6476404b4ded4d47ac8692679745bcbe

50 Leaders in Law - Volume 5

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 04:24:08 GMT

Anthony Luna: Where Career Transformation Meets Innovation

Anthony Luna did not set out to become a legal leader in Japan. His journey began far from corporate boardrooms, shaped instead by practical necessity, early responsibility, and courage to step into unfamiliar territory - the kind that could unsettle many, yet reveals its value only to those committed to excellence and continued self-transformation.

He grew up in circumstances that necessitated early independence. Having financed his higher education entirely on his own, not uncommon in the U.S., for him law was initially a dream calling. But it was one with significant personal financial risk if he failed to succeed. It was also a rational decision - one of the few professions that offered both financial flexibility and, importantly, the opportunity to be useful to others. His commitment to doing work that mattered would remain a constant throughout his life.

Despite being a familiar figure in Japan’s legal community today, Anthony’s connection to the country was anything but inevitable. His first encounter with Japan came unexpectedly in high school, when a Japanese-American friend invited him along on a family trip to Tokyo and Okinawa. At the time, it felt incidental - an interesting summer experience, nothing more. Only years later would that early exposure reveal itself as the opening chapter of a much longer story.

Years later, that early encounter with Japan resurfaced in a practical way. Looking for initial employment after university - and to grow and experience life beyond California - Anthony applied to overseas English-teaching programs in both Europe and Japan. He was selected for the Japanese government’s JET Programme (Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme), an initiative that places young professionals in schools and local governments across the country to support education and international exchange.

Anthony was initially assigned to a high school in Yokohama, but after intensive self-driven Japanese study and later successfully passing the Level 1 Japanese Proficiency Exam after approximately two years of self study, he transitioned into Yokohama City Government, working directly with the mayor’s office at the Office of International Relations. What began as basic support on international matters quickly evolved into a far more demanding role. He found himself taking an active role in meetings including senior local politicians, mayors and chambers of commerce presidents, executives from Japan-based companies, and visiting U.S. military officials - often as the youngest person in the room, and often the only foreigner on the Japanese side of the table. One of his first assignments was to help greet and interpret for the former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale and the Mayor of Yokohama City, a great moment for him that also humbled him and made him realize how much more he would need to grow in so many ways.

“That was actually one of my first assignments. I didn’t do very well, to be honest - but the experience opened my eyes - both to the opportunities ahead and to how much I still had to learn, and how quickly I would need to grow to be a professional in any setting.”

His time in Yokohama became an accelerated education in how politicians and senior leaders operate: how agendas and meetings are choreographed, how trust is built, and how in Japan decisions truly get made. That learning took on added weight during the Kobe earthquake recovery, when Yokohama played an active role in supporting the city’s response within Yokohama City. Working alongside the mayor’s office - which had deep expertise in infrastructure and disaster resilience - Anthony helped bridge language gaps in critical communications involving foreign residents and public officials at a time when clarity mattered deeply. It was a formative period: part public service, part apprenticeship in leadership in an emergency.

Momentum was building, but the arrangement was never meant to last. His role with the city was fixed-term, and just as he was finding his rhythm, the question of what came next arrived. The city encouraged him to stay longer by offering a permanent position and an opportunity to work in their New York representative office - rare at the time. Private-sector roles were also available where he received attractive financial offers at major companies, particularly for someone his age at the time; however, one of his mentors urged him to be patient and think longer-term: build a core professional skill, earn formal credentials, and give himself flexibility for the future. Anthony listened. He returned to the United States for law school, knowingly stepping away from the career momentum he had built for a more durable foundation.

“A senior Japanese mentor of mine told me: you should build a core expertise and get formal credentials. That will give you more flexibility and options in the future. You will be your own voice at the table, not someone else’s voice. I listened to that advice. But it required a leap of faith to pass up attractive employment opportunities right in front of me and instead commit to another self-funded 3 years of law school in a very competitive environment with no guaranty of success.”

It proved to be sound advice. After graduating from USC Gould School of Law, he joined a large international law firm at the time Graham & James (now Squire Patton Boggs) and quickly moved by himself from Los Angeles to launch his career as a corporate lawyer in Silicon Valley. This marked a significant professional milestone. Practicing law in Silicon Valley meant competing at the highest level in one of the world’s most demanding legal markets. Anthony immersed himself in the startup ecosystem, working on venture financings and mergers while advising companies trying to build entirely new industries. He gravitated toward complexity and scale, often saying he enjoyed bigger challenges and working directly for CEOs and management teams. His career progressed, and his reputation grew both internally and externally.

One of the key highlights of that period was the chance to work closely with a senior partner who was not only a leader at the firm but also a venture fund partner and a founder of a well known angel investor group. Beyond legal work, even though Anthony was a very junior lawyer, he was often asked to sit with founder CEOs much senior to him, help with business plans, and listen to and critique numerous early stage financing pitches. It was the kind of direct exposure you only get at the epicenter of Silicon Valley - the kind of inovation and business exeperience that most lawyers cannot gain in their normal practice. And it was fun.

Japan re-entered his life professionally in 2004, when his firm asked him to relocate to Tokyo.

Looking back, the move now feels almost inevitable - a return to a country that had quietly shaped him early on. But at the time, nothing was certain. He loved Silicon Valley. His career was progressing. Japan represented disruption, not destiny. Why move?

“When they first asked me to go to Japan, I said no. I loved Silicon Valley. But then I decided - it’s only two years, and I like Japan. So I went.”

Two years was the plan. What followed was something entirely different. Anthony ended up rebuilding his practice from the ground up - reactivating his Japanese after years away, establishing himself with local clients, and adapting his Silicon Valley experience to a very different market. Much of what came easily in California, from venture structures to equity incentives, required entirely new approaches in Japan. It demanded sustained effort. At the same time, particularly after his move to Jones Day Tokyo, where he would ultimately become a corporate and M&A partner, he began taking responsibility for clients’ full Japan operations, and his work expanded beyond transactions into broader commercial and strategic advisory roles for Japanese companies.

Anthony could not have known that this decision would anchor the next two decades of his life. But by the time he found his footing again, he had built a respected practice in Tokyo and achieved what many lawyers work their entire careers toward: partnership at a global firm, deep deal experience, and an international profile.

“I don’t compete with others - I compete with myself. It’s important for me to feel that I’m growing, that I’m getting better.”

It was from that position of stability that he made his next unexpected move for further transformation.

Leaving for IBM, one of the most respected and largest foreign companies in Japan, was not an obvious step. Since early on, partnership had been his ultimate career goal. He had a young child, ongoing financial obligations, and little margin for career missteps. But IBM offered something fundamentally different: proximity to cutting-edge technology, exposure to business operations at scale, and the opportunity to learn how large organizations actually function from the inside.

“It wasn’t an easy decision. I thought about it for over a year. But I felt there were skills I still needed to learn - how to run a team, how business really works inside a company.”

The first six months inside IBM were deeply uncomfortable. He arrived confident - a former law firm partner accustomed to being the expert in the room. Instead, he discovered that legal knowledge alone carried limited weight. Decisions were driven by financial metrics, operational realities, and internal systems invisible to outside counsel. Much of this he understood intellectually, but living it day to day was a different experience entirely. They spoke a completely different IT and financial language. Anthony had to relearn how contracts flowed through billing processes, how revenue was operationalized, how the IT business worked at a detailed level, and how influence worked across regional and global matrixed organizations.

“And people … including your own legal team and senior management, do not follow you just because you have accomplished something in your career or have a senior title. You have to gain trust, persuade, support, motivate, and inspire all at once. That was not part of law firm life, and it became a new professional challenge that no book can teach or that you can simply will yourself to be able to do.”

The initial learning curve was steep. What changed the trajectory was not technical brilliance, but mindset. After some early failures, Anthony deliberately adopted a beginner’s humility. He immersed himself in the language of technology and business, leaning heavily on mentorship particularly from his wife, Akiko Kikuchi, who was already at the time a seasoned general counsel in an international enterprise and several steps ahead of him in navigating corporate environments.

