Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy
Consistent with our vision of being the “Firm of Choice” for all stakeholders, we promote diversity, equity and inclusion in order to be an organization that is highly trusted by clients and that all our members are proud to be a part of. We believe that our promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion not only serves the public interest; it also enables us to attract and retain the very best pool of talent to serve our clients.
To fulfill
this vision,
Mori Hamada willfoster an inclusive culture and environment within our firm that recognizes, respects and embraces the diversity of individuals and allows everyone to feel comfortable in speaking up and acting based on their own values.
create an organization within that culture and environment in which each member of the firm can perform to the best of their abilities, grow, take on new challenges, and play an active role without regard to gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, culture, creed, or lifestyle.
and by doing so,
Mori Hamada willattract a diverse group of professionals, deepen our understanding and trust in each other, respect different perspectives and values, and inspire each other to do our best to be open to new ideas and to provide our clients with the highest-quality legal services that exceed the mere sum of our individual abilities, and provide innovative solutions that are ahead of their time.
and, through
these efforts,
Mori Hamada willcontribute to solving the various issues our clients face in response to changing times, and contribute, as a law firm and as a member of society, to a more diverse and dynamic society by realizing the self-fulfillment of each member of our firm.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Promotion Initiatives
We have established a DE&I Promotion Task Force that is composed of members from diverse backgrounds, including members of staff who are exclusively dedicated to this task, and that undertakes various initiatives to build an organization where each person can perform to the best of their abilities, grow, take on new challenges, and play an active role.
The following examples are only a snapshot of our current initiatives. The forms that diversity, equity, and inclusion should take will change according to changes in our organization and the times, and thus, we intend to continue to develop and further enhance our initiatives going forward.
Creating a workplace that provides
a high degree of psychological safety
At times, we may all unknowingly get caught up in unconscious assumptions stemming from our own experiences. In order to prevent the language and behavior arising from such assumptions from causing harm to other members and compromising their psychological safety, we take a variety of measures, including using surveys and suggestion boxes to proactively collect members’ opinions, as well as fostering awareness of the issues through in-house training programs.
Furthermore, by encouraging networking among members who belong to what are more likely to be considered minority groups within the organization, we are building a culture in which everyone can play an active role while being themselves, regardless of whether they belong to a minority or the majority.
01/04
Enabling the realization of work styles suited to various lifestyles
We believe it is important to enable various work styles that are suited to each type of lifestyle, regardless of gender, and that are in step when there are important life events.
We offer systems for members to take maternity leave, childcare and family care leave, and we recommend to all of our members that they take this leave proactively. We also provide systems for shortened working hours that members are able to choose according to their individual situations, such as for childcare or family care, or according to their preferences. In addition, we have introduced a system where associate lawyers can consult with mentors on a daily basis about balancing childcare and work, as well as financial assistance for childminding services. These systems are actually used regardless of the gender identity of the members who use them, and we will continue to review and improve these systems based on the opinions of members to make them even better.
We received the “Family Friendly Award 2018” from the Daini Tokyo Bar Association and received a 2-star Eruboshi (“L-Star,” for Labor Star) certificationa in 2021 for these initiatives. We will continue to foster an environment where members with diverse lifestyles can work comfortably.
Creating an environment where everyone can be themselves regardless of sexuality
Sexuality is diverse and differs from person to person. We aim to create an environment where this truth is fully embraced, and everyone can be themselves regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI).
Mori Hamada carries out awareness campaigns every Pride Month in June and we encourage the active exchange of information on a daily basis, including through channels such as our firm’s online community regarding SOGI, in which all members are able to participate.
In 2019, Mori Hamada endorsed the “Viewpoint” issued by the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan supporting marriage equality in Japan. This endorsement was the first of its kind by a law firm headquartered in Japan and received wide coverage from the media. Mori Hamada also endorsed “Business for Marriage Equality,” a campaign for realizing marriage equality (same-sex marriage legislation), in 2024. Many members of our firm have participated in the activities of the Lawyers for LGBT & Allies Network since it was established, and we provide assistance for its various projects.
Mori Hamada has been highly commended for these initiatives and was shortlisted for the Financial Times Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers Awards in 2020 and Chambers and Partners’ DEI Awards in the Chambers Asia-Pacific and Greater China Region Awards 2024.
In 2024, Mori Hamada received the “Gold” award in PRIDE Index 2024, following the same recognition in 2023, an evaluation index for initiatives involving LGBTQ+ and other sexual minorities in the workplace, established by the general incorporated association “work with Pride.”
Chambers Asia Pacific and Greater China Region Awards 2024 DEI Awards 
Pride Index 2023
03/04
A workplace facilitating cooperation as members of a team regardless of disability
We recognize the importance of inclusion and aim to create a workplace where everyone is accepted and works together as a team regardless of any disability.
Currently, members with disabilities play active roles cooperating with other members in various departments, such as library-related work, office-equipment management, and business-card management. In addition, to create a workplace where members with disabilities can work more comfortably, some staff are assigned as “job coaches” to provide support in adapting to the workplace environment.
We will endeavor over the long term to continue making diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace a reality by hiring individuals with disabilities while also continuously reviewing our operations, creating job opportunities, and rethinking work models.
04/04
Forging and maintaining cultural diversity
We aim to create an organization where people with a variety of cultural backgrounds understand each others’ cultures and customs and work together while maintaining diversity.
Currently, the firm operates from 17 locations in nine countries, where people with different cultural backgrounds work together, including many members who work at those locations but have roots in other countries.
In light of this diversity, we prepare versions of internal rules, IT systems, and announcements in various languages besides Japanese, and we also share information in a way that takes into consideration the diversity of religions and dietary customs. We also create opportunities to get to know and understand each other—for example, by holding regional meetings attended by members from our offices in Japan and other countries, offering overseas training and secondment programs, and providing information internally about our global offices and the attorneys who work there.
We do not simply assume that customs or institutions familiar to us are universally applicable, and we acknowledge the importance of mutual understanding of other cultures and points of view and remain vigilant in retaining that awareness.
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