TMI Associates

TMI Associates (TMI総合法律事務所) is a Japanese law firm founded on 1 October 1990 to respond to demand for comprehensive professional services in a new era. Its stated founding concepts were responding to an era moving toward internationalization and a more borderless world, establishing specialization, and integrating specialized fields. The firm is composed of lawyers, patent attorneys, and staff with experience in both domestic and international work, and it has carried out foreign law joint enterprises based on equal business partnerships with multiple major foreign law firms — described as a first for Japan. It operates domestic offices in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka, and overseas offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Yangon, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Sydney, Silicon Valley, São Paulo, Mexico City, London, Paris, Brussels, and Nairobi, with resident staff also placed in Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, and Kenya. As of 6 April 2026 it reported 1,390 personnel: 655 lawyers, 101 patent attorneys, 68 foreign lawyers, and 566 staff. In 2019 it established TMI Ventures Inc. to invest in and support lawyer and patent attorney startups, and as its first investment created TMI Privacy & Security Consulting Inc., described as Japan's first consulting firm specializing in privacy protection and security for data utilization.

TMI Associates was founded on 1 October 1990 to meet demand for comprehensive professional services required by a new era, with founding concepts of responding to an era moving toward internationalization and a more borderless world, establishing specialization, and integrating specialized fields. In October 1990 the firm opened. In 1995 it began a specified joint enterprise with Gide Loyrette Nouel, which continued from 1999 to 2007 as a foreign law joint enterprise with the foreign law office of Laurent Dubois. In April 1998 it opened a Shanghai office, and in 2000 it marked its 10th anniversary. In 2001 it began a specified joint enterprise with Simmons & Simmons, shifting to a foreign law joint enterprise in April 2005. In 2003 it relocated to the 23rd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. In 2005 it formed a business alliance with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, establishing a joint venture (Morgan Lewis - TMI) and beginning a foreign law joint enterprise. In 2009 it began a foreign law joint enterprise with Aquis foreign law office. In 2010 it marked its 20th anniversary. In November 2011 it opened a Ho Chi Minh City office; in April 2012 a Nagoya office; in October 2012 Yangon, Hanoi, Singapore, and in December 2012 Beijing offices. In July 2014 it opened a Silicon Valley office; in September 2014 Phnom Penh and Kobe offices. In January 2018 a London office; in June 2018 an Osaka office. In January 2019 a Bangkok office; in December 2019 a Kyoto office. In February 2020 a Fukuoka office; in October 2020 it marked its 30th anniversary and entered an era of 1,000 personnel. In January 2023 a Paris office; in December 2023 a Jakarta base in partnership with a local Indonesian law firm. In April 2024 a Kuala Lumpur base in partnership with Malaysian law firm SY Teo & Co.; in November 2024 a STATION Ai office (Nagoya); in December 2024 a Brussels office. In October 2025 a Hiroshima office; in September 2026 a Sydney office. In 2019 the firm established TMI Ventures Inc. to invest in and support lawyer and patent attorney startups, and as its first investment created TMI Privacy & Security Consulting Inc., described as Japan's first consulting firm specializing in privacy protection and security for data utilization.

A comprehensive law firm aiming to offer solutions, not only advice, combining specialization and integration while valuing client trust.

1. 1TMI総合法律事務所tmi.gr.jp
2. 2TMIのあゆみ | Our Firm | TMI総合法律事務所tmi.gr.jp
3. 3拠点一覧 | Our Firm | TMI総合法律事務所tmi.gr.jp
4. 4代表あいさつ | Our Firm | TMI総合法律事務所tmi.gr.jp