Lawyer on Air

Have you always wanted to be a lawyer but given up on your dream thinking it was too late? Well my guest, Nicole Scoble-Williams is going to show you how absolutely anything is possible with her amazing career to date that traverses software engineering and IT, genetic counselling to law and the future of work. We certainly have a futuristic episode for you!

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

About Nicole

Nicole helps to activate adaptable and resilient businesses and her careers so far have gone through harnessing the collective intelligence of humans working productively with smart technology. Nicole works with individuals, businesses, and governments. She helps them to re imagine their future vision and to adapt to the constantly evolving new realities of work in today's digital age of perpetual disruption.

Nicole is a published author of several publications such as the Deloitte 2021 Global Human Capital Trends Short Report on the Worker-Employer Relationship Disrupted: which asks if we are not a family what are we?

Connect with Nicole

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-scoble-williams/

Links

Steven Covey: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519

Linda Gratton, Andrew J. Scott: The New Long Life: https://www.amazon.co.jp/New-Long-Life-Framework-Flourishing/dp/1526615177

Deloitte 2021 Global Human Capital Trends Short Report on the Worker-Employer Relationship Disrupted: which asks if we are not a family what are we? 

Connect with Catherine

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair

If you have ever wondered how your interests might intersect with a legal career, then this is the episode for you. My guest is Celeste Koravos, not only is she a lawyer but a certified engineer and skilled Japanese linguist. How did she create a unique career with her varied interests and talents? Listen to find out!

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

About Celeste

Celeste Koravos is a Senior Commercial Counsel, Asia-Pacific, at Maxeon Solar Technologies. As President of Australia Japan Society of Victoria she is also passionate about contributing to the bilateral Australia-Japan relationship, building relationships, connecting people and creating new value.

In early 2021, Celeste worked as the Director, Directions at COVID-19 Legal at Victorian Government Department of Health. Prior to that she was Legal Counsel at Mitsui & Co. (Australia) Ltd, advising various business divisions and group companies in Australia and New Zealand. She also has extensive private practice experience in leading Australian and international law firms in Melbourne and Tokyo where she advised on complex construction, engineering and large-scale infrastructure projects.

Celeste is also a qualified civil engineer (first class honours) with industry experience including BHP Billiton (coal bed methane), Exxon Mobil (gas and power marketing) and ARRB Group (traffic and transport). Celeste enjoys interfacing technical, legal and commercial aspects of projects.

Connect with Celeste

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/celestekoravos/

Website: https://ajsvictoria.org.au/

Links

T-Site Bookstore https://store.tsite.jp/daikanyama/

Seven types of ambiguity by Elliot Perlman https://www.amazon.co.jp/Seven-Types-Ambiguity-Elliot-Perlman/dp/1594481431

Connect with Catherine

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148

Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer

What do sailing the seven seas for many months, learning Japanese from scratch and working at the top law firm in two different countries have in common? My guest Pavitra Iyer has done them all! If you believe there is only one path to being a top level lawyer, then her story will definitely show you otherwise! Pavitra will show you that truly anything is possible with her fascinating lawyer life as an M&A lawyer in both India and Japan.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

About Pavitra

Pavitra is a multi-jurisdictional transactions lawyer with over ten years of experience in leading law firms in India and Japan. Eight of these years were spent with one of the top Japanese firms, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto. Before relocating to Japan in 2010, Pavitra worked for the Mumbai office of AZB & Partners, one of India’s premier law firms. Her practice areas are M&A, Private Equity, Corporate Compliance and General Corporate Advisory.

Pavitra is admitted in India and as a Solicitor of England & Wales, in addition to being a registered foreign lawyer in Japan. Her core work involves advising clients on various aspects of cross-border investments. In Japan, this has largely taken the form of advising Japanese clients investing in India and overseas,  and advising on local compliance matters and other queries that arise in the context of doing business in India. Pavitra uses not just her legal skills and expertise, but also her first-hand knowledge of Indian culture and the related nuances that come necessarily bundled with doing cross-border business, to help her clients successfully implement their business needs.

Pavitra completed her undergraduate degree in law from the University of Pune and developed a love for corporate law during her post-graduate days at the London School of Economics & Political Science, where she graduated with a Masters degree in Corporate and Commercial laws.

Being a mother to a very active 4-year old, she says spare time is mostly a fond memory, but on the occasions that she can lose herself in a book, or her music, she is content.

