MoFo Tokyo
Your MoFo Story Starts Here...
Driven by Excellence
Where Will Your MoFo Story Take You?
Inclusive to the Core
Committed to Service
Succeed as One
Our Future Is Yours
Our Future is Yours
Choose MoFo, and you’ll find the legal career you deserve.
Real matters.
Real clients.
Real experiences.
Start here, and the possibilities are endless.
Why MoFo?
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Thrive in an environment that is inclusive to the core, where respect for people, ideas, and differences makes us stronger colleagues and advisors. Enjoy significant responsibility from early on in your career. Join a team that is committed to service, who makes a meaningful impact for our clients, communities, and society. Learn from mentors and peers alike. Exceptional people are hired, developed, and nurtured here.
No matter where you start your MoFo story, the firm supports charting a career path that aligns with your interests and passions. Our collaborative approach to working across borders, practice areas, and industries ensures that we succeed as one firm. While each of our 2,200+ legal and business professionals have unique goals, we are united in our commitment to delivering results that best serve each other, our clients, and our communities.
From day one, I was exposed to diverse projects and a wide range of different tasks, some allowed for interactions with clients while some were more analytical, which has allowed me to develop a well-rounded skill set and expand my knowledge and understanding.
Kristen Lai
Trainee Solicitor
China Is a Key Market for MoFo
Allyship Is Action
How to Apply and What to Expect
MoFo Tokyo offers a dynamic and rewarding environment for those seeking to work on impactful matters with colleagues and clients from diverse backgrounds. As an associate, you get to collaborate with a highly skilled and supportive team to engage in high-profile, cross-border transactions that frequently make headlines and have significant impact on the market. Many of our transactions involve cutting-edge technology and innovative industries, where you can gain exposure to developments that shape the future of various sectors.
Hisatada Ohashi
Real Estate Bengoshi Partner
MoFo Values
Get to know who we are, and why there really is a MoFo difference.
Work with the Best...
Morrison Foerster transforms complexity into advantage. With our collective intelligence, we shape powerful legal strategies that move our clients' businesses forward while living our shared values. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, Fortune 100 companies, and leading technology and life sciences companies. We represent organizations – whether established for decades or just an entrepreneur’s idea – as they grow, innovate, disrupt, and develop into leading industry players and household names.
...and Do Your Best Work.
At MoFo, you have the opportunity to work with and learn from the best legal minds in the industry. From early on, you’ll get exposure to training, support, and exciting projects where you’ll gain practical skills and make lifelong connections. Here, you’re encouraged to go beyond just embracing ideas to playing an active role in creating new ones.
1,000+
Lawyers across 18 offices in the United States, Asia, and Europe
Japan International Law Advisers of the Year 2025 – Chambers Asia
International Deal Firm of the Year 2025 – Asian Legal Business Japan Awards
HONG KONG EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
An essential part of the MoFo difference is our tradition of service in the public interest. We use our talents in a range of pro bono activities, from staffing legal service clinics, to counseling more than 300 nonprofit organizations, to handling high-impact litigation. Our work focuses on assisting underserved groups and nonprofits that serve low-income people and communities. We approach pro bono work the same as our billable work—with passion, dedication, and an exacting standard of service—simply because that’s who we are.
Many Stories. One Firm.
Read about our values and commitment to service.
Delaney Ho, San Diego Summer Associate
The firm’s commitment to fostering pro bono engagement, including at the summer associate level, is commendable. One of the firm’s pro bono counsel proactively contacted us earlier in the summer, introducing herself and presenting an opportunity to participate in a pro bono immigration clinic. I’m proud to be at a firm that supports its attorneys pursuing pro bono work and utilizes its resources to create a positive societal impact.
A Story of Doing Good
MoFo Attorneys Are Deeply Committed to Pro Bono Work
At Morrison Foerster, pro bono work is part of our DNA. Our dedicated pro bono team and our Tokyo Pro Bono Committee provide frequent opportunities for Tokyo summer associates and associates to work on both domestic and international matters, ranging from providing direct services to low-income individuals, to counseling nonprofit organizations, to advising at law clinics.
