Hiroaki Nishikawara enjoys sports and follows NFL football with particular enthusiasm. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, he fondly recalls the 1985 season capped by a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots. The road to Super Bowl victory began in 1982, when Bears owner George Halas hired Mike Ditka as coach. Being one of the original founders of the NFL in 1920, George Halas had a long history in football, and he valued Ditka’s loyalty to the Bears, the team on which Ditka had played as tight end from 1961 to 1966.
Ditka had a revitalizing effect on the organization, quickly reversing the Bears’ record of only two winning seasons in the previous nineteen. This was partly due to Ditka’s fine-tuning of the offense, and partly to defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan’s development of the innovative 46 formation. This defensive system placed intense pressure on opposing teams’ quarterbacks by using a four-man rush. This was made possible by defensive linebacker Mike Singletary’s unique ability to dominate the middle of the field. Ryan’s defensive unit dominated the NFL in 1985, when the Bears fielded what many football historians consider the best defensive unit ever. The Bears entered Super Bowl XX holding an almost perfect 18-and-1 record. From the beginning of Super Bowl play against the New England Patriots, the Bears dominated, holding the Patriots to negative yardage in the first half and 123 total yards for the game. Patriots’ rushing yards in the Super Bowl totaled seven. This matched the number of sacks the Bears achieved against Patriot quarterback Tony Eason. Singletary stood out among an outstanding defensive unit, managing three sacks, one interception, and three fumble recoveries single-handedly. The Bears offense also shone behind young quarterback Jim McMahon and veteran running back Walter Payton, who was, at the time, the NFL’s leading all-time rusher. The outcome of Super Bowl XX was never in doubt, with the Bears winning 46 to 10. Notably, players broke with tradition in carrying both Ditka and Ryan off the field after victory, recognizing the outstanding work of their defensive coordinator. Unfortunately for the Bears’ defense, Ryan joined the Philadelphia Eagles as head coach the next season. Hiroaki Nishikawara today lives in Indianapolis and works as part of Barnes & Thornburg LLP’s Global Services Practice Group. Now a fan of the Colts, he retains strong memories of the Bears’ Super Bowl season in 1985, their first since 1963.Friday, April 1, 2011
Barnes & Thornburg’s Global Services Practice
Hiroaki Nishikawara is Of Counsel at the Indianapolis office of Barnes & Thornburg LLP, in the Labor and Employment Law and Business Law Departments. His areas of practice include business immigration issues, management interests in employment, and general business transactions. With an international background, he represents the employment-related concerns of numerous Japanese companies operating in the U.S. He also assists clients in advisory capacities on matters concerning employment practice audits, labor relations issues, and human resource management.
Hiroaki Nishikawara is also a member of the firm’s Global Services Practice Group, which recognizes the firm’s client diversity and representation of clients with interests in the U.S. and beyond. Many of the U.S. clients Nishikawara represents, from multinational enterprises to individuals and small companies, require experienced legal counsel as they pursue commercial ventures abroad. He frequently assists clients with a wide range of issues that pertain to their U.S. operations.
Barnes & Thornburg’s Global Services Practice Group serves a related function in assisting overseas companies with commercial interests in the U.S. Hiroaki Nishikawara helps these firms navigate the complexities of setting up U.S. bases of operation. In addition, he counsels foreign companies on an ongoing basis regarding employment laws, operational issues, and other matters that arise over the course of their business ventures in America. Several of Barnes & Thornburg’s regional offices also offer focused global services. The Japanese Services Group, to which Hiroaki Nishikawara belongs (and which falls under the umbrella of the Global Services Practice Group), is centered in Chicago and Indianapolis.
Hiroaki Nishikawara is also a member of the firm’s Global Services Practice Group, which recognizes the firm’s client diversity and representation of clients with interests in the U.S. and beyond. Many of the U.S. clients Nishikawara represents, from multinational enterprises to individuals and small companies, require experienced legal counsel as they pursue commercial ventures abroad. He frequently assists clients with a wide range of issues that pertain to their U.S. operations.
Barnes & Thornburg’s Global Services Practice Group serves a related function in assisting overseas companies with commercial interests in the U.S. Hiroaki Nishikawara helps these firms navigate the complexities of setting up U.S. bases of operation. In addition, he counsels foreign companies on an ongoing basis regarding employment laws, operational issues, and other matters that arise over the course of their business ventures in America. Several of Barnes & Thornburg’s regional offices also offer focused global services. The Japanese Services Group, to which Hiroaki Nishikawara belongs (and which falls under the umbrella of the Global Services Practice Group), is centered in Chicago and Indianapolis.
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