A four-lawyer team has left Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s in Tokyo to form a new Japanese boutique, which will become part of the Magic Circle firm’s global relationship firms network.

Tokyo partners Akiko Yamakawa and Kazuki Okada founded Tokyo-based Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo with former consultant Naoki Kinami, who will be a partner at the new firm, and associate Masahiko Kinoshita.