Ms. Ito was the first lawyer admitted to practice law in both Japan and the United States when she was admitted to the State Bar of New York in 1976. Since that time she has advised clients, particularly Japanese companies, on legal issues affecting their business operations in the U.S., including acquisitions, joint ventures, distributorship arrangements and general corporate matters. In addition, Ms. Ito frequently advises U.S. corporations in connection with their business ventures in Japan.

In addition, Ms. Ito is a member of the Firm's cross-departmental Privacy Group, and is involved in international privacy issues, particularly with respect to Japan, including advising U.S. multinational corporations on how to comply with Japan's new law concerning the protection of personal information.

Ms. Ito has published many articles and books, including the widely-read A Practical Guide to U.S. Law for Japanese Businessmen (1984) and A Guide to Real Estate Transactions in the U.S. (1989). She is also a regular lecturer at seminars on investment in the U.S. Ms. Ito is concurrently a name partner of Ito & Mitomi in Tokyo.

Before becoming a partner of Morrison & Foerster in 1989, Ms. Ito was a partner with Kelley, Drye & Warren in New York and a name partner with the Japanese law firm of Tsuchiya Sakuragi Sogi & Ito.

• Assisted the U.S. subsidiary of a Japanese company start Wi-Fi service, including preparing terms of service, privacy policy, end user agreement and agreements with other service providers, as well as assisting in registration of service marks.
  
  
• Assisted the U.S. subsidiary of a Japanese pharmaceutical company in establishing a new business, including preparing and negotiating license agreement, supply agreement, agreements with logistics providers and wholesale distributors, as well as review of agreements with contract research organizations. 
  
  
• Assisted Japanese automobile parts manufacturer in the reorganization of their U.S. subsidiaries, including advising on relocation of employees.
  
  
• Assisted a Japanese publishing company in the sale of assets and liquidation of its U.S. publishing subsidiary. 
  
  
• General counseling on U.S. law issues for many Japanese companies and their U.S. subsidiaries in various industry sectors, including commercial contracts, intellectual property and employment law issues, acquisitions and spin-offs, as well as day-to-day business issues.