Hiroshi Oda is the Sir Ernest Satow Professor of Japanese Law at the University of London (University College), a professor of the College d'Europe (Brugge), and consultant to Herbert Smith, solicitors. He is a graduate of the Law Faculty of the University of Tokyo, held a chair of Soviet Law there and was granted a LL.D before moving to London. He has held various visiting positions including visiting professorship at Cornell Law School (US). He is also a qualified attorney in Japan and practices Japanese and Russian law in London and Tokyo.