Gradually, the experience began to redefine how he viewed leadership.

“At first I wanted to quit and go back to the firm – I had clearly made a mistake. But I decided that I had to give it more time, and first let go of my ego and start at the beginning. Once I did that, things went really well. It took about one year to get my bearings.”

Rather than positioning himself as the most knowledgeable person in the room, Anthony focused on learning faster, listening more carefully, and building trust across functions. During his preparation to be General Counsel, Anthony’s predecesor put him in charge of almost every IBM business at the time from software and finance to strategic outsourcing, consulting and reasearch and development. Over time, he became a steady presence within IBM Japan, helping guide the organization through years of organizational, business, and cultural transformation. In the earlier years, he was also fortunate enough to have strong support from his predecessor and ultimately from a number of his collegues at the time, many of them who are themselves now accomplished leaders of departments at other companies.

What endured from that period was less a list of transactions than the highly performing and well-recognized team he helped shape.

“My promise to my team was simple: you will be a better lawyer next year. That was my commitment.”

He invested in business acumen and important stakeholder relationships, technical fluency, and external visibility, encouraging his team to step beyond pure legal execution. The department earned repeated internal and industry recognition (over 20 external team and individual awards during his 8-year tenure as GC), but internally he measured success differently - community, engagement, growth, and whether people felt they were advancing.

After more than a decade at IBM, Anthony reached another natural inflection point. Rather than remain in a legal department, he felt fortunate to have gained deep insight into new technologies, the business trends shaping Japan, and the needs of the in house community through his leadership roles at the Japan In House Counsel Network and the Japan Association of Chief Legal Officers. With that foundation, he chose to return to private practice, aiming to help legal departments, executives, and boards navigate an increasingly complex high tech landscape.

He chose to join southgate - a growing international firm based in Tokyo with a culture built around trust, collaboration, and entrepreneurship. One of the firm’s founding partners, Eric Marcks, had worked alongside Anthony in the corporate and venture practice in Silicon Valley, and their professional relationship had grown into a long standing friendship. A decade earlier, Eric and his co founders had built southgate to offer a new alternative in the market: meaningful cross-border experience in venture, M&A, and corporate work, paired with flexibility and a team that combines seasoned foreign and Japanese lawyers.

At southgate, Anthony is focused on advanced technology and cross-border work, bringing together his experience in Silicon Valley, Tokyo, and in-house leadership, together with his colleagues, to support clients operating at the frontier of innovation.

“My motivation isn’t just to do ‘legal’ work. Of course excellent legal work is simply the starting point. After several years as a GC and member of an executive team, my perspective has expanded. I want to help Japanese society in areas where it needs to grow to be competitive - especially in areas like AI, semiconductors, space, and quantum computing. That’s where I think Japan needs the most support, either domestically or in cross-border matters. And that is where I think companies and legal departments need value-added strategic advice.”

Anthony Luna did not follow a straight line.

He repeatedly chose uncertainty over comfort: leaving Japan for law school, stepping into Silicon Valley’s intensity, returning to Tokyo without guarantees, stepping away from partnership to start over in-house. Each move forced reinvention and transformation. Each phase demanded new learning.

In hindsight, the path looks coherent. It was not. It grew out of hard work, real risk, learning from mistakes, supporting the legal community, and the backing of many excellent colleagues.

He continues to choose growth.

50 Leaders in Law - Volume 4

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:07:51 GMT

Lunch with Eshima-sensei -

Before I realized it, nearly 20 years had passed since we first met.

Perhaps because we’ve shared so much time over the years, I can say this with confidence: his presence has always been consistent. Calm in demeanor. Thoughtful in his words. Never making others feel guarded.

He brings humor when appropriate, yet never disrupts the atmosphere of the room.

Today, the value and significance of in-house lawyers—especially General Counsel as part of senior management—are widely recognized. But when Eshima-san moved in-house more than 20 years ago, that perspective barely existed in Japan. In fact, there was even a bias that going in-house meant you hadn’t succeeded in private practice.

Against that backdrop, he steadily built credibility through both hands-on legal work and management, earning the trust of those around him.

