Mami Hino was enjoying her career in pharmaceuticals until it was made clear that she would need to leave the company after marrying someone from the same industry but a different company. This set Mami on a path to retrain as a patent lawyer, learn English to be able to study in the US to get to where she is today. It’s an astounding story of turning unfortunate circumstances into opportunities. 

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 Mami

Mami Hino is a partner of Abe Ikubo & Katayama, a Japanese Patent Attorney and admitted to practice in New York.

Mami has represented the world’s leading technology companies for many years in disputes, litigation and transactions. Her practice is focused on invalidity trials and resultant IP High Court appeals, cross-border infringement litigation, strategic patent prosecution, client counselling, and opinions. 

Mami is also a registered pharmacist. It is due to her background as a registered pharmacist that Mami has built extensive experience representing innovative pharmaceutical companies to protect their patents, including by filing patent term extension applications, defending patents in invalidity trials and IP High Court appeals, and filing preliminary injunction requests and/or patent infringement suits against generic drug companies. 

Mami had to quit her previous company due to marriage with her husband and then went on to obtain her JD and became a U.S. attorney.  

Mami obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmaceutical sciences from Kyoto University and a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law. She is the first chairperson of the diversity committee of Japan Patent Attorney Association.

Connect with Mami

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mami-hino-3b1379/ 

Links

Aux Bacchanales: https://www.auxbacchanales.com/shops/#kioicho 　

Suzu Sushi restaurant: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1309/A130903/13046817/　

Hakone Honbako: https://hakonehonbako.com/ 

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 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair 

Today’s episode carries a content warning for sexual harassment. We don’t go into detail, but if this is a difficult topic for you, please skip minutes 31 to 35 of the episode.

Tomo Greer wanted to be a professional athlete but came to find her way as both a lawyer and an athlete. It turns out you can do both! Tomo’s story of finding her way to becoming an Ironman competitor as well as a busy associate in a law firm in Tokyo, is so inspiring to anyone wanting to build their career as well as pursue a sport seriously. Even if you are not interested in becoming a triathlete, perhaps you might reconsider what you do have time for amongst your priorities after you listen to this episode! 

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 Tomo

Tomo Greer is a Foreign Associate at Tokyo International Law Office.

Tomo is half Kiwi, and half Japanese, born in Fukuoka, made in New Zealand, and with some added spices added in Bangkok! 

Tomo is a New Zealand qualified M&A and corporate lawyer based in Tokyo. She has a wide experience across industries and has experience outside the field of law in tech, publishing and advertising.

Tomo relocated to Japan in 2020 from Bangkok, spending 3 years working at a Japanese law firm. Beyond the corporate veil, Tomo is a passionate triathlete and proud Ironman with several age-group wins. She is ranked 5th amateur female in Japan for 2022. Tomo is also a former competitive semi-pro Muay Thai fighter in NZ and Thailand.

Connect with Tomo 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomo-greer-0612/ 

Website: https://www.tkilaw.com/members/tomogreer 

Links

Iki Cafe: https://www.ikiespresso.com/ 

OL Oslo Brewing https://www.oltokyo.jp/ 

So Good They Can’t Ignore You https://www.amazon.co.jp/Good-They-Cant-Ignore-You/dp/1455509124 

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 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair 

Becoming a “Bengoshi” (Japan qualified lawyer), did not suit Yui Ota-Barclay so she took a chance to become a foreign qualified lawyer instead. In this episode, Yui shares her unique path to becoming an associate at Norton Rose Fulbright based in Tokyo. This is another diverse story of how things can work out for you even though it might not be on that 5 year plan you had in mind. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

About Yui

Yui Ota-Barclay is an Associate at Norton Rose Fulbright based in Tokyo. Yui is a transactions lawyer admitted in New York. She specialises in Asset finance with a focus on the shipping and energy sectors.

Yui was raised in Yokohama, Japan, and spent one year in Colorado, U.S. as an exchange student during high school.  She graduated from Keio University (Bachelor of Laws) in Tokyo in 2012 and thereafter obtained a Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. in 2013.  

After completing an internship with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Office of International Affairs, where she focused on international collaboration for consumer protection matters, she joined the Tokyo office of Norton Rose Fulbright in 2014.  

She then worked in the London office for one and a half years and was involved in transactions with clients based in the U.K. and Europe before returning to the Tokyo office in 2021.  

Yui is a strong advocate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It’s her passion. She leads, and has been actively engaged in, the Diversity and Inclusion initiatives at Norton Rose Fulbright, both in Tokyo and across the global platform.  Yui is a member of the Gender Equality Committee of Kanagawa Prefecture, which aims to guide local government policy on gender related issues. Yui also joined the executive committee of Women in Law Japan as a volunteer in 2023.

A fun fact about Yui is that she is a keen runner and in 2022, she ran a total of 1,015km  - that’s the equivalent of 24 marathons!