Connect with Pavitra

LinkedIn

Website

Links

Bagus Bar https://www.bagus-bar.jp/english.html

Hannah Ken, Burial Rights: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Burial-Rites-Hannah-Kent/dp/0316243922

Khalil Gibran, The Prophet https://www.amazon.co.jp/Prophet-Kahlil-Gibran/dp/0394404289

Becoming CEO of an international organisation is probably not on young lawyer’s minds as they graduate from law school and find their first law job. Mitsuru Claire Chino shares with us her path from working in a law firm to General Counsel to CEO. She has some absolute nuggets of wisdom that you won’t want to miss on how she sees that anyone can be their best, and it might surprise you some of the people she looks up to!

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

About Claire

Claire is Managing Executive Officer of ITOCHU Corporation, a Fortune Global 500 company headquartered in Japan, and President & CEO of ITOCHU International Inc., a subsidiary of ITOCHU  in New York, overseeing North America. Before assuming her position in New York, he was General Counsel of  ITOCHU, and prior to that, a partner with an international law firm.

In 2013, Claire became the first female executive officer of any major trading company in Japan. Claire has received several recognitions, including from the World Economic Forum (Young Global Leader), Yale University (Yale World Fellow), Asia Society (Asia 21) and the U.S. Japan Foundation (USJLP Fellow).

Claire has also been recognized in the legal community as a “Top 25 In-House Counsel in Asia” (Asia Legal Business), “Asia Pacific’s Innovative Lawyer” (Financial Times), and “FT Global General Counsel 30” (Financial Times), and has received a “Transformative Leader” award (Inside Counsel). In 2018, the California Lawyers Association recognized her as the 8th Annual Warren M. Christopher International Lawyer of the Year.

Most recently, she became the recipient of the Smith Medal from Smith College. She is a graduate of Smith College (B.A. cum laude) and Cornell Law School (J.D.), where she serves on the advisory board. She is a classically trained singer and gives solo performances from time to time.

Connect with Claire

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitsuru-claire-chino-10ba6930/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fitochuinternational%2F

Links

On Borrowed Time by Graham Hall https://www.amazon.co.jp/Borrowed-Time-Graeme-Hall/dp/1527271374

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair

Legal career advice and stories of how to get yourself noticed for positions you can only dream of abound in Season Two Episode One with Lawyer Extraordinaire, Royanne Doi. Royanne has a way of explaining concepts that make you want to grab a pen and paper so you don’t miss anything. Make sure you have some ready for all the gold nuggets she has prepared for you. Royanne is not only a champion planner, and self-named “process queen” but also a master of noticing those moments of serendipity that have led her to land a dream job she didn’t know existed without even interviewing. How did she do it? Listen and find out!

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

About Royanne

Royanne Doi is currently an Outside Director to Gojo & company, a social impact start-up company investing in micro-finance banks in emerging markets.  She also teaches an executive MBA course at Hitotsubashi University Business School, School of International Corporate Strategy. Her course is called “Leading Across Culture and Diversity.”

Royanne most recently served as Advisor for Global Legal, Ethics & Compliance for Yamaha Corporation. Prior to her experience with a global Japan-based manufacturing music company, Royanne held senior legal positions with major financial institutions including Prudential Financial, Inc., State Street Bank and Trust Company and CIGNA/ACE Insurance.

In addition to her current role as Representative Director of the US-Japan Council (Japan board), Royanne has served on various volunteer boards including the Japan In-house Counsel Network, the Association for Women in Finance in Japan, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and was the treasurer/director of the Japan-United States Education Commission (“Fulbright Japan”).

Royanne has an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, from Washington University in St. Louis, graduating Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa.  She earned her Juris Doctorate from UCLA School of Law. She is a member of the California bar. She has lived in Japan since 1994, married for 30+ years to her law school sweetheart.  She has three passions: economic empowerment for women, Asia with an emphasis on Japan, and the intersection between neuroscience and behavioral ethics.

Connect with Royanne

To connect with Royanne, please contact Catherine O'Connell

Connect with Catherine

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148

Just when you thought Season One was finished and there would be no more Lawyer on Air until after the summer, we have a surprise bonus episode. Yuka Hongo and I spoke in Episode Seven about her area of the law which is Estate Planning. As more people live international lives, Estate planning also needs to become international. Yuka gives us a window into what she sees in her work and we hope that it will help you on your way to finding out what you need in your own plans too. You can hear Yuka in more detail in Episode 7 of Lawyer on Air.

