Chris Viner is a corporate partner based in London and Tokyo. He focuses on advising on corporate, commercial and finance law.

Chris has a wide experience of advising on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and restructurings. He brings over twenty five years experience across a range of developed and emerging markets. Sector expertise includes: energy (power, clean energy and carbon finance), transportation (shipping, ship construction and motor vehicle business), water and port infrastructure and financial institutions.

He is regarded as a leading lawyer in IFLR1000 (2019) and received recognition for his advisory work on the acquisition of a shipping loan portfolio for ORIX Corporation from RBS for a consideration of US$290 million. He is also regularly recognised as a leading individual in Chambers Asia Pacific and Legal 500 Asia Pacific for his work in Japan, receiving feedback that he ‘impresses clients across the board as a “responsive and very diligent” practitioner who offers focused advice,’ (Chambers Asia Pacific) and has a good understanding of Japanese business culture’ (Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2015).

He is also described in Chambers Asia Pacific as “skilled in handling M&A transactions in the energy, resources and infrastructure spaces”. Commentators praise his proactive approach, commerciality and strong client focus, one remarking: “If I were his client, I'd feel very comfortable.”

Chris studied law at Cambridge University, qualified as a solicitor in 1992 and became a partner in 2000. He is a member of the Law Society of England and Wales. Chris previously headed our English law practice in the CIS until 2007 and subsequently headed our Tokyo office until 2014. He now splits his time between the London office (where he operates a Japan Desk) and the Tokyo office.

A native English speaker, Chris also speaks fluent Russian and holds a commercial diploma in German. He has a working knowledge of Japanese.