Clara Shirota

Partner, Tokyo, Hong Kong SAR

Biography

“Clara is top-class and second to none; a great lawyer with a strong appreciation for commercial matters and the client’s key focus areas.”
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022

Overview

Clara Shirota is a Partner in White & Case's Asia Debt Finance and Restructuring practice.

Clara has extensive experience advising private equity funds and other strategic investors on a wide range of complex financings, with a focus on leveraged acquisition and take-private finance, refinancings, dividend recapitalizations and restructurings, debt buy-backs and bank/bond transactions.

Prior to joining White & Case, Clara worked at a leading global law firm based in Hong Kong and Tokyo. She is admitted in New York, Hong Kong and England and Wales and is a Registered Foreign Lawyer in Japan (Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi) (Jurisdiction of Primary Qualification: [Hong Kong]).

Clara is a member of the Daini Tokyo Bar Association.

Bars and Courts
England and Wales, Solicitor
Solicitor of the High Court of Hong Kong
New York
Registered Foreign Lawyer in Japan (Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi) (Jurisdiction of Primary Qualification: [Hong Kong])
Education
Postgraduate Certificate of Laws
City University of Hong Kong
LLB
York University
MBA
York University
BSc
University of Toronto
Languages
English
Cantonese
Mandarin
Japanese

Experience

CVC Capital Partners in connection with the financing for its US$1.5 billion acquisition of the personal care business of Shiseido from Shiseido Company, Limited

Starwood Capital Group on its tender offer for Invesco Office J-REIT, Inc., a listed J-REIT in Japan, for ¥22,500 per investment unit (total equity value of approximately ¥198 billion, publicly reported debt of ¥126 billion, for an enterprise value of approximately ¥325 billion)

CVC Capital Partners on the acquisition financing comprising senior facilities and a mezzanine facility provided for CVC's investment in TRY Group, the largest one-to-one tutoring services provider in Japan.

CVC on the acquisition financings for Munchy Foods, Riraku, Nirvana Asia (Hong Kong take-private), EIC Group, Executive Centre, SPi Global, HKBN, South Beauty, KFC/Pizza Hut and Matahari*

Permira on acquisition financings for Arysta LifeSciences, Akindo Sushiro and John Master Organics and on the senior/mezzanine refinancing and restructuring for Asia Broadcast Satellite*

EQT on the financing for China F&B Group (franchise operator of Dairy Queen and Papa John’s Pizza) and the refinancing of facilities to PSM Investments Limited and subsequent trade sale exit*

Unitas Capital on the refinancing of Hyva's high yield bond and super senior revolving credit facility and subsequent self-arranged amendment and extension of its senior facilities*

*Experience prior to joining White & Case

Awards and Recognition

Leading Lawyer: Banking & Finance: International—Japan, Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022

One of the ALB Asia's Top 15 Female Lawyers, Asian Legal Business 2021

Next Generation Lawyer, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2018