Diversity & Inclusion Policy

In order to fulfill law firm's social responsibility to provide the best quality service to its clients, the Anderson Mōri & Tomotsune Foreign Law Joint Enterprise (AMT) must create an environment in which people from diverse backgrounds can fully demonstrate their individual talents and skills.

The true strength of a Firm lies in its ability to enable its members to discover their own path to flourishing as individuals, regardless of their gender, nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, special needs, culture, beliefs, or lifestyle. AMT actively promotes diversity and inclusion throughout the Firm in order to create an organization in which employees with these different backgrounds are led naturally to accept one another and to value one another’s unique differences, such that each member is able to demonstrate his or her abilities in a safe working environment.

Specific Initiatives at AMT

Last updated october 2023

Promoting Diversity-Responsive Recruiting

AMT promotes the recruitment of diverse human resources by mutually respecting the values and sensitivities of each individual, regardless of their gender, nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or special needs.

Promotion of Women in our Workplace

At AMT, where approximately 60% of employees are women, the following measures have been taken to promote the advancement of women:

• For our lawyers, we have invested in measures that facilitate flexible working styles and support long-term career goals through the Fixed Time work system, the establishment of a Firm-contracted nursery, and the setting up of a framework to subsidize the expenses of sitters.
• For our staff, the Firm has formulated and announced an action plan grounded in the Act regarding the Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace, and is working to achieve medium- to long-term goals based on the plan.

Creating a pleasant workplace for our lawyers and staff in 13 countries

AMT was reorganized as a Foreign Law Joint Enterprise in January 2021 to strengthen its ability to respond to the demands of cross-border transactions through a truly equal partnership among lawyers from different countries. Operating within this new framework, AMT currently has lawyers and staff from more than 13 different countries working together in different languages and cultures. For this reason, we have taken measures such as adopting a policy of using both Japanese and English for notifications and communications within the Firm.

Promoting an awareness of LGBT identities in the workplace

AMT promotes an environment where LGBT employees can demonstrate their individuality and be respected. To date, we have implemented the following specific measures:

• LGBT identity awareness training for our partners
• Review of the gender categories found in the workplace rules and other internal rules (e.g., by clearly indicating in the rules that the definition of "spouse" includes the partner from a same-sex marriage).

Improvement of the working environment for persons with disabilities

AMT has created an environment in which each and every person, with or without disabilities, can play an active role. We have also set up a consultation desk so that employees with disabilities can work with peace of mind.

Promotion of Diversity and Inclusion at AMT

The inception of the Firm’s new Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Committee, comprised of both lawyers and staff Firm members, was announced on May 1 of this year.

• Please watch the video interview with Mari Itoh, our partner and D&I Committee member of our firm, regarding AMT's D&I efforts, goals, and challenges.
  June 2023: Diversity & Inclusion in Japan's Legal Industry
• Our firm invited Mr. Kazuo Wakamiya (uni’que Inc./CEO, Metaverse Creators Inc./CEO) as an external speaker at an event titled 'Let's Talk about Gender in the Metaverse'.
  February 29, 2024: 'Let's Talk about Gender in the Metaverse'
• In addition to the above, our office is very much engaged in D&I-related Pro Bono activities. For details, please refer to this link destination.