The respect that the in-house legal profession now commands is the result of efforts by pioneers like him. I believe Eshima-san is one of those who quietly helped shape that evolution from the inside.

What often comes up in conversation is his ability to make decisions. But “decision-making” is a complex skill.

Personally, I see Eshima-san as a business leader who excels at eliminating "noise."

He is careful not to introduce unnecessary friction into stakeholders’ time or decision-making processes. To do that, one must accurately distinguish signal from noise.

Sometimes this shows up in very small things—how an approval request is framed, for example.

Yet each of these small choices accumulates into trust, eventually leading people to think, “If he’s handling it, we’ll be fine.”

I feel that this is the source of his calm presence.

As a recruiter who meets many lawyers, this difference becomes apparent very quickly.

Those who have been involved in real decision-making—and who have carried both accountability for explanation and responsibility for outcomes—have a distinct sense of gravity.

Eshima-san is exactly that kind of person.

He shared with me that recently, a younger lawyer had come to him for career advice.

He admitted that, at first, he wondered how helpful he could really be.

But once they started talking, he realized how many common threads there were—the path they are walking as lawyers, the challenges and rewards, the anxieties and sense of purpose. He said he was struck by how much overlap there was with today’s younger generation.

To younger professionals, someone like Eshima-san may seem as though he exists “above the clouds.”

But in reality, where he stands today and where younger lawyers stand now are not disconnected.

They are on the same ground—he simply happened to be ahead of them. Because he himself has traveled that path, he deeply understands the situation young professionals find themselves in today.

He is now hoping to create more opportunities to share his experiences with the next generation.

He measures value not by title, not by authority, but by what one can give back to their community.

I believe that mindset is one of the reasons he comes across as a leader who transcends the traditional boundaries of being a lawyer.

弁護士リーダー50 (4)

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:02:10 GMT

UBS 証券の取締役法務部長、江島文孝弁護士とランチをご一緒しました。

江島様とは、気づけばもう20年近いお付き合いになります。長い時間を共有してきたからこそ分かるのですが、彼の印象は昔から一貫しています。落ち着いた佇まい。言葉は丁寧で、相手を構えさせない。必要な場面ではユーモアも交えつつ、決して場の空気を乱さない。

今でこそインハウス弁護士、とくに経営の一部としてのゼネラル・カウンセルの存在意義やバリューの高さは広く認識されていますが、江島様がインハウスに移られた20年以上前の日本では、そのような見方はほとんどありませんでした。むしろ、「事務所で成功しなかったから企業に行く」という偏見すらあった時代です。

その中で、実務とマネジメントの両面から地道に価値を積み上げ、周囲を納得させてきた。今、インハウス弁護士という職域が尊敬をもって語られるようになった背景には、こうした先駆者たちの積み重ねがあります。江島様は、まさにその流れを内側から静かにつくってきた一人だと思います。

お話の中で話題になるのは決断する力です。「決断力」と一言で言っても、その中身は複雑です。個人的には、江島様は“ノイズを消すこと”に長けたビジネスリーダーではないか、と思います。ステークホルダーの時間や意思決定プロセスに、余計なノイズを入れない。そのためには、何がシグナルで何がノイズなのかを正確に見極める必要があります。

それは時に、承認申請の仕方といった、ごく小さなことかもしれません。ただ、その一つひとつの積み重ねが信頼となり、結果的に「この人に任せれば大丈夫」という評価につながっていく。江島様の落ち着きの正体は、そこにあるように感じます。

リクルーターとして多くの弁護士と会っていると、この違いはすぐに分かります。意思決定に関与し、説明責任と結果責任を引き受けてきた人には、独特の重心があります。江島様は、まさにそのタイプです。

最近、江島様は若手弁護士からキャリア相談を受けたそうです。その際、ご自身がどれほど役に立てるのか不安に思う瞬間もあったと話してくれました。しかし実際に話してみると、弁護士として通ってきた道、面白さ不安、やりがいなど、今の若者とも多くの共通点を見出したとおっしゃいます。

