania Law School (LL.M.)

1987
Kyoto University (LL.B.)

Activities

2016-
Chairman, Cooperation Center for the Development of the Legal Profession and Operation of Law Schools, Osaka Bar Association

2016-
Chairman, Health and Welfare Committee, Osaka Bar Association

2015
Vice President, Osaka Bar Association

2015
Governor, Japan Federation of Bar Associations

2015
Executive Director, Kinki Federation of Bar Associations

2012
Vice President, Japan Intellectual Property Arbitration Center

2011- present
Councilor, Kyoto Comparative Law Center

2011-2012
Representative Facilitator, Intellectual Property Law Practice Study Group, Osaka Bar Association

2010-2015
Council Member, Industrial Property Council

2010-2012 (Subject: Intellectual Property Right Cases)
Visiting Professor

2010
Chairman, Committee for the Business of the “Japan Intellectual Property Arbitration Center”

2010
President, Kansai Branch, Japan Intellectual Property Arbitration Center

2005- present
Adjunct Instructor, Graduate School of Law of Kyoto University

2005
Tutor/Lecturer, International Civil and Commercial Law Seminar 2004 (Overseas Investment

2004-2007
Vice-Chairman, Intellectual Property Committee, Osaka Bar Association

2004-2007
Member, Committee on Evaluation of Medicine-Based Inventions, Intellectual Property Division, Kyoto University

2004-2005
Chairman, Committee on the Rights of the Child, Osaka Bar Association

2004-2005
Chairman, Committee on the Rights of the Child, Kinki Federation of Bar Associations

2004
Lecturer, International Civil and Commercial Law Seminar 2003 (Intellectual Property Rights

2003-2008
Part-time Lecturer, Graduate School of Medicine of Kyoto University

2002-2004
Part-time Lecturer, Kansai University

2002
Lecturer, Seminar to Support the Development of the Legal System of Laos

2001- 2014
Vice-Chairman, Cooperation Center for the Establishment and Management of Law Schools (currently known as Cooperation Center for the Development of the Legal Profession and Operation of Law Schools), Osaka Bar Association

2001-2006
Part-time Lecturer, Graduate School of Law of Kyushu University (LL.M.

2000-2002
Deputy Secretary-General, Promotion Office for Unification of the Legal Profession/Appointment of Lawyers as Judges, Osaka Bar Association

2000-2001
Chairman, Energy and Natural Resource Committee, Inter Pacific Bar Association

2000
Lecturer, Seminar to Support the Development of the Legal System of Vietnam

1998-2000
Vice-Chairman, Energy and Natural Resource Committee, Inter Pacific Bar Association

1996-1999
Coordinator, Commentator, Lecturer, Kyoto Comparative Law Center (“Information Business and Law,” “Entertainment Law”

1996
Interim Delegate Member of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations for the General Discussion of United Nations Commission on the Rights of Child