Shobayashi International Patent & Trademark Office

Established in 1998 by Mr. Masayuki Shobayashi, SIPTO is one of the fastest growing IP law firms in Japan with over 250 employees, including 65 patent attorneys and 23 former Japan Patent Office (JPO) staff, more than any other IP firm in Japan. With 11 specialized departments in chemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, mechanics, optics, electrical engineering, IT, trademarks, designs, litigation and IP protection consulting, SIPTO provides tailored IP services for clients from sole inventors to large companies. Among our unique offerings is a specialized research department providing IP analysis services leveraging SIPTO’s IP judiciary expertise to find the most efficient path to patent grant. This research includes IP landscape analysis of industry and competitor trends and the commercial strength of a client’s IP portfolio, freedom-to-operate searches and patent invalidation searches. SIPTO also has a licensing, valuation and IP transactions department, including Association of IP Education (AIPE) certified analysts, tax accountants, CFAs, and foreign lawyers. Our licensing team is led by a former licensing executive who managed an IP portfolio generating over $200 million in annual royalties. By employing most of the few AIPE-certified IP analysts in Japan and evaluating Big Data for comparables, SIPTO is one of the few Japanese IP firms with expertise in valuing individual IP and IP portfolios. SIPTO’s consulting division includes former general counsels of multinational corporations, CFAs and accountants who identify strategies, challenges and countermeasures for global business growth and monetization using IP. SIPTO also has provided over 200 IP due diligence services for licensing and M&A transactions. SIPTO’s clientele includes universities and automotive, medical, chemical, electronics, IT, communications and measurement companies. With our motto of Speed, Quality and Value, we continually strive to add to our expertise as a top IP firm in Japan.