若い人から見ると、江島様のような存在は「雲の上」にいるように見えるかもしれません。しかし、彼がいる場所と、今の若手が立っている場所は、決して断絶していません。同じ陸地の上を歩き続けた結果、今そこにいる。かつて自分自身が通ってきた道だからこそ、今の若手が置かれている状況をよく理解している。

今は、これまでの経験をもっと若い世代と共有する機会を持ちたいと考えているそうです。

肩書きではなく、権限でもなく、コミュニティに何を残せるかで価値を測る。

その姿勢が、江島様が弁護士の枠を超えたリーダーだと感じさせる一つの理由だと思います。

弁護士リーダー50 (3)

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 23:35:58 GMT

変革を推進できる弁護士は日本では少ない——そう言われがちですが、実際には確かなリーダーが存在します。Just Legalでは、日本の法曹界で活躍する50名のリーガルリーダーにお会いするプロジェクトを進めています。

今回ご紹介するのはBuySell Technologies 執行役員法務コンプライアンス室室長の尾崎健悟さんです。キャリアの転機、法務組織づくりの本質、そして「現場に寄り添う法務」の難しさと面白さについて、多くの示唆をいただきました。

尾崎さんのキャリアは、森・濱田松本法律事務所から始まります。東大法学部・法科大学院という王道のバックグラウンドを持ちながら、配属されたキャピタルマーケッツのチームでは、早い段階で「この環境で自分はどう戦うべきか」を突きつけられたと言います。

周囲には、計算力や理論構築力において圧倒的に優れた弁護士が揃う中、正面から同じ土俵で競うことが最適解ではない。その現実を冷静に受け止めたうえで、尾崎さんが選んだのは、処理スピードではなく「反応のスピード」でした。

誰よりも早く返す。案件を選ばず、前に出る。派手さはないものの、信頼が積み上がる行動を徹底することで、自身の立ち位置を築いていきます。

この姿勢は結果として評価され、パートナー就任の打診を受けるに至ります。それでも尾崎さんは、その道を選びませんでした。理由はシンプルで、「もっと大きな世界を見たい」という強い意思があったからです。

尾崎さんが次に選んだのはインハウス。 SmartNewsでのポジションでした。

ここで尾崎さんは、弁護士としての専門性を磨くと同時に、あえてマネジメントや組織運営といった領域に踏み込み、法律以外の引き出しを増やしていきました。

SmartNewsの延長線上にあったのが Medley です。法務としての判断にとどまらず、組織全体をどう支え、どう整えるか。尾崎さんはここで、「法務組織の在り方」や「能力やバックグラウンドが異なるメンバーをどう育てるか」という視点を実践的に学んだと話していました。

現在は BuySell Technologies にて、法務・コンプライアンス・リスク管理ファンクションの構築に挑戦されています。同社は訪問買取を中心とした事業で急成長中ですが、法務機能はまだ発展途上。2028年までに売上倍増を目指し、新経営陣とともに変革の真っただ中にあります。

尾崎さん自身は決して、自分を「トップクラスのテクニカル弁護士」とは位置づけていません。しかし、競争環境を正確に捉え、早い段階で戦い方を変え、リスクを取って自らを設計されています。その結果として、ビジネスリーダーであり弁護士でもある存在へと進化されています。

才能だけに頼らない、気づきと選択に支えらたキャリア。Legal Leaders 50 が目指す「リーダーとしての軌跡」を体現する一人だと思います。

尾崎さん、貴重なお話をありがとうございました。

50 Leaders in Law - Volume 3

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 23:26:02 GMT

Lawyers who can genuinely drive transformation are often said to be rare in Japan.

Yet in reality, such leaders do exist.

At Just Legal, we are continuing our project to meet 50 legal leaders shaping Japan’s legal market. Today, I would like to introduce Kengo Ozaki, Executive Officer, Head of Legal & Compliance Division at BuySell Technologies.

Our conversation covered career inflection points, what it really means to build a legal function, and the challenge - and rewards - of practicing law close to the business.

Ozaki-san began his career at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto. With a textbook background - University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law and Law School - he joined the Capital Markets team, where he was confronted early on with a fundamental question: How should I compete in this environment?

