Ken Lebrun, a U.S. mergers and acquisitions lawyer, will join Davis Polk as a partner in the Tokyo office.

Lebrun’s arrival reflects Davis Polk’s long-standing commitment to Japan and further strengthens the firm’s position among U.S. firms in Tokyo.

Lebrun joins Davis Polk from Shearman & Sterling, where he was a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions practice based in Tokyo. His practice focuses on public and private cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances and private equity transactions. He has represented major Japanese companies and financial institutions on many of their largest and most significant transactions.

“With the addition of Ken, Davis Polk now has an unmatched combination of premier capabilities in both capital markets and M&A in Tokyo,” said Thomas J. Reid, Davis Polk’s managing partner.

A Japanese speaker, Lebrun is admitted in New York and is a registered foreign lawyer in Japan.