Dialogue: "Operating from the Management Perspective" - The Essence of our Crisis Management —Representative Partner Kazuhiro Yanagida × Partner Yohei Okuda
In crisis management and business revitalization, what matters most is not legal correctness, but choices that ensure business survival — choices the client have to make consciously as a company. In this dialogue, Representative Partner Kazuhiro Yanagida and Partner Yohei Okuda, both experienced in crisis management and business revitalization, explore how our firm leverages its strengths—backed by extensive international experience—to stand in the "business owner's shoes," act with speed and judgment, and accompany clients all the way to rebuilding trust.
Crisis Management from the Manager's Perspective
Okuda: What do you consider to be our firm's defining characteristics in the crisis management and business restructuring field?
Yanagida: In short, it boils down to "thinking from the management perspective." In crisis management situations, what matters most is not just legally correct responses, but how to execute choices that ensure the business survives. We are not merely legal advisors; we act as management partners, jointly devising the best course of action and taking responsibility for its execution—We believe that is our decisive difference from other firms.
Okuda: It's truly impressive how we integrate with management from the very start to determine crisis response strategies. While setting up an investigation committee might satisfy formal requirements, our firm doesn't stop there. We explore the most sustainable solutions by maintaining a multifaceted view—considering the perspectives of employees, business partners, shareholders, and society at large.
Yanagida: Precisely because we handle a broad range of issues that can arise alongside crisis management—such as disputes with business partners, activist investor responses, and representative lawsuits—we can conduct not only short-term, field-specific analysis but also a broader, bird's-eye-view examination. This is why we can "think from the management perspective." I believe this is Y&P's defining characteristic and strength.
Speed and Judgment in Crisis Management: Rebuilding Trust
Okuda: When people hear "crisis management," they often focus on procedural responses like investigations and disclosures.
Yanagida: Yes. However, crisis response does not end with an investigation. What's crucial in handling scandals is achieving both damage control and fundamental reforms that address the root problems. For that, speed and judgment are paramount. I myself have experience working as a turnaround manager at a U.S. company. In that environment, When a business was rapidly collapsing, there was simply no time to sit back and deliberate. You had to think while moving, act while searching for the best possible solution. That mindset now underpins my current crisis management work.
Okuda: To make decisions at this speed, it's crucial to first clearly define what needs protecting.
Yanagida: Is it the brand? Employment? Corporate value? After aligning with management on what must be protected, we chart the shortest path to a solution. External explanations and disclosures are also conducted strategically, centered on "sincerity," from the management perspective and with an eye on the client's future. The goal of crisis response is not merely "preventing recurrence," but also "rebuilding trust." How a company overcomes a crisis, and the stance it takes, ultimately determines its reputation. That is precisely why we provide advice that looks beyond the immediate incident.
Business Turnaround and Crisis Management: Strength in International Cases
Okuda: This management perspective is also vital in the field of business revitalization.
Yanagida: That's right. I've been involved in numerous civil rehabilitation cases as a debtor's representative. What I've learned on the ground is that "legal restructuring schemes" are merely tools. What truly matters is the business's revival→restructure—in other words, the "ability to rebuild people and organizations." Based on that experience, I now advise companies acting as sponsors in rescue M&A and support creditors in recovering debts from debtors undergoing rehabilitation.
Okuda: A key strength of our firm is our expertise in international cases, not just domestic ones.
Yanagida: We are deeply involved in international restructuring cases, such as supporting Chapter 11 filings for overseas subsidiaries and assisting Japanese companies caught up in the bankruptcy of foreign firms. We have even appeared at mediation hearings in U.S. federal court during the Chapter 11 process for overseas subsidiaries. In crisis management, for example, we have experience attending investigations in a case involving evidence destruction led by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and we have actually participated as counsel in on-site hearings conducted with an FBI presence. Drawing on this practical experience, we deliver a "crisis response that can be executed on the ground," both domestically and internationally.
In Closing – The Law Firm as a Partner
Okuda: Clients requiring law firm support in crisis management and business restructuring scenarios are not merely seeking legal advice.
Yanagida: Both crisis management and business revitalization ultimately involve work related not to "corporate revival" but to "human revival." We aspire to be "accompanying partners" who help executives look forward again and enable organizations to regain trust. No matter how severe the situation, we believe in the power to rise again and jointly chart the path to revitalization. That is the mission of our firm's Crisis Management and Business Revitalization Team→That is the mission of our firm in crisis management and business revitalization situations.
Other Interviews
Dialogue: At the Forefront of Litigation and Dispute Resolution—The [Front Lines] Where All of a Lawyer's Capabilities Are Put to the Test Representative Partner Kazuhiro Yanagida× Partner Mitsuhito Taki× Partner Yoshiyuki Watanabe
Dialogue: Supporting Management Decisions through HR and Labor Law Partner Genta Ando × Partner Yohei Okuda
Dialogue: The Essence of Legal Work and Professionalism Seen from the Front Lines of M&A －Representative Partner Kazuhiro Yanagida× Partner Mitsuhito Taki
