For further inquiry please contact:
Ying-hsiu Yeh
Business Development, Marketing & Communications
Director+81 3 6271 9404
ying-hsiu.yeh@bakermckenzie.com

Baker & McKenzie to support the recommendation for theGovernment of Japan to recognize equal marriage rights for LGBTcouples
Tokyo, Japan,15 February 2019 - Baker & McKenzie joined a joint press conference on February 14
at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on the right to Marriage Equality for LGBT couples, andon the recruitment and retention of LGBT talent in Japan.
Together with Japan In-House Lawyers Association (JILA), Women In Law Japan (WILJ), and Mori
Hamada Matsumoto, Baker & McKenzie discussed the recommendation for the Government of Japanto recognize equal marriage rights for LGBT couples, adding their voices to endorsements by theAustralian/New Zealand, British, Canadian, Danish and Irish Chambers of Commerce in Japan for theAmerican Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) Viewpoint on Marriage Equality and theRecruitment and Retention of LGBT Talent in Japan, published in September 2018.
"We see every day that our clients are moving very quickly in a direction where diversity & inclusion isan essential component of their culture and HR management. As advisors, we have to be at theforefront of this movement, and we need to be able to share experiences with our clients." says
Hiroshi Kondo, a partner of Corporate / M&A practice represented Baker & McKenzie to express oursupport.
Our co-founder Russell Baker believed that including lawyers from a variety of countries and cultures
was the only way for Baker McKenzie to become a truly global law firm. Our belief is that diversity andinclusion creates a positive workforce environment, but building a diverse workforce is also the smart
business thing to do. We know this approach breeds creativity, encourages a greater range of views
and helps us to respond better to the needs of our clients and the communities we work in. Therefore,
we are committed to creating and maintaining an open and supportive working environment., and weare investing significant resources to ensure that all our talents can express themselves safely andequally. This value needs to be shared by all companies running business on a global basis
Our policy on LGBT diversity is very simple and very clear: “we are not neutral” which means that in
the countries where this is possible we actively support issues around LGBT diversity of whichmarriage equality is a key component. I stand here today in front of you as a proud representative of

3008926-v3\TOKDMS

1

our firm, having obtained the unanimous consent of all my Tokyo partners to support the ACCJ
Viewpoint.
Baker McKenzie was one of the first global law firms to sign the UN Global Compact in June 2015.
As you may know, the UN Global Compact is composed of 10 principles on human rights, labor,environment and anti-corruption. We report annually and publicly on the progresses we make andactively support the UN initiatives. Further, in 2017, we joined the UN Women Empowerment
Initiatives and have launched several programs to ensure we reach gender equality among ourlawyers. We support the “He for She” campaign launched by the UN, which relies on transforming
men into allies, supportive of women in the workplace and actors of change. We have been actively
making progress in launching this initiative in our firm, and we look forward to sharing our progress inthe future.

About Baker McKenzie
Baker McKenzie helps clients overcome the challenges of competing in the global economy. We solve
complex legal problems across borders and practice areas. Our unique culture, developed over 65
years, enables our 13,000 people to understand local markets and navigate multiple jurisdictions,working together as trusted colleagues and friends to instil confidence in our clients.
(www.bakermckenzie.com)
Baker & McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise), a fully integrated law firm, is one of the leading lawfirms in Japan, and offers a full range of cross-border and Japanese legal services. As a member firmof Baker & McKenzie, the world's leading international law firm, we are able to draw upon a network toprovide high quality solution-oriented legal services through timely delivery.
www.bakermckenzie.co.jp/en/

Follow us on

Baker & McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) is a member firm of Baker & McKenzie International, a global law firm withmember law firms around the world. In Japan, the services of Baker & McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) and the othermember firms of Baker & McKenzie International are provided through Baker & McKenzie LPC. In accordance with the common
terminology used in professional service organizations, reference to a “partner” means a person who is a partner, or equivalent,in such a law firm. Similarly, reference to an “office” means an office of any such law firm.

3008926-v3\TOKDMS2