Winston represented more than a half-dozen Japanese automobile part manufacturers in government investigations and a sprawling series of MDLs alleging price-fixing, market-allocation, and bid-rigging. These investigations constituted the largest criminal antitrust investigation—and one of the largest criminal investigations of any kind—in U.S. history. We successfully defeated certification of a proposed class of bearings purchasers in a US$3.8B civil litigation. This was the first court decision on class certification in this long-running litigation and an important victory for our clients.

Winston assisted Capdesia Group on its joint venture with Toridoll to develop a chain of Marugame Udon restaurants across Europe. Toridoll is a leading food service company from Japan, with annual system revenues of £1.2B from a portfolio of 1,700 restaurants across 40 countries, including more than 800 Marugame Udon restaurants in Japan and a further 250 across Asia, the United States, and Russia. An ambitious roll-out plan of additional restaurants is planned.

Winston’s International Trade attorneys are advising a multinational tire manufacturer based in Milan, Italy with operations in Russia, on U.S. and EU sanctions. We also prepared a compliance memorandum about the sanctions-related risks concerning a possible investment deal with a Russian company. Additionally, we have explored U.S., EU, UK, and Swiss import and export rules, and Russian countermeasures. We are working closely with outside counsel in Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand for imports guidance.

Winston assisted a Japanese aluminum products company in preparing a new antitrust compliance policy tailored to the risks posed by the activities of its U.S. subsidiaries—specifically, to help the client navigate the unique issues posed by U.S. civil and criminal antitrust laws. We further assisted the client with reviewing and improving the antitrust compliance policy of its U.S. joint venture.

Advising Rapidus, the major initiative of the Japanese government and leading Japanese businesses to launch Japan into the forefront of semiconductor manufacturing, with respect to all corporate, regulatory, and antitrust matters in the U.S. as well as on EU legal and regulatory matters.

Winston obtained dismissal of a product liability action against Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (Otsuka), manufacturers of the blockbuster drug, Abilify®. The case alleged that Abilify Maintena—an injectable form of the drug—caused the plaintiff to engage in compulsive gambling and other compulsive behaviors. The court agreed that the Abilify Maintena label was legally adequate and therefore plaintiff could not assert a failure to warn claim. In addition, the court agreed that service on OPC was improper and that the court lacked personal jurisdiction over it. 

A partner now with Winston represented Relo Group, Inc. in its ¥23B (approx. US$210M) acquisition of Brookfield Global Relocation Services, Brookfield’s global executive relocation business, from Brookfield Business Partners L.P. (NYSE: BBU). 

A partner now with Winston represented Sapporo Holdings Ltd. in its US$85M acquisition of Anchor Brewing, a craft brewery based in San Francisco, from its owners.