Isshiki boosts IP with ex-Novartis Japan GC’s partner hire

Hiromi Furushima

Tokyo-based Isshiki & Partners has bolstered its intellectual property practice, hiring Swiss global pharmaceutical giant Novartis’ Japan subsidiary’s former general counsel and head of IP, Hiromi Furushima, as a partner.

Taro Isshiki, a US-qualified co-managing partner of Isshiki & Partners, said his firm had a strong focus on cross-border matters, particularly in IP, litigation and corporate law.

With Furushima’s addition, Isshiki added that the firm was not only strengthening its IP and corporate capabilities, but also expanding its ability to advise international clients, particularly those in the life sciences and healthcare sectors, as they grew and operated in Japan.

“At Isshiki & Partners, Hiromi will draw on this extensive experience to support clients in a broad array of matters, with a focus on advising pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies,” said Isshiki, who was a former partner at the Tokyo office of Morrison & Foerster.

Admitted to the Japan Bar and the California State Bar, Furushima began her legal career as an associate at Koga & Partners in 1997. She went on to practise as an associate at Nishimura & Partners (now Nishimura & Asahi) and later as an of counsel at Morrison & Foerster in Tokyo.

After being in private practice for more than 13 years, she transitioned to an in-house role in 2011 when she joined Switzerland-based global pharmaceutical company Novartis’ Japan subsidiary, Novartis Japan, as a senior legal counsel. She went on to serve as head of the legal and compliance office at Sandoz, a former division of Novartis, for three years. Between 2015 and 2022, Furushima served as a corporate officer, general counsel and head of legal of IP at Novartis Japan.

Before her recent return to private practice, she had worked as director of international legal at the Japanese subsidiary of US-based biopharmaceutical company, Alnylam Japan, in Tokyo.

Furushima’s experience spans a wide range of areas, including the development and implementation of IP strategies, management of complex IP litigation and the handling of pharmaceutical regulatory violations, including criminal matters.