JAPAN LAW AWARDS 2017

RESEARCH
METHODOLOGYSUMMARY

PART I: IMPORTANT DATES
1 MARCH 2017

Opening of nominations

7 APRIL 2017

Deadline for nominations(Please send nomination forms to yvonne.lau@thomsonreuters.com)

APRIL 2017

Announcement of finalists

7 JUNE 2017

Awards ceremony in Tokyo, Japan

AWARDS INQUIRIESContact Yvonne Lau at yvonne.lau@thomsonreuters.com or call (+852) 2843 6547.
SPONSORSHIP INQUIRIESContact Amantha Chia at amantha.chia@thomsonreuters.com or call (+65) 6870 3917.
PART II: GENERAL GUIDELINES
a. All nominations must be written in the ALB nomination form provided, and ALB will not accept entries in any otherformat.
b. ALB accepts self-nominations in addition to third-party nominations.
c. Every work entry submitted in the nomination forms must be completed within the timeframe of 1 January 2016 and 31
December 2016.
d. For queries regarding eligibility, confidentiality and the nomination and assessment processes, please visit our FAQ
Page.
PART III: DEFINITION OF TERMS
The work highlights provided in the nomination forms will be judged based on the following criteria:
Breadth - the degree to which the work spanned different jurisdictions, practice areas, parties and industries;
Complexity - the degree to which the work requires intricate legal principles or advanced techniques and structures;
Impact or significance - the degree to which clients and other stakeholders, the bench and bar or the Japan legal/business community at large is affected;
Improvement - the degree to which the work involved improved techniques and structures;
Innovation - the degree to which the work involved the application of a new concept or creative solution, process, service,program or the like to existing systems and processes, thus adding more value to output;
Japan element - any or all of the following: (a) one of the law firms involved must be based in Japan; (b) one of the parties
to the deal must be based in Japan; (c) the contract/deal was executed/completed in Japan; or (d) the contract/deal must,in any way, be related to Japan;
Third-party award or recognition - that which is given by any award-giving organisation, public or private, other than ALB;Work - any transactions, cases or matters handled, and other legal services provided within the organisation or otherwise.
PART IV: AWARD CATEGORIES
A. DEAL CATEGORIES
1231Debt Market Deal of the Year
Equity Market Deal of the Year
M&A Deal of the Year (Midsize)

ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS JAPAN LAW AWARDS 2017 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY SUMMARY

45678M&A Deal of the Year (Premium)
Projects, Energy and Infrastructure Deal of the Year
Real Estate Deal of the Year
Technology, Media and Telecommunications Deal of the Year
Japan Deal of the Year*

Specific Guidelines
a. Japan Element: Every entry submitted in the deal categories must have a Japan element as defined in Part III.
b. Date of Deal Completion: Each deal submitted must be completed within the stipulated timeframe (1 January 2016 to31 December 2016). If the deal was submitted in 2016, it is not eligible for re-submission in the ALB Japan Law Awards
2017.
c. Number of Deals: Every organization may submit up to a total of three (3) deals for all of the deal categories, except
Japan Deal of the Year.
d. Debt Market Deal of the Year: Each deal submitted must have a minimum financial value (MFV) of USD 1 billion.
e. M&A Deal of the Year (Midsize/Premium): For the premium category, each deal must have a MFV of USD 1 billion;
for the midsize category, each deal must have a MFV of USD 500 million but must not exceed USD 1 billion.
f. Equity Market Deal of the Year; Projects, Energy and Infrastructure Deal of the Year; Real Estate Deal of the Yearand TMT Deal of the Year: Each deal submitted for these categories must have a MFV of USD 750 million.
g. Japan Deal of the Year: The winners from the other deal categories will automatically become finalists for Deal of theYear. Therefore, this category is not open for nomination.
Criteria
The evaluation of deals will be based on the following factors: breadth; complexity; impact/significance; improvement/innovation; third-party awards/recognition.
B. FIRM CATEGORIES
123456
78
910
1112
13
1415
16

