Managing Director, Legal

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

Ares Asia is seeking to appoint a senior Legal professional with around 17 years of Post Qualification Experience as a Managing Director, Legal, to be based in Tokyo, Japan. The ideal candidate will be a seasoned lawyer with extensive experience advising on Japanese financial regulations and cross-border corporate and governance matters, as well as transactional experience on different asset classes including real estate, credit and private equity. Experience working in multinational environments, including communicating across global stakeholders and time zones, is essential. Candidates must have strong experience navigating Japan’s regulatory landscape alongside transactional expertise.

The Ares Asia Legal team advises on a wide spectrum of legal matters—covering investment, corporate, governance and regulatory issues—and supports the business in operating within a dynamic legal and regulatory environment across Asia, including Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, China, Southeast Asia, and India.

We are looking for a self-motivated, highly competent and passionate Legal professional with a desire to excel and appreciate the exposure and challenges over the growth of Ares Asia’s businesses and rapidly evolving regulatory and compliance environment. Individuals with managerial experience and comfortable in a fast-paced global working environment will be best suited for the role.

Primary Functions and Essential Responsibilities

• Advise on Japanese regulatory matters, including licensing considerations, FIEA-related requirements, AML/CFT obligations, data privacy, and other financial regulatory topics affecting investments and operations

• Manage a small team of lawyers and other legal professionals in the Tokyo office

• Work with investment and operations teams to structure, negotiate and execute transactions in different asset classes including real estate, credit, and private equity in Japan, collaborating with tax and compliance colleagues on relevant issues

• Support evaluation and execution of investments, including due diligence coordination, regulatory and franchise risk assessments, and transaction documentation

• Advise Japanese and regional management companies in regional fund structures, and co-ordinate with global Legal and Compliance teams to ensure consistency in approach

• Manage and oversee external counsel relationships in Japan, ensuring high-quality service in relation to regulatory, governance and investment matters

• Provide ongoing legal support for existing investments, including restructurings, asset management issues, operational governance, and dispute resolution matters

• Stay current on legal and regulatory developments in Japan relevant to Ares Asia’s investment strategies and proactively communicate impacts to global teams

• Strengthen relationships with Japanese regulators, legal advisors, business partners, and portfolio company counterparts to support seamless transaction execution and ongoing compliance

• Collaborate extensively with regional and global legal, compliance, risk, ESG, and finance teams to assess and manage legal, regulatory, and reputational risks

• Work across the global Ares platform to ensure alignment with enterprise-wide standards, policies, and strategic objectives

• Communicate clearly and effectively with senior leaders across the region and globally, distilling complex legal issues into clear, actionable insights taking into consideration relevant cultural contexts

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with around 17 years of Post Qualification Experience in Japan (Bengoshi) or another jurisdiction with substantial Japan-related regulatory experience

• Significant experience advising on Japanese financial regulations—including FIEA, REIT regulations, transaction law, foreign investment rules for different asset classes including real estate, credit and private equity, and fund management matters

• Deep understanding of Japanese financial advisory industry practices and a proven track record in strategic planning

• Strong experience in investments in different asset classes including real estate, credit and private equity, acquisition financing, asset-level due diligence, J-REIT matters, and asset level and fund level financing structures

• Prior experience in a leading international or top-tier Japanese law firm; in-house experience in a global financial institution is a plus

• Demonstrated ability to operate in a global business environment, with strong cross-cultural communication and stakeholder management skills

• Self-motivated, solutions-oriented, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced and dynamic investment setting

• Strong commercial judgment and ability to navigate areas of legal ambiguity with pragmatic solutions

• Excellent communication and organizational skills, strong motivational drive and proactive in delivering to the needs of the business

• Fluency in Japanese and English (both written and spoken) required with the ability to communicate with people from all teams

• Good people skills and excellent team orientation

• Strong sense of ownership spirit and ability to work independently

• Ability to work well under pressure and face-paced environment

Reporting Relationships

General Counsel, APAC

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.