Biography

Gordon Palmquist is partner in our Corporate/M&A practice group, based in Tokyo. Gordon advises Japanese corporate groups, financial institutions and energy and trading companies on their outbound acquisitions, divestments, carve-outs and complex infrastructure platforms. 

Gordon has lived in Tokyo for over two decades and is a fluent Japanese speaker.

Experience

  • NEC Corporation on its US$2.9 billion acquisition of Nasdaq listed SaaS solutions provider CSG Systems.*
  • Kansai Electric Power on its majority investment in Simply Blue Energy (OSW), an offshore wind development company headquartered in Cork, Ireland.*
  • Kirin Holdings Company Limited and its subsidiary, Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd., on the sale of the international business of manufacturing and selling certain amino acids and Human Milk Oligosaccharide (HMO) operated by Kyowa Hakko Bio to Meihua Holdings Group Co Ltd.*
  • NEC Corporation and its group companies on their carve-out separation and sale of their global Unified Communications business through four separate transactions with four different buyers.*
  • Sumitomo Chemical on its sale of 22.5% of the shares in the Saudi exchange-listed Petro Rabigh project.*
  • a Japanese trading company in its purchase of a 50% stake of a leading global aircraft parts distribution company and negotiation of the related joint venture agreement.*
  • a Japanese technology company in its sale of its US based subsidiary providing global energy storage solutions.*
  • a Japanese utility company in connection with its acquisition of a 30% stake of one of Vietnam’s largest renewable energy companies and negotiation of the shareholder agreement.*
  • a Japanese trading company in its investment into a leading lithium battery recycling company.*
  • a Japanese trading company in its purchase of an interest in a Canadian mining and infrastructure company from a Korean private equity fund and negotiation of the related joint venture agreements.*
  • a Japanese trading company and a Japanese telecommunications company on the purchase of an interest in global mapping technology company for autonomous vehicles.*
  • a Japanese trading company in connection with its acquisition of a stake in a US mining operation including negotiation of the joint venture agreement with the other parties and a separate joint venture for marketing the offtake.*
  • a Japanese global fund in connection with its investment into a new technology platform in Vietnam and the related shareholders agreement.*
  • a Japanese technology company in relation to its fund investments in technology and venture capital funds.*
  • the technology subsidiary of a Japanese mega bank in relation to the establishment of numerous global funds and venture capital investments by the funds.*
  • a Japanese private equity fund manager in connection with the formation of multiple Cayman and Irish funds structures for global investors in its funds and negotiation with the fund investors.*
  • a Japanese quasi-governmental finance company in connection with the establishment of US subsidiaries and the formation of US venture capital and fund structures.*

*Experience prior to joining White & Case

District of Columbia
Illinois
Registered Foreign Lawyer in Japan (Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi) (Jurisdiction of Primary Qualification: [Illinois])
JD
University of Minnesota Law School
MA
International University of Japan
BA
St. Olaf College
English
Japanese

Chambers-ranked since 2024

Leading Lawyer: Corporate/M&A: International – Japan, Chambers Global and Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026

Service areas