Key Takeaways
- • White & Case recruits two senior M&A partners from Freshfields in Tokyo: Noah Carr and Gordon Palmquist, both with extensive cross-border transaction experience, join White & Case as the firm capitalizes on record Japanese M&A activity levels.
- • Noah Carr brings $860 million transaction pedigree: Carr, a New York-qualified partner with over a decade in Tokyo, recently advised Hitachi on a multi-party home appliances transaction valued at approximately $860 million, demonstrating deep client relationships with major Japanese corporates and global sponsors.
- • Gordon Palmquist adds 20+ years Tokyo-based experience: Palmquist, resident in Tokyo for over two decades, brings expertise in Japanese trading house and corporate outbound M&A, fund formation, and portfolio investments, with recent work including Kansai Electric Power's majority investment in Simply Blue Energy and Marubeni's aircraft parts distributor acquisition.
- • Intense competition for Japan M&A talent amid record deal volumes: The Tokyo legal market is experiencing unprecedented M&A activity, triggering aggressive partner recruitment across major global law firms including White & Case, Latham & Watkins, and Morrison & Foerster.
- • Both partners join from Freshfields after approximately two-year tenure: Carr and Palmquist, who transferred to Freshfields from Mayer Brown and Latham & Watkins respectively, bring relationships spanning Japanese corporates, financial investors, and global PE sponsors.
Summary
White & Case has hired two senior mergers and acquisitions partners from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Tokyo—Noah Carr and Gordon Palmquist—marking the latest move in intense competition for deal talent in a market experiencing unprecedented M&A activity. Both partners bring substantial transaction experience and established client relationships across Japanese corporates, financial institutions, and global investment sponsors.
Noah Carr, a New York-qualified attorney, has been based in Tokyo for more than a decade and specializes in complex cross-border transactions. His recent work includes advising Hitachi on a series of home appliances business transactions involving a multi-party structure with Nojima Corporation and Arcelik, valued at approximately $860 million. Prior to joining Freshfields in 2023, Carr spent four years at Latham & Watkins in Tokyo and more than a decade at Morrison & Foerster, where he attained partner status in 2016. His practice focuses on public and private acquisitions, carve-outs, private equity investments, joint ventures, and strategic alliances for Japanese corporates and global sponsors.
Gordon Palmquist, who has resided in Tokyo for over 20 years, joined Freshfields with Carr approximately two years ago. Palmquist's expertise encompasses cross-border M&A and investment funds work, with a particular focus on Japanese trading houses and corporate outbound acquisitions. Recent mandates include advising Kansai Electric Power Co. on its majority investment in Simply Blue Energy and acting for Marubeni Corporation on its acquisition of the remaining 50 percent stake in U.S. aircraft parts distributor DASI. He also advises fund managers on fund formation, deployment, and portfolio investment matters. Prior to Freshfields, Palmquist practiced at Mayer Brown and spent nearly six years at legacy Shearman & Sterling.
The hiring underscores the structural shift in Tokyo's legal market as M&A volumes reach historic peaks. The dual recruitment reflects White & Case's strategic effort to strengthen its Japan capabilities and retain competitive positioning amid broader talent mobility across major global firms, including simultaneous hires by competitors such as Latham & Watkins and Morrison & Foerster in the same market.
Noah Carr, a New York-qualified attorney, has been based in Tokyo for more than a decade and specializes in complex cross-border transactions. His recent work includes advising Hitachi on a series of home appliances business transactions involving a multi-party structure with Nojima Corporation and Arcelik, valued at approximately $860 million. Prior to joining Freshfields in 2023, Carr spent four years at Latham & Watkins in Tokyo and more than a decade at Morrison & Foerster, where he attained partner status in 2016. His practice focuses on public and private acquisitions, carve-outs, private equity investments, joint ventures, and strategic alliances for Japanese corporates and global sponsors.
Gordon Palmquist, who has resided in Tokyo for over 20 years, joined Freshfields with Carr approximately two years ago. Palmquist's expertise encompasses cross-border M&A and investment funds work, with a particular focus on Japanese trading houses and corporate outbound acquisitions. Recent mandates include advising Kansai Electric Power Co. on its majority investment in Simply Blue Energy and acting for Marubeni Corporation on its acquisition of the remaining 50 percent stake in U.S. aircraft parts distributor DASI. He also advises fund managers on fund formation, deployment, and portfolio investment matters. Prior to Freshfields, Palmquist practiced at Mayer Brown and spent nearly six years at legacy Shearman & Sterling.
The hiring underscores the structural shift in Tokyo's legal market as M&A volumes reach historic peaks. The dual recruitment reflects White & Case's strategic effort to strengthen its Japan capabilities and retain competitive positioning amid broader talent mobility across major global firms, including simultaneous hires by competitors such as Latham & Watkins and Morrison & Foerster in the same market.
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