Lawyer on Air

In this episode, Aya Saito, shares her journey from a kind of identity crisis to finding her style and authentic self in a unique role. Her career challenges became accomplishments that she even enjoyed! I’ve not heard of any guest so far in six seasons refer to their challenges in this way. Through the power of conversation, Aya uncovers these gems even though she didn’t know they were there! Join us for another fabulous episode from one of our own women in law in 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 Aya

Aya is a member of the Global Legal Team at Boston Consulting Group based in Tokyo office, where she is supporting Japan and South Korea. Aya is a qualified attorney in Japan (Bengoshi). Prior to joining BCG, Aya was in private practice with an Osaka boutique law firm specializing in international transactions, intellectual property and dispute resolution for Kansai corporations. She then moved to Tokyo to join the Legal team at Accenture, where she handled large outsourcing and technology deals, and other complex legal matters. She has co-authored several books with fellow Bengoshi, and is also a CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner). Aya is a mother to a 4 year old boy. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, swimming, yoga and travelling.

Connect with Aya 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aya-saito-545138121/ 

Links

Ryukotei Chinese Restaurant: https://www.ryukoutei.net/ 

More than enough: https://www.amazon.co.jp/MORE-THAN-ENOUGH-ELAINE-WELTEROTH/dp/0525561587 

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

Naoko Matsuzaki, a Managing Director at KPMG, shares her reflections on defining moments in her career, including how working with clients and colleagues can lead to offers to take up amazing study and job opportunities. Naoko has come across many challenges in her career, not to mention trying to start her career in the “hiring ice age”! But she always found a way. This is an inspirational story of what can happen when you give things a try and just do your best.

Special shout out to John Lindsay as you will LOVE this episode for your windshield time. Also, Tove Kinooka listen out for a fabulous horse analogy you will absolutely love. 

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 Naoko

Naoko is a graduate of law from Keio University and is a managing director at KPMG. As a core member of the leadership of a new team, she assists clients on mitigating corporate misconduct, namely prevention, detection, and incident response and enhancement of a compliance program for her clients. Her team is currently like an internal startup, working on building this new practice within the next few years. 

Naoko holds an LL.M. from Stanford Law School and an LL.B. from Keio University in Tokyo, is natively fluent in Japanese and English, and has lived and worked in Japan and the U.S. She is a member of the American Bar Association and has lectured on international panels regarding anti-corruption. Naoko also enjoys horseback riding.  She is a certified horseback rider of the Japan Equestrian Federation and sometimes participates in British style dressage competitions. 

Connect with Naoko 

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

Links

Die with Zero: ​​https://amzn.asia/d/hNGWbLF  

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 

You are going to love this episode featuring one of the biggest fans of Lawyer on Air and a successful lawyer in her own right, Akiyo Inoko Hewett. Akiyo got my attention with her thoughtful and insightful post on LinkedIn; little did I know that she was a big LOA fan! In addition to being an avid listener, she has forged a career for herself as a bilingual international lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia. If you are wondering about different places to start a law career, this episode is packed with great examples of how Akiyo achieved this.

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 Akiyo

Akiyo Inoko Hewett is an Associate in the Corporate Practice of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.

Akiyo is a member of the International Practice Team. She is passionate about serving both domestic and international clients who deal with cross-border transactions. Akiyo’s practice includes corporate formation, corporate governance and compliance, as well as various types of commercial transactions.

Akiyo earned her undergraduate degree from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, her J.D. from Keio University Law School, and her LL.M. from Emory University School of Law. While in law school, she attended several United Nations conferences as a legal advocate on international human rights law. Akiyo passed the Japanese bar exam and is eligible to practice law in Japan. She also passed the Georgia bar exam and is admitted to practice law in Georgia, USA.

Akiyo loves to meet new people and build friendships. She is a member of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Japan-America Society of Georgia, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia.

Connect with Akiyo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiyo-inoko-hewett-3ba626126/ 

Links

Bulgari Ristorante  https://www.bulgarihotels.com/ja_JP/tokyo-osaka-restaurants/tokyo/il-ristorante 

Ramona Houston’s podcast: https://ramonahouston.com/podcast/ 

Love Train by Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNro3uBlqVg 

Sarah Ouis of Law But How? https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-ouis-lawyeruk/ Link to Akiyo’s LinkedIn post

My comments on LinkedIn

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

Asako Ouchi takes us on an amazing journey through her career so far - you will need to hold onto your seat for this one! Tokyo, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Asako created opportunities for herself to get what she wanted from her career and she did not let her circumstances get in the way of at least asking. Often this approach turned into an opportunity, so I highly recommend listening to this particular career journey for anyone who is thinking that what they want might not be possible because of a circumstance. 

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 Asako

Asako Ouchi is a Senior Attorney at IBM.  She undertook study at the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan (2010) and obtained her qualification for Legal Professional Practice from Keio University Law School (Juris Doctor, 2009) and Keio University (Bachelor of Laws, 2007).

Asako joined Anderson Mori & Tomotsune in 2011 as an Associate in their Tokyo office to March 2020 assisting in all aspects of legal issues for Japanese and Foreign clients, with a focus on competition law, corporate law and labor law. 

During her time with Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Asako had the opportunity for several secondments in-house and to a UK law firm. 

First she was seconded to the compliance department of a Japanese shipping company for one year (June 2013 - June 2014) to assist with ongoing cartel matters and to help develop better solutions for competition law compliance. 

Her second secondment was as a foreign attorney to the London office of Field Fisher Waterhouse (July 2016 - June 2017). There she assisted Japanese companies involved in cartel investigations in the EU and provided seminars for potential Japanese clients explaining to them the effect of Brexit. 

Asako also spent time in the Shanghai office of Anderson Mori Tomotsune (October 2017 - September 2018) dealing with multiple international cases in the area of M&A, cartels, and other general cooperate matters. 

Asako experienced a further secondment to the legal and compliance department of Novartis Pharma K.K. (October 2018 - March 2020) which led to her being hired by them, in April 2020 as their Legal Counsel and then Senior Legal Counsel in the Oncology Unit (integrated with the Pharma Unit mid-August 2022) before she then joined IBM in April 2023.

In her spare time, Asako enjoys her time going out with her family especially taking time out with her kids and focusing on them. She is also community minded and participated in the school parents board as a meaningful external activity working towards a sustainable future for her community. 

Connect with Asako 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asako-ouchi-9082b2232/ 

Links

Bistro Hutch: https://www.facebook.com/BistroHutch/ 

Keio University Founder, Fukuzawa Yukichi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukuzawa_Yukichi 

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

Catherine O’Connell has the microphone spotlight switched on her in this episode.  Hear more about what it has been like for Catherine has taken to get herself to where she is today on the Independent Audit & Statutory Board of Fujitsu and nominated as Independent Audit and Supervisory Board Member at Toyota Motor Corporation. Catherine shares how her “unglamourous” work experience as a lawyer at the coalface in manufacturing companies has now become a shining diamond that has led her to these exciting positions.

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:

Links

Apero: https://apero.co.jp/ja 

The National Art Center Tokyo: ​​https://www.nact.jp/shop/restaurant_cafe.html 

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

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