Sugimura International Patent and Trademark Attorneys is often praised by clients for its highly sophisticated quality of work, with president Kenji Sugimura and litigator Tatsuya Sawada receiving additional praise. While the global downturn had been problematic for some IP practices, the team led by Sugimura has enjoyed a fruitful year due to its reputation for value-for-money work. The hiring of Tetsuo Tsukanaka, a former chief appeal examiner at the JPO, also helped to broaden the influence of the firm. Furthermore, five associates were welcomed onto the firm's experienced bench from in-house roles. "They have a wide range of technological backgrounds as well as worldwide networks and extensive IP experiences," says an in-house attorney. "They even gave us a lecture on new patent examination standards in Japan." Bridgestone, Sumco, NTT, NHK, Olympus, Carl Zeiss and NXP Semiconductors all retain Sugimura as their counsel of choice.