Banking and Financial Services Law Firm of the Year
China Practice of the Year
Deal Firm of the Year (Japan)
Deal Firm of the Year (International)
Employment Law Firm of the Year
Insolvency Law Firm of the YearIntellectual Property Law Firm of the Year (Japan)
Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year (International)International Arbitration Law Firm of the Year
Litigation Law Firm of the Year
Projects, Energy and Infrastructure Law Firm of the Year
Regulatory and Compliance Law Firm of the YearSE Asia Practice of the Year
Shipping Law Firm of the YearTax and Trusts Law Firm of the Year
Japan Law Firm of the Year*

Specific Guidelines
a. Physical office: All law firms based in Japan (have a physical office located in Japan) are qualified to nominate for thefirm categories, except as may be provided as below.
b. Minimum Financial Value (MFV): No MFV is required for deals or works submitted for the firm categories, except as
may be provided below.
c. Deal Firm of the Year (Japan/International): Japanese law firms headquartered in Japan are qualified to submit for
Deal Firm of the Year (Japan); law firms headquartered outside of Japan are qualified to submit for Deal Firm of theYear (International). Each deal submitted for these categories must have a “Japan element” as defined above. Only law
firms that have completed at least ten (10) cross-border deals may join the nomination for these categories.
d. Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year (Japan/International): Japanese law firms headquartered in Japan arequalified to submit for Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year (Japan); law firms headquartered outside of Japanare qualified to submit for Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year (International). Each deal submitted for thesecategories must have a “Japan element” as defined above.

2ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS JAPAN LAW AWARDS 2017 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY SUMMARY

e. China Practice of the Year and SE Asia Practice of the Year: Only domestic law firms headquartered in Japan may
join the nomination for these categories.
f. Japan Law Firm of the Year: The winners from the other firm categories will automatically become finalists for Japan
Law Firm of the Year. Therefore, this category is not open for nomination.
Criteria
The evaluation of deals will be based on the following factors: breadth; complexity; impact/significance; improvement/innovation; third-party awards/recognition (when applicable); no. of completed transactions (when applicable); andvolume of completed transactions in USD (when applicable).
C. IN-HOUSE CATEGORIES
123
4

Banking and Financial Services In-House Team of the Year
Innovative In-House Team of the Year
Technology, Media and Telecommunications In-House Team of the Year
Japan In-House Team of the Year

Specific Guidelines
a. Physical office: All in-house teams with a physical office in Japan are qualified to join the nominations for the in-house
categories.
b. Banking and Financial Services In-House Team of the Year: Investment banks, commercial banks, insurancecompanies, accounting firms, stock brokerages and other entities in the finance industry may join the nominations forthis category.
c. Innovative In-House Team of the Year: Open to in-house teams that have applied a new concept or creative solution,process, service, program or the like to existing systems and processes; thus adding more value to output andimproving organizational capabilities.
d. Japan In-House Team of the Year: In-house teams from all industries are qualified to submit for this category.
Criteria
The evaluation of deals will be based on the following factors: breadth; complexity; impact/significance; improvement/innovation; third-party awards/recognition (when applicable); no. of completed transactions (when applicable); andvolume of completed transactions in USD (when applicable).
D. INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES1234Dealmaker of the Year
Japan In-House Lawyer of the Year
Managing Partner of the Year
Woman Lawyer of the Year

Specific Guidelines
a. Number of nominees: An organization may nominate only one of its lawyers per each individual category, but thelawyer can be nominated for more than one individual category. An organization can also choose to nominate lawyers
from other organizations.
b. Woman Lawyer of the Year: Open to all female lawyers whether from private practice law firms or in-house counsel
from corporations.
Criteria
The evaluation of deals will be based on the following factors: breadth; complexity; impact/significance; improvement/innovation; third-party awards/recognition (when applicable); no. of completed transactions (when applicable); andvolume of completed transactions in USD (when applicable).

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS

3SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS JAPAN LAW AWARDS 2017 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY SUMMARYALB SUPPORTS

PROUDLY PRESENTED BY