About Us

Our Story

Allegro IP was established separating from a long established Japanese intellectual property law firm, Yanagida & Associates, which was founded in 1973.  All of the members were former colleagues of the foreign clients team at the Yanagida firm, and our team were selected from competent attorneys who are capable of providing the best services to overseas clients. 

The reason why we finally decided to establish a new firm was to eliminate the negative effects of Japanese large/old-line IP firms.  Firstly, generally speaking, as the IP firm grows, they tend to place emphasis on large companies’ cases.  However, we would like to support the most advanced companies, which sometimes are small venture/start-up companies, in obtaining IP protection in Japan with the understanding of the inventions based on the cutting-edge fundamental research.  We make active use of official fee reduction program for such companies.

Secondly, the service fees tend to go up drastically as the IP firm grows, but we would like to keep the costs to be charged to our clients to a minimum.  This is sometimes because, at a large firm, the actual handling attorney is an associate and a partner supervises him/her and charge both attorneys’ fees. 

At our firm, there are no paralegals or associate attorneys, and the same partner attorney is responsible for handling each case entirely from the filing (even including translation) through prosecution.

Thirdly, the Japanese IP firms usually place emphasis on domestic (Japanese) clients’ cases, and when the clients wish to file foreign applications, they tend to work with foreign associates in a reciprocal manner.  However, we exclusively focus on IPR including patent and trademark matters in Japan for overseas clients and we make it a rule to not work with foreign associates in a reciprocal manner.

Therefore, we pride ourselves in Allegro combining the merits of new and old-line firms, and are confident that we can provide our best services to clients in a timely, high-quality, and cost effective manner.

2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016

2023

08. Control

In the year 2023, in light of the increase in the number of cases in the previous year, we had to control the number of cases we accept from our new clients in order to maintain the quality and speed of our work.  However, we have completed the implementation of a new management system to streamline the firm’s strategy, and therefore, we believe we are ready to respond to clients’ further requests in 2024.

2022

07. Balance

In the year 2022, which was the sixth fiscal year of Allegro IP Law Firm, the number of new cases received from overseas clients reached a record high.  We of course appreciate the opportunity to be of service to every client, but on the other hand, we had to decline some cases from new clients to provide high-quality services.  We believe that we have reached a stage where we should reconsider the balance between the quality of our work and the development of our firm.

2021

06. Development

In the year 2021, which was the fifth fiscal year of Allegro IP, we struggled to develop our firm. We already restructured our firm’s system under the Coronavirus outbreak last year, but in view of our increasing cases from from all over the world, in early 2022, we will complete our transition to the latest docket system such that we can manage our cases more efficiently and reliably. We continue to take an active part in the international activities center of the JPAA (Japan Patent Attorneys Association).

2020

05. Stabilized

While coronavirus outbreak poses challenges for us to maintain our operations, we complete our firm’s system transition to provide our quality services and our business is stabilized in the fourth year of establishment. Allegro IP has represented 150+ applicants from 35+ countries and is ranked in the top 100 among 5000+ Japanese IP firms based on PCT national phase entries into Japan. We continue to take an active part in the international activities center of the JPAA (Japan Patent Attorneys Association).

2019

04. Office Relocation

Allegro IP office is relocated to WeWork Ocean Gate Minatomirai in Yokohama to enhance our teamwork and to serve our clients better. One of our partners continues to take an active part in the international activities center of the JPAA (Japan Patent Attorneys Association) and is also listed as a Mediator, Arbitrator & Panelist candidate at the JIPAC (Japan Intellectual Property Arbitration Center).

2018

03. Growth

We actively meet and talk with overseas applicants and associates to discuss Japanese patent matters at BIO Asia, nano tech, APAA (Asian Patent Attorneys Association) in India, Bio Japan, etc.  Further, one of our partners takes an active part in the international activities center of the JPAA (Japan Patent Attorneys Association) and also gets places on the AIPLA (American Intellectual Property Law Association) PG and the IPO (Intellectual Property Owners Association) PG.

2017

02. Startup

We greatly appreciate that 20+ overseas companies, universities, and individuals kindly appoint us as representative IP attorneys to handle their patents and trademarks in Japan from the very beginning of our firm.

