Japan’s largest firm Nishimura & Asahi has bought over Thailand’s SCL Law Group, making it the second major Japanese acquisition of a Thai law firm since Chandler MHM three years ago.

The new firm, which is set to be launched in October, will operate under the name SCL Nishimura. It will comprise of more than 100 lawyers and professional staff providing legal and business advisory services

According to the ALB Top 50 ranking for 2018, SCL Law Group (formerly the Chavalit Law Group) had 59 lawyers, including nine partners. Founded in 2005, SCL is led by managing partner Chavalit Uttasart. 

Nishimura first opened a Bangkok office in 2013, under the name Nishimura & Asahi (Thailand) Co., Ltd. In a press release, the firm said the SCL acquisition would give it a “significantly larger support structure, thereby establishing a stronger presence in the Thai legal market and meeting the growing and varied demands for legal services throughout the Southeast Asia region.”

In the release, Masaki Hosaka, Nishimura & Asahi’s managing partner, added that the merger underlines the firm’s commitment to “our Japanese clients, and to our international clients who are taking advantage of increasing opportunities to invest in the region.”

Within Southeast Asia, Nishimura also has offices in Vietnam, Singapore and Myanmar and an associated office in Indonesia. It also has three offices in China – in Beijing and Shanghai and an affiliated office in Hong Kong. According to the ALB Top 50 ranking for 2018, Nishimura was the 23rd largest domestic law firm in Asia, with more than 570 lawyers.

In 2016, fellow Japanese Big Four firm Mori Hamada & Matsumoto (MHM) acquired Thai law practice Chandler & Thong-ek Law Offices. The firm now operates as Chandler MHM.

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