Dorsey & Whitney has hired a local lawyer from Japanese firm Mori Hamada & Matsumoto for its 16-lawyer Tokyo joint venture, Kyo Sogo Law Offices.

Takashi Suzuki, who is qualified in US and Japanese law, joins the office’s corporate group to work on M&A, banking and corporate recovery. The hire is a further boost to Dorseys’ Asian practice, which last month took on Korean specialist Chang Joo Kim from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom as a partner.