Every Voice is Heard
At Morrison Foerster, we place a high value on the varied perspectives, backgrounds, and ideas that our lawyers offer when it comes to serving our clients, colleagues, and communities. We’re certain that you’ll find numerous ways to connect with our talented group of legal professionals through networking events, speaking engagements, affinity groups, community engagement, and pro bono initiatives. Our priority will always be fostering a workplace where every story matters and every voice is heard.
“At Morrison Foerster, we remain dedicated to breaking down barriers to equal opportunity. We embrace the unique differences and shared strengths of our people, seek the best talent from all backgrounds, and strive to create an environment where everyone can thrive. We believe an inclusive and engaging workplace is essential to unlocking the full potential of our team and delivering exceptional legal services to our clients."
Natalie Kernisant Chief Workplace Experience Officer
Where will your MoFo story take you?
19 cities.
3 continents.
Watch
Our Meet MoFo Global Litigation Department Co-Chair video with Christine Wong
New Partners 2025
Succeeding as one is what distinguishes us as a firm. Working across offices is the norm and drives incredible value for our clients and our people.
Eric McCrath MoFo Chair
We are champions of progress, delivering meaningful client results, serving our communities, and moving industries forward. Click on each practice group to learn more:
Energy + Infrastructure
Antitrust
Mergers + Acquisitions
Real Estate
Technology Transactions
Dispute Resolution
Finance Services
Private Equity Investments + Buyouts
Capital Markets
Investigations + White Collar Defense
Emerging Companies + Venture Capital
Intellectual Property
Commercial Litigation
International Arbiration
Top Tier Firm
Legal500 Asia Pacific 2025
Winner of the Litigation, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Real Estate, and Competition & Antitrust categories Asia Business Law Journal’s 2024 Japan Law Firm Awards
Technology, Media and Telecommunications Deal of the Year Asian Legal Business Japan Law Awards 2025
9 attorneys ranked in the Hall of Fame The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025
Asia Business Law Journal’s 2024 Japan Law Firm Awards
Best Foreign Law Firm
Morrison Foerster has the largest and most diverse practice of any international law firm in Japan, with approximately 100 attorneys in Tokyo, including 50 foreign attorneys and 50 bengoshi admitted to practice in Japan. We were one of the first foreign law firms licensed in Japan, opening our offices in 1987. Our “one team” approach fully integrates our U.S., Japan, and global law capabilities to best support inbound and outbound transactions. We are proud of our cutting-edge work for first-class clients, including SoftBank, Toshiba, Hitachi, Fujitsu, and other major Japanese corporates, as well as the main investment banks in the region.
Japan Is a Key Market for MoFo
Our latest pro bono video and learn about the remarkable work our lawyers have undertaken to help make an impact.
View
Our interactive pro bono brochure and learn about the remarkable work our lawyers have undertaken to help make an impact.
Gold Law Firm Award
The Law Society of Hong Kong’s 2023 Pro Bono and Community Work Recognition Programme
Lawyer hours devoted to Pro Bono in 2024
100
Ranked first overall among firms with 601+ lawyers in
Law360
's 2022 Diversity
Snapshot. MoFo also tops the list of biggest law firms with the most diverse equity partners.
Key Market in China
Where will your MoFo Story take you?
Allyship is Action
How to Apply
Succeed As One
100%
rating on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2025 Corporate Equality Index, marking the 21st year of inclusion as one of the best workplaces for LGBTQ+ equality
2024 Women in Business Law International Firm of the Year – Euromoney Legal Media Group’s Americas Women in Business Law Awards
TOP 5
firm on Seramount’s 50 Best Law Firms for Women & Diversity List
At MoFo, we pair diversity of perspective with a strategic consultative approach to craft the tailored strategies our clients need. We foster trusted partnerships that are defined by winning for our clients when it matters most—whether that’s forming special task forces to tackle issues of racial injustice, seeking new ways to amplify diverse voices, or partnering with legal partners and nonprofits to help those underserved in our communities and underrepresented in the legal profession. Learn more about how MoFo is putting allyship in action and responding to racial injustice.
“What I really enjoy as a MoFo associate is working with the brightest minds on some of the most intellectually challenging and complex matters—and the level of trust and comradery that comes out of that. From day one as a summer associate to today as an attorney, I have seen my mentors and colleagues provide me with countless opportunities to learn something new, expose myself to different areas of the law, and take on more client-facing roles. The holistic legal perspective I gained as a result has been invaluable to my growth as an attorney.”
