Japan ‘big-four’ firm Anderson Mori & Tomotsune has hired corporate partner Akihito Nakamachi. Formerly of Kirkland & Ellis, Nakamachi was appointed to the firm’s IP team earlier this month.

Nakamachi, who is admitted to practice in Japan, New York and California, specialises in a wide range of cross-border corporate and IP/technology transactions, such as M&A, private equity/venture capital, joint venture, strategic alliance, licensing, development, distribution and marketing transactions.

The appointment brings the number of partners at the firm to 67. All up the firm has 263 lawyers and partners, making it the fourth-largest domestic law firm in Japan by headcount.