Surrounded by lawyers with exceptional analytical and theoretical strength, he realized that competing head-to-head on the same axis was not necessarily the optimal strategy. Instead, he chose to differentiate himself not through speed of processing, but through speed of response.

Reply faster than anyone else.
Never discard a matter.
Step forward consistently.

There was nothing flashy about this approach, but by committing to behaviors that quietly build trust, he established his position within the firm.

This approach was ultimately recognized, and he was offered a partnership position. Even so, he chose not to take it. The reason was simple: he wanted to see a bigger world beyond private practice.

His next move was in-house, at SmartNews. There, while continuing to sharpen his legal judgment, he deliberately stepped into management and organizational roles, expanding capabilities beyond the law itself.

Medley followed as a natural extension of that journey. At Medley, his role went beyond legal decision-making to supporting and structuring the organization as a whole. He spoke about gaining practical insight into how legal teams should be built - and how to develop people with different levels of ability and background.

Today, at BuySell Technologies, Ozaki-san is leading the build-out of the company’s legal, compliance, and risk management functions. BuySell, a rapidly growing home-visit purchasing business, is still developing its legal infrastructure. With a goal to double revenue by 2028, the company is in the midst of transformation under new leadership.

Ozaki-san does not position himself as a “ top-tier technical lawyer. ” Instead, he has consistently assessed the competitive landscape, adjusted his approach early, and taken calculated risks in designing his own career.

As a result, he has evolved into a professional who functions both as a lawyer and as a business leader.

A career shaped not by talent alone, but by awareness and choice. This is exactly what Legal Leaders 50 aims to capture - a leadership journey grounded in realism and intent.

Ozaki-san, thank you for the insightful conversation.

弁護士リーダー50 (2)

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 22:00:52 GMT

変革を推進できる弁護士は日本では少ない——そう言われがちですが、実際には確かなリーダーが存在します。

Just Legalでは、日本の法曹界で活躍する50名のリーガルリーダーにお会いするプロジェクトを進めています。今回ご紹介するのは、半導体関連のグローバル企業で活躍されている児玉薫さんです。

児玉さんは英国弁護士資格を持ち、Big Lawで研鑽を積んだ法務プロフェッショナルです。いわゆる「先生」的な立ち位置ではなく、“サービス・ソリューション提供者”としてビジネスに伴走する姿勢を大切にされており、これまでのインハウス経験を通じて培われたリーダーとしての視点が非常に印象的でした。

「法務の役割は、ビジネスを前に進めるために寄り添うことだと思っています。」

これまで複数の企業でインハウス法務として経験を重ね、直近ではスタートアップにおいて法務部門をリード。環境やフェーズの異なる組織の中で、実務と意思決定の双方を支えてきた実績をお持ちです。

「仕組みを変えるには、まずその仕組みが“なぜ存在するのか”を理解することが必要です。」

この言葉のとおり、拙速な改革ではなく、理解・共感・対話を土台にしながら、組織に前進をもたらしていく——その姿勢こそが、児玉さんのリーダーシップの核だと感じました。

グローバルな基準とローカルな感覚を併せ持ち、調和を大切にしながらも着実なアップデートを重ねていく。現職では、組織に前進をもたらす役割を担われていることがうかがえ、その進め方は、まさに時代に求められるリーガルリーダー像の一つだと感じました。

児玉さん、お忙しい中お時間をいただき、貴重なお話を本当にありがとうございました。次世代のリーガルリーダーにとって、大きな示唆となる内容でした。

50 Leaders in Law - Volume 2

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 21:55:42 GMT

It is often said that lawyers who can also contribute to an organization’s forward progress are rare in Japan. And yet, such leaders certainly exist.

At Just Legal, we are continuing our project to meet 50 legal leaders active in Japan’s legal community. Today, I’d like to introduce Ms. Kaoru Kodama , who plays a key legal role at a global company closely connected to the semiconductor industry.