2016

01. Allegro IP Founded

Allegro IP is established separating from the foreign clients team at Yanagida & Associates founded in 1970s. The mission: to support the most advanced companies and universities across the world in obtaining strong and valuable patent and trademark protection in Japan.

We Will Help You Every Step Of The Way

Easy Estimation

we work hard
in all Technical fields

At Allegro IP, only attorneys having 18+ years of experience are in charge of providing services in their respective fields of specialization.  The same patent attorney is responsible for handling each case entirely from the filing of an application through prosecution, as well as an appeal, opposition, and a trial if necessary.

01
Pharmaceuticals

One of our attorneys had served as a pharmacist for over a decade prior to entering patent law practice. We have technical expertise to understand inventions in this field.

02
Life Sciences

One of our attorneys conducted the study of eel DNA at a leading university. We still cooperate with some laboratories at the university to stay abreast of the latest findings.

03
3D Printing

Three dimensional (3D) printing technology is in widespread use at present, but our attorneys have traced the history of the innovation for over 20 years.

04
Chemicals

We have prided ourselves in high quality services from the start of our firm representing one of the world biggest companies in the fields of chemicals, materials, and polymers.

05
Glass Technology

Our attorneys have handled 1000+ patent applications for over 20 years in the fields of glass, ceramics, optical fibers, etc. and are familiar with the technology.

06
Other Fields of Expertise

Our patent attorneys further have the expertise to handle IPR especially in the fields of sporting gear, pet foods, medical devices, intraocular lenses, etc.

The Features

01
meet specific needs

We are familiar with how to proceed with overseas clients' diversified and complicated cases in Japan.

02
understanding Inventions

We understand cutting-edge research and stay abreast of the latest findings to contribute to clients' patent protection.

03
Conflict Clearance

We perform conflict check procedure for each case to confirm there is no conflict with representing the client.

04
Non-Reciprocal Services

We make it a rule to not work with foreign associates in a reciprocal manner to provide best services to the clients.

find your IP attorney

At Allegro IP, only experienced partner attorneys are in charge of overseas clients’ cases before the Japan Patent Office, and unlike other firms, there are no paralegals or associate attorneys.   Each attorney is responsible for handling each case entirely from the filing thereof through prosecution, as well as an appeal, opposition, and a trial if necessary.  All of our IP attorneys have:

  • at least 18 years of IP-related experience
  • worked in both IP Law Firms and Companies
  • technical expertise to understand cutting edge inventions
  • graduated from national universities

abundant experience

Our firm is based on the foreign clients team at a long established firm in Japan.  The members were selected from among competent IP attorneys who are capable of providing the best services to foreign clients and are familiar with how to proceed with overseas clients’ cases in Japan.  Our team has:

  • worked together for over 15 years
  • supported over 200 foreign clients including large multinational corporations, the most advanced universities, and individual entrepreneurs
  • filed 500+ PCT national phase entries into Japan and handled 3,000+ prosecutions

Past Achievement – Time Saving

Patent Application Publication
Save 28 days (144 v. 172 days) 16%
Request for Examination
Save 27 days (3 v. 30 days) 90%
Response to Office Action
Save 23 days (7 v. 30 days) 76.7%
Patent Registration
Save 56 days (8 v. 64 days) 87.5%

Past Achievement – Cost Reduction

National Phase Filling Fee
Save $ 360 (JPY 60,000 v. 100,000) 60%
Translation Fee
Save $ 0.1/word (JPY 25 v. 35) 71.4%
Attorney Hourly Rate
Save $ 140/hour (JPY 15,000 v. 30,000) 50%
oceangate

About the firm

Allegro IP is a boutique intellectual property law firm in Japan.  We have streamlined the firm system and strategy to exclusively focus on intellectual property rights (IPR) in Japan, especially patent & trademark matters, for overseas clients, so that we can provide our best services to our clients in a timely, high-quality and cost effective manner.  Our hope is that ALL of the clients that we provide our services to may GROW together with our firm, and that we may assist the global expansion of our clients.