日本語で見る

Ayako SANO, Attorny-at-law

Ayako SANO had been in charge of economic research at Goldman Sachs Japan Co. Ltd. before becoming an attorney. Until now, she has outstanding achievements in court advocacy including winnings of “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%.

Ayako has recently served as an outside director or auditor of several listed companies not limited to Japan’s largest table service restaurant chain company as well as a public institution.

Practice Areas

Ayako has been representing mainly corporate clients in a wide range of cases. These include contract negotiations, corporate law practices, M&As, labour disputes, intellectual property, bankruptcies, 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)
  • an outside auditor of CLAS Inc. since 2024, which provides furniture subscription services for both corporate clients and individual clients
  • a part-time auditor of the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) since 2024, which is an incorporated administrative agency undertaking public policy studies
  • an outside auditor of Ain Holdings Inc. since 2024, which operates Japan’s leading dispensing pharmacy business as well as a cosmetic and drugstore business, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Prime Section) and the Sapporo Securities Exchange

 

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 and Lectures

  • “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
  • “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

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.