Paul Hastings Adds Leading Arbitration Partner Haig Oghigian

March 01, 2006

Paul Hastings Adds Leading Arbitration Partner Haig Oghigian

Latest Addition to the Firm’s Growing Litigation Practice in Tokyo

Tokyo, March 1, 2006 - Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (Paul Hastings), a leading international law firm, is pleased to announce that Haig Oghigian has joined as partner in the Firm’s Tokyo office.

Mr. Oghigian is recognized as a leading counsel in the field of international litigation and commercial arbitration. With 25years of experience practicing in leading international law firms in Canada and Japan, and a background as a diplomat in Japan, serving as a foreign service officer at the Canadian Embassy for five years, he has also served clients in the trade law and government relations fields. He is fluent in English, French and Japanese.

James D. Wareham, the chair of the Firm’s Litigation Department commented: “The addition of Haig Oghigian demonstrates Paul Hastings’ deep commitment to offering our clients exceptional service in the field of international arbitration. The depth and breadth of Haig’s arbitration experience will further strengthen the Firm’s leadership position in cross-border dispute resolution.”

Kooki Suzuki, office chair of the Firm’s Tokyo office commented: “A growing number of Japanese corporations are adopting arbitration clauses in their M&A and joint venture agreements and we expect more commercial arbitrations to be brought before Japanese and international arbitral institutions. Haig’s appointment enables us to provide clients with a unique one-stop shopping service for complex arbitration and compliance issues.”

Mr. Oghigian studied civil and common law systems at McGill University Law School and Japanese law at Harvard Law School. He served as adjunct professor and taught international law at the Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia, and as visiting professor at Rikkyo University, Japan.

He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is accredited by the International Chamber of Commerce（ICC）, American Arbitration Association (AAA), World Intellectual Property Organization(WIPO), and Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA). He is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia and a Registered Foreign Attorney (Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi) in Japan.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, founded in 1951, is a global law firm with 1,000 lawyers located in 17 offices in Asia, Europe and the United States. Paul Hastings was one of the first western law firms to establish its Tokyo office in 1988, which has grown to over 30 U.S. and Japan qualified lawyers including 12 partners. Paul Hastings also has one of Asia’s largest global legal practices, with over 130 lawyers located in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.

The Firm’s Litigation Department provides premier litigation services to clients facing complex legal issues in the U.S., Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia. With more than 225 lawyers in the Litigation Department, in addition to 150 litigators in the Employment Department, Paul Hastings is well positioned to handle all aspects of a client's litigation needs. Our sophisticated litigation practice covers every major practice including securities, intellectual property, class action and employment litigation, international arbitration, and white-collar crime. The Litigation Department has an impressive track record of winning large and difficult cases.