Attorney at Law Partner

北原潤一 Junichi Kitahara

Practice Areas

Languages

English
Japanese

Career
Practice Areas
Memberships
Publications
Seminars
Awards

Career

1986
Passed the Japanese Bar Examination

1987
LLB, Hitotsubashi University, Faculty of Law Entered the Legal Training and Research Institute (41st graduating class)

1989
Admitted to the bar (Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association) Joined Ginza Law Office (current Abe, Ikubo & Katayama)

1992-1994
Studied and practiced in the United States of America LLM, New York University School of Law Worked at Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam and Roberts (New York)

1994
Admitted to the New York Bar Returned to Japan and resumed practice at Abe, Ikubo & Katayama

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Memberships

Practice Areas

Junichi Kitahara specializes in litigation related to domestic and international commercial disputes, mainly in the area of intellectual property. In intellectual property litigation, Mr. Kitahara has represented various clients in many types of disputes, especially those involving patents. He has served a main role in court in numerous cases, many of which have resulted in successful enforcement of clients’ patents or dismissal of competitors’ patent claims. His cases have involved a vast array of technologies and products, including pharmaceuticals, chemical products, medical devices, semiconductors and electronics, and computer software. In addition to his expertise in litigation, Mr. Kitahara is also specialized in bankruptcy and reorganization. He has extensive experience in acting as bankruptcy trustee officially appointed by the bankruptcy court and representing debtors in complex corporate reorganization cases.

Awards

IAM Global Leader – IAM Global Leaders (2022-2024)
Gold – Individuals: litigation (Japan: Domestic) – IAM Patent 1000 (2019-2025)
Litigation, Intellectual Property Law, Insolvency and Reorganization Law – The Best Lawyers in Japan (2019-2025)
Intellectual Property: Domestic – Chambers Global (2019-2023)
Intellectual Property: Domestic – Chambers Asia-Pacific (2020-2025)
Notable Practitioner, Intellecual Property – Asialaw (2021-2023)
Litigation Star – Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific & China (2022-2024)
Leading partners: Bengoshi: Intellectual Property – Legal 500 (2024-2025)
Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year in Japan 2025 – Corporate INTL Global Awards (2025)
Recommended, Intellectual Property, Healthcare & Lifesciences – Patent Litigation – Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) Japan (2025)

Government-Related Committees and Education

Member of the “Review and Study Committee for Rights and Obligations of Applicants in Patent Applications”, Institute of Intellectual Property (2000-2001)
Instructor in “Workshop for Patent Attorneys for Ensuring Skills in the Practice of Counsel for Specific Infringement Lawsuits”, Japan Patent Attorneys Association (2003-2009)
Member of Interim Committee of Industrial Property Council (Examiner of the Examination for the Practice of Counsel for Specific Infringement Lawsuits) (2003-2004)
Member of Interim Committee of Industrial Property Council (Examiner of the Patent Attorneys Examination) (2005 -2006)
Lecturer at Waseda University (Basic of Intellectual Property at the Open Education Center) (2004-2013)
Lecturer at Hitotsubashi University (IP Law) (2012-2017)

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