Connect with Yui

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

Links

Barny Akasaka: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1308/A130801/13218865/ 

Yui’s articles:

I am somebody’s wife https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/about/re/stringers/in-tokyo-la-and-cape-town-issue-20

What it is to be a Japanese woman: https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/about/re/the-essay/what-it-is-to-be-a-woman-issue-21 

Way of Life https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-au/about/re/way-of-life/yui-ota-in-japan-issue-14

The guide – Tokyo culture https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/about/re/the-guide/tokyo-culture-issue-11 

Where to eat [in Tokyo] through morning noon and night https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/about/re/eating-out/in-tokyo-and-yokahama-issue-19 

Ladies who London Podcast: https://www.ladieswholondon.com/ 

Women and Family in Contemporary Japan book: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Women-Family-Contemporary-Japan-Holloway/dp/0521180376 

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 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair

Carlotta Bruessel brings her fascinating experience of qualifying in both civil law and common law to Japan in the area of international arbitration. This is a story of an unusual career path in the law which is so important to hear. Carlotta is also passionate about connections and collaborations so it is exciting to see her idea to form a club to help bring young arbitrators in Japan together to share their expertise and have fun too.

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 Carlotta

Carlotta Bruessel, is an arbitration practitioner working for Nishimura & Asahi as a Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi to represent Japanese and international companies. At Nishimura & Asahi her practice focuses particularly on the pharmaceutical, manufacturing and construction sectors and most recently, she has been interested in the renewable energy space Carlotta completed an LL.B in England & Wales while studying in Scotland, followed by an LL.M in International Law and Trade in Geneva. As a result of this, she has experience in both civil and common law jurisdiction and is very interested in how these two legal frameworks overlap and can be utilized in arbitrations to create the best outcomes for parties. Carlotta has previously worked at HKIAC in Hong Kong and, before moving to Tokyo, was a Senior Associate at Herbert Smith Freehills in Sydney. She has also worked at two UN institutions (the International Law Commission and UNCTAD). She is admitted to practice in Australia and speaks fluent German and English, as well as basic French and Japanese.

Connect with Carlotta

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

Links

Cafe Hato

The Japanese Mind

Let Tokyo Eat Cake

Arbitration Club link coming soon.

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

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair

We are thrilled to bring you Andrea Sanada Ng to share her unique story of becoming a lawyer and finding her own way to a happy career after pivots and turns. We don’t always have the perfect conditions or information when making choices about our careers but Andrea shows us that things can work out, even when you think they won’t.

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 Andrea

Andrea Sanada Ng is an associate in K&L Gates’ Mergers and Acquisitions practice group.  While born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Andrea has spent most of her adult life outside of Canada. She studied and worked in three different cities in the United States before being admitted to the New York bar in 2017. Soon after that, Andrea decided to move back to Tokyo, Japan, as she had spent some time in Tokyo as a youth and always had a desire to return. After some twists and turns, Andrea eventually found her way to an in-house position for one of Japan’s entertainment and gaming companies: Sega Sammy Holdings. After four years as an in-house counsel, concentrating on commercial contracts and intellectual property, Andrea decided to make the jump to BigLaw and joined K&L Gates in February 2022.

Andrea has always been passionate about supporting and engaging those who may have experienced discrimination or exclusion because of lack of access to resources. This stemmed from her time volunteering with the Riverdale Immigrant Women’s Centre in Toronto, and is reflected in her past involvement with the Lori E. Talsky Center for Human Rights of Women and Children and in her continued pro bono services through the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts New York. Andrea completed her Bachelor of Arts, Honours, in political science from the University of Western Ontario and earned her Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University College of Law. She lives in Tokyo with her husband and their criminally pampered cat.

Connect with Andrea

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-sanada-ng-704504b3/

Andrea Ng | People | K&L Gates (klgates.com)

Links

Yamazato | Restaurants, bars, and room service | Dining | The Okura Tokyo

An Immense World — Ed Yong

SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS

Indiana Jones movie list - IMDb

Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis - IGN

Connect with Catherine

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

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

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair

From time to time I invite an ally of women lawyers in Japan onto the show, and someone I would love you to meet is Sam Inohara. Even though he did not graduate from a top 10 law school, he has created a unique career path in Japan, culminating in his present position as Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright Tokyo office. In this episode, he explains why you should consider Japan in your international law career and what the situation is here now with the legal market.

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 Sam

Sam Inohara is a California-qualified lawyer and has been living and working in Japan for over 20 years. He is a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright where his practice focuses on mergers & acquisitions and matters adjacent to M&A.

Connect with Sam

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-inohara-25a2431/

Website: https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-jp/people/137735

Links

Kawakamian: https://www.kawakamian.com/shops/tokyo.php

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

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair

Marose comes from a family of inspirational women and she will definitely inspire you with her outlook on life and how she has made the most of opportunities that have presented themselves to her. Marose shares with us how her outside activities are actually a way to improve her knowledge and network in her chosen area of arbitration.