“At MoFo Tokyo—one of the largest offices in Tokyo among global law firms—my practice spans market defining, cross border mandates in technology, life sciences, media, and beyond. Soon I was trusted to lead substantive workstreams with approachable partners and teammates from around the world, sharpening judgment and cross cultural fluency on a truly global platform. Whether you’re a new graduate or a lateral, you’ll find the responsibility, mentorship, and scale to accelerate your career here.”
Teresa Pham
Litigation Associate
Evan Kim
Technology Transactions Associate
Click on each topic to learn more:
Summer Internship Program
Our Hong Kong Summer Internship Program is a great introduction to what a training contract at MoFo would offer you and the best way for you to demonstrate your potential to us. During your internship, you will be given real work for real clients. Formal and informal social events are arranged for you to meet others in the internship program as well as our partners, associates, and trainees. By the end of the scheme, you should have a good idea of whether the legal field is the career for you—and whether MoFo is the right place for you.
Trainee Program
From day one, you will be surprised by how much direct contact you have with clients. You will feel valued and involved. The hands-on learning we offer will help you understand the legal and commercial context of the advice we give. You will quickly experience the satisfaction of going the extra mile for our clients. The sheer variety of work you undertake in your training contract will help you decide where your future lies. During your two-year training contract, you will work closely with associates and partners who will encourage you to show initiative and take on responsibility. As a trainee, you will rotate through different practice areas in your two-year training program. Seat options include Private Equity/Mergers and Acquisition, Funds, Dispute Resolution, and Technology Transactions. Subject to business needs, you will also have an opportunity to go on a secondment at other MoFo offices.
In addition to on-the-job training, we offer formal training sessions and workshops that will give you the practical and legal knowledge that is necessary to become a fully qualified lawyer. You will be given help to evaluate your strengths and identify your developmental needs, both informally and through formal reviews with your supervisors. Plus there will be opportunities to become involved in our pro bono activities and community action initiatives. All trainees will have opportunities to work with partners. MoFo maintains an open-door policy that encourages interaction among all attorneys. The firm also holds social events and regular meetings to facilitate interactions among paralegals, trainees, associates, partners, and other staff.
What Can We Do For You?
Choosing a firm that is right for you is an important decision. We understand that the selection process may seem overwhelming. There is a lot to think about, from the city where you would like to build your career, to the type of work that you will find interesting, to the kind of firm that you see yourself in, to how to distinguish among highly respected firms that sound similar, and so on. We believe that direct participation and hands-on experience engaging in client matters provide the most rewarding opportunities. We present trainees with the tools they need to enhance their skills through our program, as well as continued guidance and mentoring. Our trainee program is of the utmost importance to us. We are eager to help talented students find their place in our firm and are committed to helping them succeed.
Once you accept a training contract with us, you become part of the firm, and your training and development start right away. As a “future joiner” you will receive the following: examination fees for the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) conversion exam for those who graduated overseas, course fees for the PCLL course, a stipend during your PCLL, and a joining salary that is highly competitive with the other premier firms in the market.
Sponsorship
What Do We Look For?
MoFo realized that delivering results for our clients requires the best legal talent. We have long thought that our greatest asset is the last person hired. We seek out not only the best and brightest in academic pursuits, but also those with motivation, a can-do attitude, creativity, an entrepreneurial spirit, drive, and confidence. We look for candidates with strong academic backgrounds, with a minimum 2:1 degree or at least a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or the equivalent from top universities. In addition, given that there is a lot of cross-border work in the office, we definitely seek out bilingual or trilingual students. The ability to read and write Chinese is preferred. Like most other firms in Hong Kong, we typically select trainees two years before they start work with us. So if you are studying law, you should apply in your penultimate year, preferably through our Summer Internship Program.
When Will the Summer Internship and Training Contract Begin?
Summer internships take place in June and July and last for four weeks. The training contract starts in September every year. Like most other firms in Hong Kong, we typically select trainees two years before they start work with us. So if you are studying law, you should apply in your penultimate year.
How To Apply?
Please submit an online application with a cover letter, résumé, and transcripts at https://careers.mofo.com/. Interviews are on a rolling basis.
