Lawyer on Air

By Catherine O'ConnellBusiness Careers

Lawyer on Air episodes

February 19, 2023What you need to know about joining the Japan legal market in 2023 with Sam Inohara
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:
Sam’s very unconventional way to come to work in Japan and also join one of the biggest international law firms in Tokyo

The benefit of putting your ego in check and compromising to meet in the middle when it comes to getting a legal role

An update on the legal market and how it’s actually growing

Surprising facts about being a foreign registered lawyer in Japan and the number of Japanese lawyers per capita

Sam’s top tips for people considering coming to work in Japan
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
1 hr 8 min
February 05, 2023Leveraging volunteer opportunities to sustain your legal career with Marose Pereira
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:
How Marose was first inspired by her own mother studying law and running for office

Why Marose chose Japan to do postgraduate study

How she was able to help orchestrate an internship at the law firm she would then work at

Improving yourself outside of legal study, taking part in volunteer activities as a way to learn

Her favourite podcast and other fun facts
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 joined Oh-Ebashi in 2008 after briefly working at the Graduate School of Law of Kyushu University, where she completed her LL.M. in International Economic and Business Law in 2007. Prior to studying at Kyushu University, for almost six years until 2006, she worked at Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos Law Offices, one of the top corporate firms in the Philippines.
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
56 min
January 22, 2023From lawyer to legal recruiter in Japan with Mindy Allen
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:
What helped Mindy to make the switch from experienced lawyer to recruiter

The difference between recruitment for a position in-house vs private practice

How to best work with a legal recruiter depending on your needs

Why it’s better to start a relationship with a legal recruiter before you need their services

Mindy’s observations and predictions for the Japan legal market
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
1 hr 9 min
January 08, 2023Developing a growth mindset to become founding partner of a joint enterprise law firm in Japan with Rika Beppu
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:
How Rika came to be inspired to study law after living with a law student in the US.

Why she decided to pursue her law career in the UK, intentionally avoiding firms with connections to Japan

What happened when she was offered a founding partner position in Tokyo

How Rika has thrived in her board role as an outside director

Her favourite saying and other fun facts
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
1 hr 6 min
December 22, 2022The power of taking a sabbatical with Tina Saunders
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:
The importance of education for Tina and how she became a highly valued attorney at her firm

What happened on the day of her partner interview?

How she took a one year sabbatical and found herself in Japan

The transition from law firm to professor and finding the perfect dream position

Her favourite books and other fun facts
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 served as a law clerk for Judge Lynne A. Battaglia at the Maryland Court of Appeals and then entered private practice at Venable LLP in Baltimore, Maryland.
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
1 hr 37 min
December 11, 2022Create your dream solo firm that supports your passions with Monika Oyama
Monika Oyama never thought she would set up her own law practice, especially when she made partner at a firm at a young age. Listen as we hear how Monika was able to start her own firm that incorporates her “dream firm” aspects that she wrote down in a journal years ago while also contributing to causes that mean a lot to her. Thanks to Mangyo Kinoshita at southgate for introducing Monika to us!
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:
How Monika was guided to law even though her family are all scientists

The skills that contributed to her becoming partner at a young age

The decision to go solo and to create a firm that supports her passion for ocean conservation

Her favourite podcast and other fun facts
About Monika
Monika graduated from Keio University with an LLB in 2010 and Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law, attaining her JD in 2013. She is licensed in Illinois, California, and New York. Monika started her career in 2013 at a Chicago based firm after being promoted at the fastest possible track to become the youngest partner, shareholder, and board member at her firm.
In March, 2022, Monika opened her solo practice which focuses mainly on general corporate, domestic, and cross-border M&A commercial transactions and intellectual property matters. Monika has many leadership roles including the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association International Law Committee previously as their vice-chair and now chair. She's also vice chair of the Chicago Mita-kai, which is the Keio University Alumni Group, and she has been giving her time to Global Kids Judo Network as their board member since 2020 and was also part of the US Japan Council Emerging Leaguers Program 2020 to 2021. Monika has a wide variety of interests including traveling, cooking, wine, tasting, gardening, Spanish, Latin music, dancing, culture, as well as scuba diving, tennis and golf.
Connect with Monika
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikaoyama/
Website: https://www.oceana.law/
Links
Podcast: https://hubermanlab.com/category/podcast-episodes/
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
50 min
November 27, 2022Launching your own firm in Japan treating clients as your team mates with Akiko Araki
Akiko Araki shows us that in addition to big law there is another way to do law in Japan. Your way.
Akiko is the founder and Managing Partner of Araki International IP & Law. We follow her career from her first inspiration to be a lawyer to cleverly setting up her own practice when she transitioned into studying IP law.
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:
Akiko’s inspiration for becoming a lawyer when she was young

How she learned to be an associate who practices effective rather than perfect work

Finding her niche in the area of IP law and deciding to register her own law firm name early on