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 Marose

Marose is a Counsel at Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners and is a registered foreign lawyer licensed in both the Philippines and the State of New York.

Marose serves as a Volunteer Public Relations Officer of the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA), which is the leading commercial arbitral institution in Japan.

She is also the co-Founder and Vice-Chair on the Executive Committee of Energy Related Arbitration Practitioners (ENERAP) - Japan Chapter (since 2021) and is Vice-Chair, Technology, Media and Telecommunications Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association.

Marose also lectures at Kyushu University, and in 2023 will teach a course at Temple University in Tokyo. She has also published several articles about Philippine legal updates and the rules of the JCAA.

Connect with Marose

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marose-pereira-02394aab/

Links

Rose Bakery: https://www.rose-bakery.jp/

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

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair

Mindy Allen is sharing her knowledge of the Japan legal recruitment market with us in this episode. She has made a transition from lawyer to legal recruiter since we last spoke with her. We’ll dive into not only why she chose to move away from legal work for now and what it’s like to be a recruiter. She gives us her up to date insights for lawyers who want to know more about career moves in the near future.

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 Mindy

Mindy Allen works with law firms and companies in Japan to identify candidates who will enhance their practices and legal departments.  She also provides guidance to Bengoshi, Gaiben and other foreign-qualified lawyers, as they navigate their legal careers in the Japanese legal market.

Originally from New York, Mindy practiced corporate law in both New York and Tokyo for over a decade before joining Major, Lindsey & Africa. She has resided in Tokyo since 2014 and is fluent in Japanese. In addition to serving on the Executive Committee of Women in Law Japan and as a lecturer at Keio University Law School’s LL.M. program, Mindy is an avid baker and loves spending weekends at the beach with her husband and dog.

Connect with Mindy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-allen-8391107/

Website: https://www.mlaglobal.com/en/people/mindy-allen

Links

Mindy’s episode from Season 1

Tetote: http://tetote-apartment.com/

Urn Chai & Tea:https://store.urn-jp.com/

Mindy’s article  English Japanese

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

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair

Rika Beppu was adamant she would forge her career through her own hard work as an English lawyer working in a UK firm. When her firm offered her the role of a lifetime and an opportunity to be the founding partner of a new office in Tokyo, this really challenged her idea of how she had planned her career and it did not include Japan! Listen as we hear how Rika navigated her career to where she is today.

In this episode you’ll hear:

About Rika

Rika Beppu is a corporate M&A lawyer who has been practicing law in Tokyo as a foreign-registered lawyer for the past two decades.

After her first degree from the English Language and Foreign Studies faculty of Sophia University, Rika studied and worked in the UK as an English law solicitor.

She then came to Tokyo to open the first joint enterprise between a large Japanese law firm and an international law firm.

Rika advises Japanese corporates in their global M&A transactions which span the globe. More recently she has been involved in divesting non-core global businesses of Japanese companies.

She is passionate about equality in the workplace and in society and has been inspired by her experience as an Asia Society Young Global Leader fellow to contribute to and give back to society in different ways.  This led her to be instrumental in founding Women in Law Japan in 2016 together with a group of amazing like-minded female legal professionals.

She has also become active in the Lawyers for LGBT & Allies Network in Japan which fully supports equal marriage rights in Japan.

In her role as chair of the legal services committee of the European Business Council (that is, the EU Chamber of Commerce in Japan), she advocates for a level playing field for foreign registered lawyers, in particular, she is advocating that the three-year work experience rule should be abolished in its entirety.

In June 2022, Rika was appointed as an outside director of Mitsubishi Materials Corporation and is relishing this new challenge.

Connect with Rika

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rika-beppu-21b55830/

Links

Segafredo Hiroo

Who moved my cheese 

Asia Society Young Global Leaders

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

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair

Tina Saunders ticked all the boxes as she moved through her career as a lawyer, but when she was offered partner track, she hesitated. Listen and hear what happened next when Tina asked for a one year sabbatical from her firm.

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 Tina

Tina is Director, Beasley School of Law, at Temple University Japan Campus (TUJ). Tina joined the TUJ faculty in 2013, teaching Civil Procedure and Torts and since 2016 has been managing the TUJ Beasley School of Law programs: That is their Master of Laws (LL.M.), Juris Doctor (J.D.) semester abroad and non-degree Certificate programs in U.S. and International Law.

Tina received her law degree from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration from Howard University.

Tina took a one year sabbatical, traveling in Japan and other countries and ultimately saw Tina leaving her law firm career to start a new adventure and work as an educator.

Outside of work, Tina loves making cocktails, hiking, jogging and for her mindfulness, she has taken up adult coloring.

Connect with Tina

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-saunders-64067015a/

Links

Bar Trench: https://small-axe.net/bar-trench/

Michelle Obama’s book: The light we carry. 

Toni Morrison: Recitatif

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

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair