Professional Summary
Pierre Chiasson is a member of the Firm’s Banking & Finance group in Tokyo, and has over fifteen years of legal experience working in Japan. He was also seconded to a major Japanese bank in New York for a year. Prior to joining Baker McKenzie in 2006, Pierre worked for a prominent Japanese law firm, primarily in relation to regulatory matters. He is fluent in Japanese.
Practice Focus
Pierre’s practice focuses on banking and finance. His experience includes advising on leveraged finance, project finance, corporate finance, real estate finance, investment funds, securitization and other structured finance transactions. He also assists financial institutions with regulatory matters and the development of products for the Japanese market.
Representative Clients, Cases or Matters
- Represented sponsors in connection with the project financing of a 96.2 MW dc solar PV plant in Miyazaki Prefecture. Once complete, this project will be Japan’s third largest solar power plant and the largest solar power plant on the island of Kyushu.
- Advised numerous other onshore and offshore sponsors and financial institutions in connection with the financing of PV power projects in Japan, with completed transactions representing an aggregate capacity of over 900 MW.
- Represented the arranger and lender in a JPY 1 trillion bridge loan to finance part of SoftBank Group’s approximately GBP 24 billion acquisition of ARM Holdings, the largest cross-border acquisition ever by a Japanese company.
- Represented the arranger and lender in a USD 12.5 billion loan facility to Suntory in connection with its approximately USD 16 billion acquisition of Beam. The transaction was named ASIAN-MENA Counsel Deal of the Year for 2014 and awarded 2014 Japan Deal of the Year by FinanceAsia as well as Debt Market Deal of the Year, M&A Deal of the Year and overall Japan Deal of the Year at the ALB Japan Law Awards 2015.
- Represented arrangers and lenders in connection with the financing of Bain Capital’s acquisition of BellSystem 24. This transaction was awarded TMT Deal of the Year at the 2010 ALB Japan Law Awards.
- Represented arrangers and senior lenders in connection with the financing of Bain Capital’s acquisition of D&M Holdings. This transaction was awarded TMT Deal of the Year at the 2009 ALB Japan Law Awards.
Publications, Presentations and Articles
Articles
- Co-author, Japan chapter of the Project Finance 2019 of “Getting the Deal Through,” Law Business Research Ltd., March 2019
- Co-author, Country Q&A (Japan) for “PLC Cross-border Investment Funds 2011,” Practical Law Company, January 2011
- Co-author, “Revised Prospectus Requirements under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act,” IFLR 1000 (21st/2011 Edition), Euromoney, October 2010
- Co-author of a number of other articles appearing in publications such as AsiaLaw: Japan Review, Asia Pacific Law Review and the International Financial Law Review
Admissions
Foreign Registered Lawyer (gaikokuho jimu bengoshi)~Japan (2014)
New York~United States (2007)
Professional Association and Memberships
- Tokyo Bar Association – Member
- New York State Bar Association – Member
- American Bar Association – Member
- Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan – Member
Education
University of Toronto (JD) (2004)
University of Alberta (BA) (1998)
Chiba University (Exchange) (1996)
Languages
English
Japanese
French