あや総合法律事務所は、東京都港区を拠点にお客様にとっての最善を、お客様とともに探求する法律事務所です。

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lawyer 弁護士紹介

佐野 綾子Ayako Sano

米系証券会社で経済調査に従事した後、弁護士に転身しました。前職の経験を活かし、法人・個人双方のお客様に幅広い分野でリーガルサービスを提供しています。これまで複数の上場企業で社外役員を務めています。また、弁護人として複数の事件で無罪判決を獲得した実績もあります。

経歴

1999年
ストックホルム・スクール・オブ・エコノミクス留学
2001年
一橋大学経済学部卒業
2001年
ゴールドマン・サックス証券会社入社(現ゴールドマン・サックス証券株式会社)
2007年
一橋大学法科大学院修了
2008年
弁護士登録
2018年
あや総合法律事務所 開設

主な活動

2016年-2022年
一橋大学大学院法学研究科ゲスト講師
2018年-2022年
東京地方裁判所民事調停官
2019年-
株式会社すかいらーくホールディングス社外取締役(現任)
2021年-2023年
株式会社メタップス(現株式会社メタップスホールディングス)社外取締役(監査等委員)、MBO・非公開化提案検討のための特別委員会委員長(2023年)
2024年-
株式会社ソディック社外取締役(現任)

主要業績

・業務上横領事件 : 無罪
・所得税法違反事件(クレディ・スイス集団申告漏れ事件第一審) : 無罪
・強要未遂・強制わいせつ事件 : 無罪

講演等

一橋大学法学部講演会「異分野からの参入」(2016年)
一橋大学創立140周年記念講演会「グローバル化のなかの法律実務と法曹養成」パネリスト(2017年)
・バレエ安全指導者資格ティーチャーズコース「指導者のための法律入門」(2022年-)

主要著作

・「帳簿の精査で発見した検察官主張の矛盾」、季刊刑事弁護71号・80頁(現代人文社、季刊刑事弁護編集部・編)
・「わいせつ行為の強制性を否定し控訴審で逆転無罪となった事例」(共著)、季刊刑事弁護83号・70頁(現代人文社、季刊刑事弁護編集部・編)
・「お金にまつわる法律問題」(日本評論社、法学セミナー2018年8月号特集1「みんなの法律入門―弁護士と対話で学ぼう」)

資格・登録

・第二東京弁護士会所属(2008年弁護士登録)
・税理士法51条1項に基づく税理士業務(2013年開始通知)

所属団体・公益活動

・第二東京弁護士会綱紀委員会
・第二東京弁護士会税法研究会
・第二東京弁護士会倒産法研究会

Ayako Sano had been in charge of economic research at Goldman Sachs Japan Co. Ltd. before becoming an attorney. Since starting practicing law, Ayako has been engaged in a wide range of cases on behalf of both individual and corporate clients, and has served as an outside director of listed companies. She also acted as a civil conciliator for the Tokyo District Court. Until now, she has won “not-guilty” verdicts as defence counsel in multiple criminal cases. These are unique achievements in Japan where the guilty rate of criminal cases is more than 99%.

Practice Areas

Ayako has been representing both corporate and individual clients in a wide range of cases. These include contract negotiations, corporate law practices, labor disputes, intellectual property, bankruptcy, wills and inheritance, divorce, traffic accidents, real estate disputes, and medical malpractice among other matters.

She served as a civil conciliator in civil law disputes such as construction, commercial contracts, real estate, etc. at the Tokyo District Court from 2018 to 2022.

Ayako also defends clients in criminal cases (especially commercial and financial cases in which clients plead not guilty; please refer to “Cases Won”). In 2013, she became qualified to offer tax accountancy services under the Certified Public Tax Accountants Act and defends clients in tax audit cases.

Cases Won

Ayako has to date won “not-guilty” verdicts as defence counsel in three cases:
・In a corporate embezzlement case in March 2011
・In a tax evasion case in March 2013
・In an attempted coercion and indecent assault case in November 2014

Career and Professional Experience other than Legal Practice

Ayako was engaged in economic research at Goldman Sachs Japan Co., Ltd. before becoming an attorney.

Since starting practicing law, Ayako has been serving as an outside director or auditor at several companies as well as a public institution such as:
・an outside director of Skylark Holdings Co., Ltd. since 2019, which is Japan’s largest table service restaurant chain with over 3,000 restaurants, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Prime Section)
・an outside director (audit & supervisory committee member) of Metaps Inc. from 2021 to 2023, which was a technology company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Growth Section). Metaps Inc. went private following an MBO in 2023 and abolished its audit & supervisory committee in the same year
・an outside director of Sodick Co., Ltd. since 2024, which is Japan’s pioneer manufacturer in numerically controlled electric discharge machines, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Prime Section)

In addition, Ayako has engaged in activities with bar association committees and with education such as:
・a standing committee member of the Daini Tokyo Bar Association in FY2012
・a guest lecturer at Hitotsubashi University School of Law from 2016 to 2022
・a disciplinary enforcement committee member of the Daini Tokyo Bar Association since 2021

Publications (in Japanese)

・“Inconsistencies in the Prosecution’s Case Revealed by Careful Examination of the Books” Quarterly Keiji-Bengo, No. 71, p. 80, July 2012
・“A Case of Acquittal on Appeal Denying the Coerciveness of an Indecent Act” Quarterly Keiji-Bengo, No. 83, p. 70, July 2015
・“Money-related Legal Issues” HOUGAKU Seminar, No. 763, p. 33, August 2018

Lectures and Presentations

・“Making the Crossover from Another Industry” Lecture at Hitotsubashi University, June 2016
・“Legal Practice and Nurturing Legal Professionals in the Course of Globalization” Panel Discussion marking the 140th anniversary of Hitotsubashi University’s foundation, October 2017
・“Introduction to Law for Ballet Instructors” Lecture for Professional Ballet Instructors’ Certification Course by Safe Dance Association, April 2022

Bar Admission

Admitted in Japan, 2008
The Daini Tokyo Bar Association

Memberships

・Tax Law Study Group, the Daini Tokyo Bar Association
・Bankruptcy Act Study Group, the Daini Tokyo Bar Association

Education Experience

Ayako has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo and a Juris Doctor degree from the same university’s School of Law. As an undergraduate, she also studied in an exchange program at the Stockholm School of Economics.