Duke Law in China: Kenji Kuroda '89
Founding Partner, Kuroda Law Offices: Tokyo and Shanghai
Kuroda practices internationally, with a specialty in patents and mergers and acquisitions. He has been active in China throughout his career, and in December 2004, Kuroda's first partner, Sumiko Kayano '01, opened Kuroda Law Office in Shanghai.
When I was a first-year associate at a Tokyo firm 19 years ago, I strongly felt that China would become one of the largest markets for Japan as well as the United States. Mr. Deng Xiaoping had changed his national policy and, judging from the size of the country, I thought that China would be the most successful country for the next generation.
I studied Chinese language and law independently. At Duke I arranged to have a Chinese roommate, and sought out the Chinese law students to work on my language skills. There were many fine students that came from mainland China . I shared a wonderful time with them and became even more confident in the future of that country because those students were excellent.
After working as an intern in the summer of 1989 at Johnson, Stokes & Master, the largest Hong Kong firm, I studied Chinese investment law at Fudan University for a year.
I was at Duke at the time of the Tiananmen massacre. We all understood how terrible it was, but I also felt that the situation would improve.
I started my firm 10 years ago with one secretary and one Chinese paralegal, and found a good market for my expertise in Chinese law. Many of my clients are Japanese corporations and financial institutions doing joint-ventures and mergers and acquisitions in China . Today we have more than 80 staff in Tokyo and Shanghai , including eight Chinese attorneys and eight Chinese paralegals. We have probably handled the highest volume of Chinese work among all Japanese law firms.
Practicing in China is not without risk. Chinese laws and regulations are always changing. For instance, foreign companies cannot operate as business entities. Those firms have to restrict themselves to very limited activities and areas, and are expected to practice the laws of their home countries. There is a risk, too, if China changes its policies towards openness. But I don't think that will happen–even changes in leadership take place seamlessly. The younger generations put more emphasis on the economy, as opposed to political struggles or other factors.