The city skyline in Dallas, Texas.
Japanese law firm Mori Hamada & Matsumoto will expand its footprint in the United States with offices in Dallas and Houston.
Both offices, located in the state of Texas, are expected to commence operations in the first half of 2027.
The firm said growing activity in Texas, together with the presence of Japanese businesses in the state, had generated stronger demand for legal support and influenced its decision to open offices there.
“Texas is one of the largest and fastest-growing states in the US, with continued population inflows and corporate expansion. The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area has developed into a major centre for finance, manufacturing, logistics and corporate functions, while Houston is one of the world’s leading hubs for the energy industry,” the firm told Asia Business Law Journal.
“Texas is also home to a large number of Japanese companies, and investment by Japanese businesses continues to grow. Against this backdrop, demand for legal services in Texas and the surrounding region has been increasing, prompting our decision.”
The new offices will focus on a variety of areas, including M&A and energy-related matters.
“Our Dallas and Houston offices will support M&A, projects, and other investment and business activities, as well as energy-related matters, undertaken by Japanese and Asian companies in Texas and elsewhere in the southern United States,” the firm said.
“We will also support the business activities of companies in Texas and the southern US in Japan and Asia, leveraging our network of local law firms and our offices across the region, including London, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Yangon, Jakarta, and Manila.”
Mori Hamada did not disclose who would head the offices or how many lawyers would initially be based in each location.
The firm currently has two other US offices in New York and the San Francisco Bay Area, which opened in September 2023 and May 2025, respectively.
AloJapan.com