Timeline
September 1, 2024 | Applications open January 31, 2025 | Summer intern applications close June/July 2025 | Summer internships begin 2027 Training Contracts | Applications close when all vacancies are filled
AMERICAS
From its deep roots in the Bay Area, MoFo has grown into a leading global law firm.
Our San Francisco and Palo Alto offices serve at the epicenter of the most recent technology revolution. Both offices offer full-service corporate, finance, IP, and litigation capabilities to clients at all stages of development, providing advice in transactions, regulatory programs, and contentious matters. In Los Angeles and San Diego, our lawyers advise a diverse group of private and public companies in Cleantech, electronics, entertainment and media, life sciences, medical technology, real estate, and venture and institutional investors, while lawyers in our Denver office focus on public and private financing, licensing, purchasing, and litigation. On the East Coast, our New York office, strategically located for many of our financial services, real estate, and corporate clients, is a global center for business, finance, and media. In D.C., we are home to some of the most powerful and influential players in both government and the private sector, providing regulatory, corporate, litigation, and IP counsel on behalf of financial institutions, investors, entrepreneurs, and Fortune 500 and technology companies. In Boston, we serve a growing and dynamic technology and life sciences market, representing emerging and established companies in global matters involving business, finance, IP, and litigation. In Austin, our lawyers provide companies, including emerging companies, and investors in the technology, life sciences, and healthcare sectors, access to MoFo’s full-service platform and global network, with a focus on IP litigation and transactional matters. Our Miami office serves its clients as a trusted local resource and a key gateway into the Americas and beyond, combining our local bench strength across corporate, real estate, finance, and litigation practices.
Asia
With four offices in Asia—Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo—we are one of the preeminent law firms in the region, providing integrated U.S. and local law advice.
Morrison Foerster has an exceptionally strong Asia platform and an expansive reach of 200 attorneys in four offices in key Asian business centers, including Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In March 1983, we entered the Asia market by opening the Hong Kong office, with the objective to expand our legendary client service and best-in-class legal services to Asia-based clients and multinational clients with business interests in the region. Today, Morrison Foerster is one of the largest and longest-standing international law firms in Asia. MoFo Asia continues to consistently deliver exceptional client service while making positive contributions to our communities. We now have over 50 lawyers in our Greater China offices, qualified to advise on the laws of a range of jurisdictions, including the U.S., Hong Kong, the PRC, India, and England & Wales. We have presence for more than 35 years in Japan and have the largest Tokyo presence of any international law firm: over 110 attorneys, including approximately 50 U.S. attorneys, 50 Japanese bengoshi, and six attorneys qualified in England & Wales. Our award-winning Singapore office features lawyers with significant experience advising clients on transactions, disputes, and investigations throughout South and Southeast Asia.
europe
Morrison Foerster’s long-established European presence dates back to 1980, when we opened our London office. We collaborate across borders, practice areas, and functions to win together.
From our London office, UK- and U.S.-qualified lawyers advise clients on all aspects of corporate, finance, securities, taxation, privacy, real estate, and employment law. The office’s multijurisdictional litigation, arbitration, and mediation practices allow us to resolve even the most complex disputes. Our Berlin office represents clients in M&A transactions, corporate and commercial litigation, antitrust and sector-specific regulation, and tax, labor and employment, and privacy matters, with a particular focus on the technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) sector, as well as on other industries such as transportation, real estate, private equity, and financial services. MoFo’s Brussels office is a key element of our globally integrated antitrust and competition practice and our privacy and data security practice. Our lawyers in Brussels regularly deal with antitrust agencies, both at the level of the European Union and at the Member State level.
China is a Key Market for MoFo
We counsel a wide variety of clients in China on their high-profile investments, finance, and regulatory matters, including many of the world’s largest multinationals and the most substantial and active institutional PRC companies, as well as promoting companies in the technology, life sciences, data center, financial institutions, AI, fintech, digital media, food + agriculture and semiconductor industries.
Our Future is Yours...
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"MoFo fosters a collaborative and inclusive culture that values a variety of perspectives. My mentors and colleagues often share their knowledge and expertise, and this open and supportive dynamic has been instrumental in bolstering my confidence and equipping me with skills to take on greater responsibilities."
"Not only is everyone incredibly supportive and ensures that I learn from each task, but they also make me feel like I'm part of a shared vision, rather than just another member of a project team."
