Stephen Chelberg is the regional coordinator of Japan and Australia for Squire Sanders’ global Corporate Transactions, Finance & Governance Practice Group. His practice focuses on international investment including mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures, strategic alliance, and collaborative research and development (R&D) projects for a wide variety of technology and manufacturing companies, with a particular emphasis on international telecommunications projects.

Stephen also has significant experience advising clients involved in the software, computer hardware, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, aerospace and chemical industries. Projects have included advising clients on mergers and acquisitions and joint venture projects, venture capital investments, private financing, IPOs, corporate and commercial matters, joint R&D projects, intellectual property issues, licensing and distribution arrangements and international dispute resolution. Stephen has also been involved in major infrastructure development and joint venture projects on behalf of clients in China, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Twice in his career, Stephen took time out from the practice of law to establish and run, as president, two companies in Japan: a semiconductor equipment manufacturer and a supply chain software company.

Representative Experience

• Advising on a major merger and acquisition transaction and global alliance involving the world’s largest Internet service provider and the world’s largest wireless carrier.
• Advising on the creation of one of the major satellite common carriers in Japan and sale of a turnkey satellite communications system to the carrier.
• Advising on a major transaction involving the acquisition of a chemicals division of a Europe-based company by a major Japan-based company.
• Advising on the transit, peering and hosting arrangements for major Internet fixed line backbone carriers.
• Advising on the development of marketing and satellite transponder lease arrangements.
• Advising on international tenders for fixed line telecommunications infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia.