Greeting Message

Recently, securing and protecting intellectual properties is a matter of growing concern, and patent attorneys with expert knowledge and experience are particularly needed.
We, Hirota & Associates, as intellectual property experts, draw on our experiences and expertise to serve our clients and to meet their expectations in services including drafting clear specifications for obtaining strong rights, giving expert opinions on patentability or possible conflicts of rights, and engaging in intellectual property litigations.

Representative, Patent Attorney　
Masanori Hirota

Members

Representative, Patent Attorney

Masanori Hirota

Technical Areas

Biotechnology, Foods, Pharmaceuticals, Organic/Inorganic Chemistry, Machines

Practice Areas

Patent drafting, Appeal, Search, Expert opinion, Litigation, Analysis

  • Background

    • Osaka University, School of Engineering, Department of Fermentation Engineering, 1969

    • Joined a pharmaceutical company, 1969

    • Joined JPO, 1971
        Experienced Examiner/Appeal examiner

    • Established Hirota & Associates, 1996

  • Counsel

    Shikoku Kakoki Co. Ltd.
    Nippon Soda Co. Ltd.
    Shimadaya Corporation

  • Lectures

    • Keio University, 2000

    • Organized a joint seminar with D YOUNG & CO., 2002

    • Fuji Oil Co. Ltd., 2002

    • Prima Meat Packers, Ltd., 2003

    • Hokkaido “Trends of patents related to biotechnology in the post genome era”, 2003

    • Japanese Science and Technology Agency Nagoya, 2004

    • The University of Tokushima, 2004

    • Technical Information Institute Co. Ltd., 2004

    • Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., 2004

    • Japan Intellectual Property Association, 2004

    • The University of Tokushima, 2004

    • Nippon Soda Co. Ltd., 2005

    • Lions Club, Tokushima prefecture, 2006

    • Utsunomiya University; "Strategy for Intellectual Property of Plant Protection in Universities", 2007

    • Osaka University, Alumni Association of School of Technology, Faculty of Brewing, Fermentation, and Applied Biology; "Strategy for Intellectual Property in Biotechnology Industry" , 2007

    • Hosei University; "Patent Infringement Case", 2007

    • KOSE Corporation, 2007

    • Utsunomiya University; "All About Patent", 2007

    • Intellectual Property Center, Kochi Prefecture; "Patent Distribution Seminar 2010", 2010

    • Utsunomiya University, Lecture Meeting of Affiliate Professors, 2010

    • Challenge course for patent attorney, Gunma prefecture, 2010

    • Tokyo Institute of Technology; "Intellectual Property in Life Science and International System, International Protection from Agent Viewpoint", 2010

    • Organized a joint seminar with D YOUNG & CO., 2014

  • Vice Representative,
    Patent Attorney

    Teppei Hirota

    Technical Areas

    Electricity (Control system·Electric circuit), Information· IT· Software, Business model, AI

    Practice Areas

    Patent drafting, Appeal, Search, Expert opinion

    Background

    • Keio University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, 2001
    • Keio University, School of Integrated Design Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Technology, 2003
    • Joined a consulting firm, 2003
    • Joined an electronics firm, 2004
    • Joined a patent firm, 2008
    • Qualified as patent attorney, 2012
    • Joined Hirota & Associates, 2020

  • Patent Attorney

    Yusaku Tokai

    Technical Areas

    Organic/Inorganic Chemistry, Pharmaceuticals, Foods

    Practice Areas

    Patent drafting, Appeal, Search, Expert opinion, Litigation

    Background

    • Mie University, Faculty of Agriculture,
      Department　of Agricultural Chemistry, 1973
    • Joined JPO, 1973　
    • Joined a chemical firm, 1986　
    • Joined a pharmaceutical firm, 2003
    • Joined Hirota & Associates, 2006　

    Lectures, etc.

    • Lecturer, Japan Intellectual Property Association Workshop, 2008-2015

  • Patent Attorney

    Makoto Horiuchi

    Technical Areas

    Biotechnology, Foods, Pharmaceuticals

    Practice Areas

    Patent drafting, Appeal, Search, Expert opinion, Litigation,
    Specific infringement litigation representation

    Background

    • The University of Tokyo, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Chemistry, 1997
    • The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, 1999
    • Joined a food firm, 1999
    • Joined a patent firm, 2001
    • Qualified as patent attorney, 2003
    • Joined Hirota & Associates, 2005
    • Received Additional indication of specific infringement litigation representative, 2006

  • Patent Attorney

    Masako Yamanouchi

    Technical Areas

    Biotechnology, Foods, Pharmaceuticals

    Practice Areas

    Patent drafting, Appeal, Search, Expert opinion, Litigation

    Background

    • B.A., Tsuda College, 1986
    • M.S. in Food Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1995
    • Joined Hirota & Associates, 2006
    • Qualified as patent attorney, 2007

  • Patent Attorney

    Shuichi Sonomoto

    Technical Areas

    Inorganic/Organic Chemistry, Machines

    Practice Areas

    Patent drafting, Appeal, Search, Expert opinion, Litigation,
    Specific infringement litigation representation

    Background

    • The University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mineral Development Engineering, 1983
    • Joined a chemical firm, 1983
    • Obtained Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Keio University, 1993
    • Qualified as patent attorney, 2005
    • Received Additional indication of specific infringement litigation representative, 2008
    • Joined Hirota & Associates, 2012

  • Patent Attorney

    Makie Shinoda

    Technical Areas

    Biotechnology, Cosmetics, Pharmaceuticals,Foods,
    Organic Chemistry

    Practice Areas

    Patent drafting, Appeal, Search, Expert opinion

    Background

    • Chiba University, Faculty of Horticulture, Department of Science for Bioproduction, 2009
    • The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, Department of Medical Genome Sciences, 2011
    • Joined a cosmetic firm, 2011
    • Joined a patent firm, 2018
    • Joined Hirota & Associates, 2020
    • Qualified as patent attorney, 2020

  • Patent Attorney

    Hitoshi Watanabe

    Technical Areas

    Organic Chemistry, Macromolecule, Pharmaceuticals

    Practice Areas

    Patent drafting, Appeal, Search, Expert opinion, Analysis

    Background

    • The University of Tokyo, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Chemistry, 1980
    • The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Agriculture, 1982
    • Joined JPO, 1982
        Experienced Examiner, Appeal examiner, Examiner-in-chief, Appeal examiner-in-chief
    • Worked for the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Geneva (First Secretary); 1994-1997
    • Joined a patent firm, 2013
    • Joined Hirota & Associates, 2021

    Lectures, etc.

    • Lecturer at INPIT from 2015
    • CIPAC at Hangzhou
      “History and Current Situation of Legislation of Invalidity Defense in Japan”, 2019.9
    • Affiliate Professor at Waseda Law School, 2010-2013

  • Patent Attorney

    Teruaki Okada

    Technical Areas

    Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Foods

    Practice Areas

    Patent drafting, Appeal, Search, Expert opinion

    Background

    • B.A., Nagoya University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biological Science for Molecular Biology, 2000
    • M.A. , Nagoya University, Graduate School of Science, Department of Life Science, 2002
    • Ph.D. in Science, Nagoya University, Graduate School of Science, Department of Life Science, 2008
    • Joined Hokkaido University, Graduate School of Advanced Life Science , 2008
    • Joined Hirota & Associates, 2010
    • Qualified as patent attorney, 2025

    Lectures, etc.

    • Representative Research-related Paper:
      CENP-B controls centromere formation depending on the chromatin context. Okada T., Ohzeki J., Nakano M., Yoda K., Brinkly B.R., Larionov V., and Masumoto H. Cell, 131: 1287-1300, 2007

  • Patent Attorney

    Shohei Fujimoto

    Technical Areas

    Biotechnology, Foods

    Practice Areas

    Patent drafting, Appeal, Search, Expert opinion

    Background

    • Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Agriculture Bioresources Science, 1999
    • Joined a food firm, 1999
    • Joined a National University, 2008
    • Qualified as patent attorney, 2011
    • Joined Hirota & Associates, 2012

Consulting Lawyers

  • Lawyer（SAKURAZAKA LAW OFFICES）

    Tomohiko Makino

  • Lawyer（Astia Law Office）

    Ippei Hirota