In this episode you’ll hear:

** Please note that the content of this recording is not legal advice but for educational and informational purposes. We hope these will be prompts to guide you as to the next steps you need to take.

About Yuka

A graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, Yuka Hongo is a licensed attorney in Hawaii, California, New York and the District of Columbia. Born in Japan, she came to the United States as a young child and was raised in a bilingual setting. Professionally, she has extensive experience working in both languages, including complicated legal transactions.

Spending time in both Japan and the United States, Yuka saw what can happen when a loved one dies without an estate plan in place. Assets can be tied up in court for months. She guides families through the probate process in Hawaii and helps people create appropriate and effective estate plans to make sure their wishes are followed.

Yuka typically travels to Japan twice a year, where she meets with clients and gives seminars on effective estate planning. She uses her knowledge of estate law, her bilingual skills and her understanding of both cultures to help residents and non-residents of the U.S. plan ahead to avoid future problems.

Connect with Yuka

Website: http://www.hongolaw.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuka-hongo-68ab58123/

Connect with Catherine

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148

Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer

Here it is by popular demand! Episode 10 of Lawyer on Air, featuring none other than Catherine herself in the hot seat. Who better to interview Catherine than Lawyer on Air’s very first guest - Angela Krantz. We know you are going to love this episode and make sure you listen to the end for some surprises!!

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

About Catherine

Catherine hails from New Zealand and is founder and principal of her own boutique law firm in Tokyo. She provides flexible legal services to law firms, legal departments and businesses, on a project and needs-specific basis, delivered by bilingual in-house experienced lawyers. This is a pioneering unique legal solutions model in Japan. Her areas of focus include: foreign lawyer support for Japanese and international law firms in Japan, determining how, when and where a full-time, in-country legal counsel might best contribute to an in-house legal department; setting up systems and workflows, localising global templates, introducing general commercial contract governance to business, she combines her bilingual capability and deep in-house counsel experience, to act as the lead on all the in-person and written contract negotiations for client’s “business as usual” and project work. Catherine also Professional Mentorship coaching lawyers 1:1 and in Masterminds (by invitation or referral), supporting CEOs with risk and legal training, and coaching in-house legal staff and law firm associates through the her Associates Accelerator Academy.  Catherine is a multiple award winner in entrepreneurship, excellence and being a trailblazer.

Links

Tokyo Toranomon Edition Hotel: https://www.editionhotels.com/tokyo-toranomon

Counsel to Counsel Podcast:https://counseltocounsel.libsyn.com/

Be that Lawyer: https://fretzin.com/podcast/

The Thought Leadership Podcast: https://thoughtleadershipleverage.com/thought-leadership-podcasts/

The View from Breast Pocket Mountain: https://www.karenhillanton.com/

More than Enough https://www.elainewelteroth.com/book

Lead from the Outside https://www.amazon.co.jp/Lead-Outside-Build-Future-Change/dp/1250214807

Connect with Guest Host Angela Krantz

Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/angela-krantz-5938b311

Connect with Catherine

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

I know there are so many lawyers who have been waiting to hear from our guest today: Jenifer Rogers. Sit back, buckle up and be prepared to be amazed and dazzled as we traverse her career in the law and hear about how she has found and made opportunities work for her. Jenifer is not only a powerhouse in the legal world but also turns her skills to help non-profits in areas she is passionate about. If you didn’t know Jenifer you might not realise just how big her heart is and how seriously she takes her impact on the world.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

About Jenifer

Jenifer Rogers is General Counsel of Asia for Asurion based in Tokyo. She was elected as an External Director of Mitsui & Co. Ltd in 2015 as the first foreign female director of a Japanese trading company.  She was also elected as an External Director to the Board of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. in June 2018 as their first female and foreign director and to the Board of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd in June 2019 and serves on its Audit and Compensation Committees. Before joining Asurion in 2012, Jenifer worked at (what is now) the Bank of America Merrill Lynch for 18 years in a variety of senior legal roles in various cities including Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York and Tokyo.

Jenifer was elected as the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan in January in 2021, after serving as a Governor since January 2018 and as a Vice President from January 2020. She also serves on other not-for profit boards: since June 2016, Jenifer has been elected and served on the Georgetown University Alumni Association Board of Governors and in May 2018 was appointed by the American Ambassador of Japan to the Japan US Education Commission (Fulbright Japan) as Treasurer. She became a member of the Board of the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) in April 2019. Jenifer is a founding member of the Japan Center of the Asia Society and a member of its Arts Committee. More recently in November 2020, she was appointed to the Board of Councilors of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University.

