• Sustainability

Sonderhoff & Einsel Law and Patent Office was founded in Yokohama in 1910 by three foreigners, a German lawyer, an English barrister and an Australian solicitor. Since then, our firm has been a multicultural and open-minded office for both Japanese and foreign employees. Our firm has developed a diverse workplace for everyone, supported our employee’s work life balance and provided all employees with opportunities to improve their skills and abilities. We are committed to the Japanese concept of “和Wa” which means cooperation, harmony, and consideration to the community, and we also believe in the importance of supporting charitable activities. Our community and charitable activities that we would especially like to emphasize are as follows:

Community

  • In order to facilitate an education founded on the principles of multiculturalism within Japan, our firm’s managing partner Felix-Reinhard Einsel founded HEINESSEN Multicultural Support Foundation in 2022. HEINESSEN Foundation’s goal is to make multiculturalism a reality in the education of future lawyers and patent attorneys in Japan. It aims at students aspiring to bridge the cultures of Europe and Japan in this line of work and wants to aid in mitigating the financial burden of getting such an education in Japan.The Foundation’s website is here.
  • Providing an internship program for foreign students, especially from German speaking countries
  • Supporting and sponsoring traditional German customs such as Grünkohlessen (a tradition in northern Germany) in Tokyo every year

Charity

  • We strongly support the German Charity Funds in Japan, not only financially, but also with pro bono work by our attorneys, patent attorneys, and staff.

– Supporting and sponsoring the Garden party at the German Embassy

– Supporting and sponsoring the traditional German Goose dinner (Martinsgansessen)

– Supporting and sponsoring the [German school Tokyo Yokohama (Deutsche schule Tokyo Yokohama)’s festivals

  • We give financial support to “Learning Through Food Foundation (LTFF)” each year. The LTFF is a charitable organization in the Philippines which has received official recognition by the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines as a Charitable Foundation. LTFF provides 200 meals every Saturday to the seriously malnourished children of Malaban, Binan, Laguna and feeds about 130 children of the Malaban East Elementary School daily during the school year until they reach grade 7. LTFF does not donate any cash to the school, but covers all costs associated with purchasing, transporting and preparing the meals. LTFF has also received firm commitments through targeted fundraising, including from S&E, to cover the costs of feeding the incoming class of Malaban East Elementary School for the next six years.