What it’s really like to run your own law firm

Her favourite book and other fun facts
About Akiko
Akiko Araki is the founder and Managing Partner of Araki International IP & Law. After a ten-year career with major law firms including US-based global firms, she founded Araki International to create an accessible platform for international clients who need legal supports to develop their business. As an attorney admitted both in California and Japan, she supports clients especially in cross-border matters, advising on Intellectual Property (IP), technology transactions, IT, data privacy, consumer law, labor law, general corporate and dispute resolutions. With its culture of promoting collaborations, Araki International welcomes various opportunities to work with clients and colleagues in a professional and friendly way.
Connect with Akiko
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiko-araki-397740122/
Website: https://arakiplaw.com/en/
Links
Poseidon: https://www.poseidonrestaurant.com/
Ally Mcbeal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ally_McBeal
Steve Jobs
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
57 min
November 13, 2022From law firm owner to becoming a patent attorney in Japan with Maria Abe
Maria Abe shows us that anything is possible with a little bit of an adventurous heart and a willingness to try new things even when you are unsure. Maria has navigated the challenges of starting her career during the World Financial Crisis of 2009 and takes us on a fascinating journey of how she came to be a practicing lawyer in Japan. A truly inspirational story for anyone who is feeling like the chips are stacked against you just now.
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:
What Maria did when she graduated during the world financial crisis and legal jobs were highly contested

How she started her own law firm with zero contacts and only a small amount of experience

What brought her to Japan and how she navigated the job market even though she didn’t have the typical experience that is traditionally sought after

What she likes about working at Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo.

Her favourite book and other fun facts
About Maria
Maria is an associate at Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo, which was named Employment Law Firm of the Year and Boutique Law Firm of the Year in 2022 at the ALB Japan Law Awards this year. Maria focuses on employment law, disputes and investigations, as well as general corporate matters. Maria uses her knowledge and experience to help clients gain a more nuanced understanding of the Japanese legal landscape.
Prior to joining Vanguard, Maria worked at the patent firm, Sakamoto and Partners, gaining experience in the area of patent and trademark law.

Before coming to Japan Maria owned and operated her own law firm in the state of Ohio in the U.S. She was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 2011 and passed the U.S. patent bar in 2016. She recently was also admitted as a registered foreign attorney (Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi) under the laws of the State of Ohio in Japan and is a member of the Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association.
Maria received her B.S. in physics from Dickinson College and her J.D. from Ohio Northern University.

Maria speaks English, German, and (some) Japanese. She is also a mother to a one-year-old daughter and a cat mom to a 6-year-old, one-eyed, rescue cat. Maria loves to travel and host house parties where she cooks for her guests.
Connect with Maria
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-abe-6a739321/
Links
Divino:http://divino-cucina.com/
Get on Board by Olga Mack
Episode with Akiko Yamakawa: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/episode-two-akiko-yamakawa
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
1 hr 11 min
October 30, 2022Finding your sweet spot at the top of legal at Google Japan with Yuko Noguchi
Yuko Noguchi shares how she narrowed down the many options she wanted to pursue with the help and advice from respected colleagues and lecturers. Yuko has done an amazing job of achieving the kind of career that many would envy, culminating in her current role as Head of Legal at Google, Japan. Listen as she takes us on an unbelievable journey through the bold choices she made to be where she is today.
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:
How Yuko had a quiet start academically until her teachers pointed out her abilities

The way she narrowed down the options of all the things she wanted to do after law school with the help of some useful advice

How she made a name for herself through her research

The thought processes that helped her to move to an in-house position

The things she looks for when she is hiring candidates at Google Japan

Her favourite book and other fun facts
About Yuko
Yuko is Director and Head of Legal at Google Japan Inc. Yuko’s responsibilities include overseeing many Google-related legal issues for the territory of Japan. She is the legal representative on the Japan management team, managing a legal team of 15 members. Her team covers a wide range of matters, including product counseling, commercial negotiations, dispute resolutions and advice on regulatory compliance.

A full bio is here.
Connect with Yuko
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuko-noguchi-99556710/
Links
Book: 心の盲点
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
1 hr 34 min
October 16, 2022From sales executive to law firm partner with Yumiko Ohta
Are you wondering if you could be an associate in a law firm, even though you are “older”? Yumiko Ohta didn’t let anything stand in the way of passing the bar exam and joining a law firm later in life. Now a partner in one of the best places to work, Yumiko shares her story of leading her career and family choices.
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:
How Yumiko came to be working in sales rather than the law after university

How she took a chance to study for the bar exam after giving birth

Starting out “late” as an associate in a law firm but finding her place as a person with real life experiences

Deciding what your priorities are and going after them

Her favourite book and other fun facts
About Yumiko
Yumiko is a partner at US-based global law firm Orrick Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP in its Tokyo office. Yumiko is a member of the Employment Law Group and focuses mainly on HR matters as well as various corporate transactions including compliance, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, litigation and general corporate transactions.
Before joining Orrick, Yumiko was an associate at Tanabe & Partners, where she acquired the basic foundational skills to practice law.
She also has experience serving as a statutory auditor for Japanese corporations and also served as a court appointed mediator for 10 years.

Prior to practicing law, she worked at Mitsubishi Corporation in the Sales section for seven years. While there, she was involved in LNG projects and other global business.
Yumiko attained her LL.B. from the University of Tokyo and is a member of the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association. She is also offers up her time as Vice-Chair of Human Resource Management, Committee of American Chamber of Commerce (ACCJ).
Connect with Yumiko
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yumiko-ohta-84b330140/
Links
Yakitori Abe: https://hitosara.com/0006049203/?cid=gm_hp
Bottled Lightning: https://www.amazon.com/Bottled-Lightning-L-M-Weeks-ebook/dp/B09ZWQT54Y
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
1 hr 14 min

About Lawyer on Air

From the publisher's feed

I’m Catherine, the host of Lawyer on Air, the #1 podcast for legal careers in Japan. In each episode, I bring you award-winning insights and inspirational inside stories about working in law as a woman in Japan.

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