PRESS RELEASE
CHICAGO - Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd. is pleased to announce that Richard Owen Briggs, long-time General Counsel for Kubota Tractor Corporation, will be joining the Firm as Of Counsel in our Los Angeles office on July 1, 2017. Mr. Briggs brings almost 40 years of legal experience and over 25 years of "front line" legal advice in the management of U.S. subsidiaries of Japanese manufacturers. He has extensive experience counseling clients in a wide array of legal issues, including distribution and general corporate matters.
"Dick will be an extremely valuable addition to our firm" said President, Thomas McMenamin. "His practice in advising the U.S. operations of a global Japanese manufacturer and his particular expertise regarding relationships with dealers and dealer terminations will greatly benefit our clients. We are excited that Dick will be providing his formidable legal skills to assist our clients."
Prior to joining Kubota Tractor Corporation, Briggs worked at two international law firms in Chicago. He also served as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Navy, stationed at Commander U.S. Naval Forces, Japan.
Briggs received his Juris Doctor from the Northwestern University School of Law. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Northwestern University.
After many years as President, Briggs is stepping down from the Owen L. Coon Foundation, established by Briggs' grandfather, that has for more than 80 years funded the Clarion Dewitt Hardy Scholarship Program at Northwestern University. Hardy Scholarships have been awarded to hundreds of Northwestern students, including Jim Mitchell, one of the founders of Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd.
About Masuda Funai
Masuda Funai is a full-service corporate law firm, headquartered in Chicago, representing international and domestic companies operating and investing in the United States. With legal professionals located in Chicago, Schaumburg and Los Angeles, the firm services clients in every aspect of business, including: establishing, acquiring, and financing operations; ownership, development and leasing of real estate; transfer of overseas employees to the U.S.; employment, labor, and benefits counseling; dispute resolution; intellectual property rights; business litigation; patent and other intellectual property litigation; creditors' rights; business risk management; legal and regulatory compliance; and structuring the distribution and sale of goods and services throughout the U.S. Masuda Funai services a diverse client base across many industries, including manufacturers; transportation and logistics businesses; construction and development companies; professional service organizations; electronics and technology companies; suppliers of food and consumer products, and financial and investment institutions.
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