Five minutes with … Tsuyoshi Sueyoshi, Yuasa and Hara

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Five minutes with … Tsuyoshi Sueyoshi, Yuasa and Hara

Tsuyoshi Sueyoshi.JPG

Each week Managing IP speaks to a different IP lawyer about their life and career

Welcome to the latest instalment of Managing IP’s ‘Five minutes with’ series, where we learn more about IP lawyers on a personal as well as a professional level. This time we have Tsuyoshi Sueyoshi, partner at Yuasa and Hara in Tokyo.

Someone asks you at a party what you do for a living. What do you say?

Academic mercenary (person for hire) or part-time staff officer in contentious matters or negotiations.

Talk us through a typical working day.

Attending one or more meetings with a client(s), drafting briefs for lawsuits and/or invalidation actions, preparing advice and opinions to questions to clients, searching for evidence, studying precedents and academic literature.

What are you working on at the moment?

Drafting a complaint. The deadline is approaching.

Does one big piece of work usually take priority or are you juggling multiple things?

I juggle multiple tasks until 5:30 pm before focusing on one big piece after 5:30 pm. During business hours, it is difficult to focus on one heavy task, because of interruptions.

What is the most exciting aspect of your role and what is the most stressful?

Winning in disputes, the conclusion or closing of agreements, and completing draft papers are among the most exciting.

Approaching deadlines is the most stressful.

Tell us the key characteristics that make a successful IP lawyer.

Interest and understanding in science and technology. Putting forward logical arguments.

What is the most common misconception about IP?

IP rights are fragile and artificial. Some people believe that once a patent is granted it is solid. However, when an opposing party finds buried but competent prior art, a patent can be invalidated.

What or who inspires you?

Questions from clients.

If you weren't an IP lawyer, what would you be doing?

I'd be a researcher or a scientist.

Any advice you would give your younger self?

Tomorrow is another day.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

A principal at Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner explains how AI tools, including DeepIP, can position the firm to help clients
The firm explains why AI-empowered data analytics could make it more efficient advocates for its clients
Penelope Aspinall, of IP wellbeing charity Jonathan’s Voice, explains why managers should take a three-tiered approach to looking after workers’ mental health
Heath Hoglund talks about the value proposition of patent pools and why it went ahead with its first-ever series of pool meetings in China
Ryan Richardson, Chris O’Brien, and Jean Selep of Sterne Kessler analyse the treatment of SEPs at the UPC and ITC and highlight why SEP holders and implementers should be mindful of current developments in both forums
A ruling concerning the UPC’s jurisdiction, questions over costs transparency, and a missed deadline by Amazon were among the top talking points this fortnight
Exclusive data and analysis reveal how firms can differentiate themselves when it comes to costs and value
The Berlin office will mark the firm’s fourth German base and tenth overall
As we build up to another busy year for the IP STARS rankings and Managing IP Awards, we give a rundown of some of the major IP firms and trends in the UK
Three firms have received at least 13 nominations, while a further three have 12 nominations each
Gift this article