She is a member of the New York bar and fluent in Japanese.

Connect with Jenifer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenifer-rogers-0592306/

Links

Andaz Rooftop Bar: https://www.andaztokyo.jp/restaurants/jp/rooftop-bar/

Feel better live more podcast: https://drchatterjee.com/blog/category/podcast/

Thinking fast and Slow book: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0141033576

In 2012 my lawyer extraordinaire guest became the youngest female mayor ever in Japan. This is no small feat and even more so in Japan where at the time only 3% of mayors were women. Naomi Koshi shares her tenacity to accomplish goals that improve people’s lives. Whether they are the citizens of the city she served as mayor or in the work she now does on Smart Cities as a partner at Miura & Partners. In this episode, we also discuss the timely topic of diversity on corporate boards and how Naomi is now turning her skills to increase female managers in businesses and promote more women to be elected to these boards. A value packed episode as well as a chance to get to know the woman who is a catalyst for making real changes in Japan.

If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

About Naomi

Naomi Koshi is a lawyer, an entrepreneur and former two-term mayor of Otsu City, the capital of Japan’s Shiga Prefecture. From 2002 to 2011, Naomi practiced corporate law at Nishimura & Asahi in Tokyo and Debevoise & Plimpton in New York. From 2010 to 2011, Naomi was a Visiting Fellow at the Center on Japanese Economy and Business at Columbia Business School in New York, researching comparative corporate governance matters.

In 2012, Naomi was elected mayor of Otsu City, a prefectural capital with over 340,000 residents. Naomi won reelection in 2016, serving a total of eight years until her second term ended in 2020. Naomi was the youngest female mayor elected in Japan's history at that time, winning office at a time when only 3% of mayors in Japan were women (another fabulous woman has recently become the youngest female mayor in Japan) . As mayor, Naomi fought to expand opportunities for Japanese women.  In light of the homemaker role traditionally thrust upon Japanese mothers, and observed first hand by Naomi in her own family unit, Naomi successfully expanded Otsu's childcare system, thus making it easier for many Japanese women to return to the workforce.

Naomi is admitted to practice law in Japan, New York and California and is now a partner at the Tokyo based firm of Miura & Partners. Naomi focuses her legal practice on cross-border M&A and start-ups, including Smart City projects.

In 2021, Naomi Co-Founded OnBoard K.K., a company specializing in diversifying Japanese corporate boards. Naomi serves as CEO of the company.  Naomi also serves as an outside director of V-Cube, Inc.

Naomi was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2015 and was named an OECD Champion Mayor for Inclusive Growth. She holds multiple degrees from Hokkaido University, and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School.

Connect with Naomi

Miura & Partners https://www.miura-partners.com/en/lawyers/00049/

OnBoard K.K. https://onboardkk.com/en/

There are many ways to lead a lawyer life and today’s guest has found her own niche in a part of the world and an area that suits her perfectly. Yuka Hongo of Hongo Law Office is a US qualified attorney who found her niche in Honolulu. Yuka is a perfect example that you don’t have to be loud and aggressive to be a lawyer, but that empathy and supporting people when they need it is an equally important aspect of the field. I can’t wait to be able to travel freely again and check out some of her recommendations for a trip to Hawaii!

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to LinkedIn, and tag me and Yuka. Or leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

About Yuka

A graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, Yuka Hongo is a licensed attorney in Hawaii, California, New York and the District of Columbia. Born in Japan, she came to the United States as a young child and was raised in a bilingual setting. Professionally, she has extensive experience working in both languages, including complicated legal transactions.

Spending time in both Japan and the United States, Yuka saw what can happen when a loved one dies without an estate plan in place. Assets can be tied up in court for months. She guides families through the probate process in Hawaii and helps people create appropriate and effective estate plans to make sure their wishes are followed.

Yuka typically travels to Japan twice a year, where she meets with clients and gives seminars on effective estate planning. She uses her knowledge of estate law, her bilingual skills and her understanding of both cultures to help residents and non-residents of the U.S. plan ahead to avoid future problems.

Connect with Yuka

Website: http://www.hongolaw.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuka-hongo-68ab58123/

Links

Halekulani Hotel: https://www.halekulani.com/

How to manage a small law firm: https://howtomanageasmalllawfirm.com/

Be that lawyer podcast hosted by Steve Fretzin: https://fretzin.com/podcast/

Connect with Catherine

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148

Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer