Trademark and Design Department: SOEI Patent & Law Firm

[Vice President, Director of the Trademark and Designs Department, Director of the International Client Services Group]

Mr. Kurokawa received his B.S. (1992) and M.S. (1994) in Mathematical Engineering and Information Physics from the University of Tokyo. Following his graduation, he worked for NKK (now JFE), a Japanese steel corporation, as an engineer in the fields of measurement and control equipment.
Since joining to SOEI in 1997 and qualifying as a patent attorney in 1999, he handles not only patent prosecutions, oppositions and expert opinions especially in the fields of mobile communications, computer architecture and software, but also consults with inventors and clients and counsels them on procuring and enforcing worldwide intellectual property rights.
He is a member of JPAA, INTA and APAA. He was a member of the JPAA’ s International Activities Center for many years, and he sometimes served as a delegate to international intellectual property conferences and meetings. From 2003 to 2007, he was an adjunct professor at Toyama University where taught patent law.
He enjoys wine and scuba diving (but not together).

[Senior Adviser]

Mr. Sato earned a Law degree from Rikkyo University in 1979 and qualified as a patent attorney in 1987. He worked for the Hanabusa Institute for the Protection of Industrial Property (the Hanabusa Patent Office) (1979 - 1994) and in individual practice prior to joining Soei.
A member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA), he served as the chairman of the Design Registration Committee in 1995 and is currently a member of the Trademark Committee. He is also a member of the Copyright Law
Association of Japan and the Japan Association for Industrial Property Law.

[Senior Adviser]

Mr. Kudo received his B.A. in Law from Chuo University in 1969.
He worked for Japanese Patent Office (JPO) over thirty years (1964 - 2000).
He has held numerous important positions at JPO, including Director of the Trademark Division,
Director of Trademark Policy Planning Office, Chief Appeal Examiner,
and Director of the completing the Japan Trademark Examination Standard Office.
He joined SOEI in 2000.

[Director General]

Ms Mitsuno received her B.A. in Law from Nihon University in 1984. After two years with the Kyowa Patent & Law Office, she joined SOEI when the firm was founded in 1986.
She registered as a patent attorney after passing the Patent Attorneys Examination in 1997.
She is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).

[Senior Patent Attorney]

Mr. Hamada graduated from Chuo University in 1979 and received his master's degree there in 1982. After earning his master's degree, he worked for Legal Institute in Chuo University for five years.
He qualified as a patent attorney in 1992. He became quite experienced in Trademark matters while he was working for another patent firm in Tokyo.
He is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA) and Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APPA).
He joined SOEI in 2001.

Mr. Kogure received his B.S. in political science from Keio University in 1997. He joined Soei in 2003　and passed the Patent Attorneys Examination in 2005. He worked for the well-established department store for six years.
He is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).

Ms. Morikawa graduated from Showa Women's University in 1991. She qualified
as a patent attorney in 2001. After five years with Asamura Patent Office,
she joined SOEI in 2007. She specializes in Trademarks.
She is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).

[Specializes in Trademarks and Service Marks]

Ms. Kawashima graduated from Chuo University in 2001, where she studied Law, and she qualified as a Patent Attorney in 2004. She joined SOEI in 2005 and specializes in Trademarks.
She is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).

Mr. Noma graduated from Waseda University in 2003, where he studied Law, and he qualified as a patent attorney in 2004.
He joined SOEI in 2005 and specializes in Trademarks and Designs.
He is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).

Mr. YOSHIDA graduated from Meiji University in 1994.
After graduation, he worked for a insurance company. In 2006, he qualified as a patent attorney. He joined SOEI in 2007 and specializes in Trademarks.
He is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).

Mr. Masaou Uoji graduated from Waseda University in 2002 and qualified as a patent attorney in 2006. After two years with RYUKA IP LAW FIRM,joined SOEI in 2007 specializing in Trademarks.
He is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).

Ms. Kato received her B.A. in Law from Hitotsubashi University in 1999.
After graduation, she worked for the Hokuto Patent Office in Osaka from 2001 to 2005. She qualified as a patent attorney in 2006, and joined SOEI in February 2007.
She specializes in Trademarks.
She is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).

Mr. Tsukahara graduated from Waseda University in 1997, where he studied Law, and he qualified as a patent attorney in 2007.
He joined SOEI in 2008 and specializes in Trademarks and Designs.
He is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).

Ms. Mizutani graduated from Keio University in 2002. After graduation, she worked for a Japenase IT company for several years and joined SOEI in 2006.
She qualified as a patent attorney and joined the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA) in 2010.　

Mr. Inoue received B.S. in Environmental Information from Keio University in 1998. After graduation, he worked for a logistics corporation and a patent firm in Tokyo. He qualified as a Patent Attorney in 2009 and joined SOEI in 2011, where he specializes in Trademarks. He is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).　

Ms. Kitabata earned her B.A. in Liberal Arts from International Christian University in 2004.  After graduation, she worked for an IT consulting company until she joined the Trademark Department at Soei in 2007. She qualified as a Patent Attorney and joined the Japanese Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA) in 2011.  In her spare time, she enjoys fitness and going to art galleries.

Mr. Takeuchi received his B.S. (2001) and M.Litt. (2003) in Modern History from Kyoto University.  After graduation, he worked in a Welfare Department at the Kyoto City Hall.  Then, he worked for a patent law firm in Tokyo as a translator for two years.  He qualified as a Patent Attorney in 2011 and joined SOEI, where he specializes in Trademarks.

[Adviser]

Mr. Saito graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He has been Of Counsel at SOEI since 2006.
He held many senior positions in the Japan Patent Office including Appeal Examiner, Director of Design Division and Director of the Board of Appeal. He was a member of the Unfair Competition Prevention Law Committee of Industrial Structure Council, and a Design member of Industrial Property Council. He was also involved in drafting amendments to the Unfair Competition Prevention Law and the Design Law. He is the author of one of the most famous books on Japanese Design Law, “General Observations on Design Law.” He is now unregistered as a patent attorney as of December, 2009,
but still works as an adviser making use of his abundant experience.

 

Mr. Takahashi graduated from Doshisha University in 1997. After graduation, he worked for a design firm, control and automation equipment manufacturer and patent firm in Osaka. He qualified as a Patent Attorney in 2009 and joined SOEI in 2011. He is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).