Shogo Asaji’s practice focuses on intellectual property and litigation. Mr. Asaji has been named to the Best Lawyers list for Japan in the area of intellectual property since the 2010 edition.
Mr. Asaji has represented Japanese and other clients in patent infringement litigation before several U.S. district courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. International Trade Commission, as well as in reexamination proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He has also represented pharmaceutical companies in ANDA cases brought under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Mr. Asaji’s practice further includes preparing patent infringement, validity, and enforceability opinions, and assisting with licensing negotiations. He has been licensed to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and has experience prosecuting patent applications in the fields of mechanical and electrical arts. He also advises with respect to international contract and other business disputes.
Mr. Asaji’s practice further includes counseling U.S. and European companies with respect to patent matters in Japan, such as infringement proceedings before the Tokyo District Court and the Tokyo Customs Office, invalidation proceedings at the Japan Patent Office, licensing and purchase negotiations, obtaining of legal opinions of counsel, responding to warning letters, and conducting prior art searches. He draws upon his cultural, linguistic, legal, and technical skills and works with leading local counsel to bridge cultural and jurisprudential differences so that clients obtain advice more effectively. Recent examples include the representation of a U.S. company in a $100 million patent infringement proceeding relating to portable music players before the Tokyo District Court and the Tokyo Customs Office, and the filing of multiple petitions for invalidity with the Japan Patent Office on behalf of a U.S. chemical company.
Examples of technologies Mr. Asaji has worked with include light-emitting diodes, transistors, semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment and processes, data storage devices, networks, liquid crystal displays, plasma display panels, digital projectors, touch pads, digital rights management, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, COX-2 inhibitors, growth hormones, vaccines, polymer tablets and microcapsules, fire retardant chemicals, organic cleaning solvents, insulin injection devices, and business methods. Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, Mr. Asaji was associated with a major IP boutique firm and a Wall Street law firm, practicing several years in New York before moving to Tokyo.
Mr. Asaji received a B.S.M.E. degree in mechanical engineering, cum laude, and a B.A. degree in economics, cum laude, from Tufts University, a M.A. degree from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, a J.D. degree from American University’s Washington College of Law, and a LL.M. degree in International and Comparative Law with distinction from Georgetown University Law Center. While in law school, Mr. Asaji served as a judicial intern to Judge Robert H. Hodges, Jr. at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, DC, and was a member of The Administrative Law Journal of American University. He was also a national semi-finalist and regional winner of AIPLA’s Giles Sutherland Rich Memorial Moot Court Competition, and recipient of the best brief award at the North American Regional Round of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Asaji worked as an executive for a medium-sized Japanese company. Mr. Asaji has resided in Japan, the United States, Switzerland, and France and speaks Japanese, French, and English. Mr. Asaji is admitted to practice in the State of New York, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and various U.S. district courts.