Kenichiro Kawasaki

Representative Partner, Tokyo Bar Association

Mr. Kawasaki is the representative partner and co-founder of our firm. Under his leadership and vision, Waseda Legal Commons has grown into a force of its own, with more than thirty legal professionals and strong reputations in many areas of legal practice such as civil litigation, criminal defense, corporate, labor and employment, bankruptcy, personal data and privacy, and AI/NFT/crypto laws, in less than ten years of establishment.

As a practitioner, Mr. Kawasaki has many corporate clients in a wide range of industries as well as clients of other legal entities such as educational institutions and non-governmental organizations. He is especially adept at helping start-ups and ventures, and provides them with practical advice on many legal issues confronted at the early stages of business development.

One of Mr. Kawasaki’s specialties is the laws on AI/NFT/crypt technologies. Concurrently with his responsibilities with Waseda Legal Commons, he runs a consulting firm specialized in developing new applications of AI and blockchain technologies. Based upon such management experience of a technological venture and the personal network sprawling in the nascent NFT/metaverse/crypto ecosystem in the country, in combination with his experience advising Web 3.0/Metaverse start-ups as a lawyer, Mr. Kawasaki is regarded as one of the authorities in the field of law.

Recognized for his expertise in digital transformation, he is frequently consulted by regional governments for advice on business processing reengineering and the streamlining of administrative processes. Currently, he serves as a special counselor to Chief Information Officer of Setagaya Ward, a borough of metropolitan Tokyo.

Before admitted to the bar in 2008, Mr. Kawasaki worked as a consultant at Accenture (then Andersen Consulting). Because of his extensive experience in business and consulting, his advice to his corporate clients often goes far beyond mere legal issues, addressing the most serious concerns of CEOs and business owners.

Mr. Kawasaki holds a strong belief in Liberty, Innovation and Contribution, the credo of our firm. He aspires to “revitalize the commons” through community building in the society, and serves on the board of many public interest groups and non-profit organizations.

Education and Professional Background

1999 : Graduated from Waseda University Faculty of Law
1999 : Joined Andersen Consulting (now Accenture Japan Ltd.)
2004 : Left Andersen Consulting (currently Accenture Japan Ltd)
2007 : Graduated from Waseda Law School
2008 : Registered as attorney at law in Japan
2013 : After a stint at Tokyo Surugadai Law Offices, participated as one of the founding partners of Waseda Legal Commons, LPC

Main Industries of Clients

Import wholesalers, retailers, real estate leasing, beauty, cosmetics, information services, software development, blockchain system development, drone manufacturing, mutual aid, food, agriculture, management consulting, medical corporations, welfare-related, yoga studios, antique dealers, advertising, marketing, publishing, online shopping, TV shopping, accounting firms, start-up support companies, local governments, urban development companies, school corporations, cooperatives, general incorporated associations, foundations and NPOs, etc.

Practice Areas

Backed by his experience at a consulting firm, he provides general management counseling to small- and medium-sized businesses, especially to managers of family-owned businesses (from day-to-day management counseling such as contracts, business plans, personnel and labor issues, and credit management, to handling misconduct and business succession).

Membership and Official Positions

Counselor, Setagaya Ward (Administrative Management, Assistant CIO)
Visiting Researcher, Institute of Clinical Law Education, Waseda University
Director, NPO Sanyukai
Auditor, NPO Japan NPO Center
Auditor, Tsukuroi Tokyo Fund (General Incorporated Association)
Auditor, Suicide Prevention Promotion Center for Supporting Life
Member of Peace Committee, Japan PEN Club
Standing Director, Tohmon Bar Association

Publications

White Paper on Nuclear Power Plant Evacuation” (Author, Jinbun Shoin, 2015)
Understanding Politics from a High School Student: How Politics Works and the Work of Legislators” (co-author, Transview, 2013)
The Right to Evacuate, Each Choice” (co-editor, Iwanami Shoten, 2012)
The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11: Rebuilding Livelihoods and the Work of Lawyers” (co-editor, Nihon Hyoronsha, 2012) (in Japanese)
The State and Information” (co-editor, Gendai Shokan, 2011)
Blockchain and Personal Information Protection (First) (Second)” (co-authored, NBL, 2019)
The Crossroads of the Legal Training System” (Author, Law Times, 2020)
Lawyer CASE FILE 1″ (editor and author, Asayokai, 2021)
The Complete Guide to the Lawyers in Japan. Electronic Seals 2021 Edition” (co-author, Hakushuusha, 2021)
NFT 1.0→2.0″ (joint authorship, Sogoho Shuppan, 2022)
Recommendations for Lawyers” (co-author, Civil Law Institute, 2022)
etc.

He is also a coauthor of “Recommendations for Lawyers” (Civil Law Institute, 2022) and other publications.

Languages

Japanese

Waseda Legal Commons, LPC

(Member of Tokyo Bar Association)

Kenichiro Kawasaki, Representative Partner

Chiyoda Kaikan 4F, 1-6-17 Kudan-Minami, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0074, Japan

Tel: +81-3-6261-2880 (Main)

Office hours: Weekdays/Business days 9:30-20:00

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