Masuda Funai

Masuda Funai is a full-service law firm founded in 1929 by Thomas Masuda. It provides legal, business and cross-cultural counsel to foreign-owned and domestic companies establishing, operating and expanding in the United States. The firm was among the earliest practices dedicated to assisting Japanese companies entering the U.S. market, and it continues to advise clients with origins in Japan alongside domestic companies.

Practice work spans U.S. market entry guidance for first-time entrants, cross-border transactions and strategic expansions, corporate life cycle matters, and representation in high-stakes disputes. Counsel is framed as practical and business-focused, tailored to each client's needs and leadership style. The firm maintains four offices: Chicago, Illinois; Schaumburg, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; and Detroit, Michigan.

Sectors served include automotive, advanced manufacturing, transportation, logistics, professional services, consumer products, food processing and real estate. The firm's stated emphasis is on simplifying the process of doing business in the United States, drawing on cross-cultural fluency rooted in its long-standing work with Japanese investors.