Kodama-san is a UK-qualified lawyer with Big Law training. Rather than positioning herself as a traditional “sensei,” she approaches her role as a service and solution provider, working closely alongside the business. That mindset, shaped through years of in-house experience, was particularly striking.

“Legal should stay close to the business and help it move forward.”

Over the course of her career, she has held several in-house legal roles, and most recently led the legal function at a start-up. Working across organizations at very different stages has given her a balanced perspective on both execution and decision-making.

“You can’t improve a system unless you first understand why it exists.”

True to this view, her approach is not about rapid or disruptive change, but about building understanding, trust, and dialogue — and from there, enabling steady forward movement within the organization.

Combining global standards with a strong sensitivity to local context, she values harmony while continuing to raise the bar in a thoughtful and measured way. In her current role, it is clear that she is contributing as a leader who brings forward momentum to the organization, in a manner well suited to today’s environment.

Kodama-san, thank you very much for taking the time to share your perspectives. Your insights offer meaningful guidance for the next generation of legal leaders in Japan.

50 Leaders in Law - Volume 1

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 23:46:18 GMT

Finding lawyers who also possess the qualities of a true leader is often said to be difficult in Japan. But the reality is — such leaders do exist.

At Just Legal, we’re launching a project to meet and highlight 50 leaders in Japan’s legal community. Today, I’m pleased to introduce Robyn Nadler, the Representative Director of Payoneer Japan .

Robyn is a qualified Australian lawyer who began her career in Big Law at global firms — and what stands out is not the titles she has held, but her ability to move seamlessly between legal, compliance, regulatory, and leadership roles. Being a representative director is simply one chapter in a broader career built on capability, judgment, and adaptability.

“Leadership isn’t a title. It’s the ability to bring clarity in complex situations and help people move in the same direction,” says Robyn.

Having spent many years in Japan and fully fluent in Japanese, Robyn has earned a strong market reputation for her understanding of the Japanese regulatory landscape — especially the mindset and behaviors of financial regulators. This is a rare set of skills.

“Japan’s regulatory environment isn’t just about rules — it’s about understanding how regulators think. Once you understand that mindset, the whole landscape becomes far more navigable.”

Her progression from transactional lawyer to compliance lead, to guiding a regulated financial entity reflects a professional who grows with every environment.

Ruth Porat of Google noted once that lawyers are often the strongest cross-functional communicators — able to translate between risk, business, operations, and regulation. Robyn is a textbook example of that in practice.

“Lawyers can translate between departments in a way few others can — risk, operations, product, compliance. The value comes from connecting dots that usually stay separate.”

Robyn, thank you for taking the time in your busy schedule — your insights are much appreciated, and will continue to inspire the next generation of legal leaders.

弁護士リーダー50 (1)

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 23:07:35 GMT

弁護士でリーダーの資質を持った方を見つけるのは難しい。そう言われる日本の法曹界ですが、リーダーたる弁護士は間違いなく存在します。Just Legalでは、日本の法曹界で活躍する50人のリーダーにお会いするプロジェクトをスタートします。今回紹介するのはPayoneer Japanの代表取締役であるRobyn Nadlerロビン・ナドラーさんです。

ロビンさんはオーストラリアの弁護士としてBig Lawでキャリアをスタートし、法律・コンプライアンス・規制対応・組織運営と、携わるポジションごとに自在に変化されてきた方です。現職の「代表取締役」という役職はその変化の一つにすぎず、状況に応じて弁護士、ビジネスパーソン、リーダーと変容しています。

「リーダーシップとは肩書きに表れるものではないです。複雑な状況に明確さをもたらし、皆を同じ方向へ導く力を持つことがリーダーシップだと考えています。」（ロビン）

日本での経験も長く、日本語も流暢。外国人としては極めて稀で、日本の規制環境や金融当局の思考を深く理解されており、国内企業でも難しいこの領域で確かな評価を築いています。

「日本の規制環境は、単にルールや法律を理解するだけでは不十分です。重要なのは、規制当局がどのように考えているのかを理解することです。その思考の枠組みを掴めば、全体像は一気に見通しやすくなります。」（ロビン）

また、GoogleのNigel Parker氏が「弁護士は部門横断のコミュニケーションに最も長けている職種の一つだ」と語ったという話も紹介してくださいましたが、ロビンさんはまさにその体現者です。

「インハウス弁護士は、リスク部門、オペレーション部門、プロダクト部門、コンプライアンス部門など、通常は分断されがちな領域をつなぎ、部門間の“翻訳”ができる存在であるべきです。我々の価値は、バラバラに見える点をつなぎ合わせられるところにあると考えています。」（ロビン）

ロビンさん、お忙しい中お時間をいただき、貴重なお話をありがとうございました。ロビンさんのコメントは次世代のリーガルリーダーにとって大きな励みとなるはずです。

リーダーインタビュー：櫻井由章弁護士（52期、三菱自動車工業株式会社法務・ガバナンス本部本部長補佐兼法務部長）

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 03:14:28 GMT

リーダーインタビュー：

櫻井由章弁護士（52期、三菱自動車工業株式会社法務・ガバナンス本部本部長補佐兼法務部長）

“手触り感”を求めて

四大法律事務所、外資系金融、急成長スタートアップ、グローバル製造業——。

どんな組織に身を置いても、櫻井由章弁護士のキャリアには一貫した軸がある。

それは、現場と経営の“ちょうど間”に立ち、手触り感のある環境で法務サポートを提供すること。

そして何より、人とのコミュニケーションそのものを楽しめる稀有な弁護士として、組織を前に進める役割を果たしてきたことだ。

原点：グライダーを選んだ理由

大学時代、一般市民を対象とした無料法律相談に携わった経験が、櫻井さんを法曹の道へ導いた。困っている人の生の声を聞き、自分の助言がその場で役に立つ——その“手触り感”が強烈だったという。

ジャンボジェットのように巨大で安心・快適な環境よりも、自ら舵を握り、判断がそのまま結果に反映される“グライダー”のほうが合っている。こうした価値観が、櫻井さんのキャリアの最初の原点になった。

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西村へ入所：第二の原点

修習修了後に入所した西村あさひ（当時：西村総合法律事務所）は、今の500名規模の安定したBig Lawとはまったく異なる姿だった。40代・30代の若いパートナーたちが血気盛んにビジネスを牽引し、「どうすれば伝統的大企業から信頼とビジネスを勝ち取れるか」——事務所全体が熱狂していた時代だ。

その渦中に放り込まれた櫻井さんは、若手ながら大規模税務訴訟（最高裁で逆転勝訴）、外形標準課税訴訟、M&A、ベンチャー支援など幅広い案件を経験。“価値は自分で掴みに行くものだ”という姿勢を、現場で叩き込まれた。

今では“大先生”と呼ばれるパートナーの直下で働けたことも大きかった。仕事の切り方、判断のスピード、相手の懐に入るコミュニケーション。一流の所作を毎日のように浴び、「人と向き合い、現場で価値を証明する」という櫻井さんのスタイルが、ここで形成された。

一方で、鍛えられるほどに、自分が本当に惹かれる仕事の形も鮮明になっていった。パートナーを目指す道もあったが、“組織の中で人を巻き込み、実装し、動かしていく”　その面白さにこそ自分は強く惹かれる——そう確信したことで、インハウスへの道が自然に浮かび上がった。

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インハウス：モルガン・スタンレー

米国留学後の現地での研修では、優秀なインハウスローヤーとの接点が多くあり、興味をさらに強くさせるものであった。帰国後、西村で全力で走り続け、3年が経った頃、家族の状況も変わり、「組織の中で法務として働く」というキャリアを初めて現実的に考えるようになる。

そんなタイミングで、たまたま縁がつながったのがモルガン・スタンレーだった。

当時、金融分野は一見すると門外漢。しかし、西村で培った M&A・コーポレート全般・訴訟の経験は、同社リーガルでは希少なスキルセットだった。

「金融の専門家ではないけれど、違う角度から価値を出せる」と評価され、入社に至った。

■ 7年間で得た学び

モルスタの7年間は、“インハウスローヤーとしての本格的なスタート地点”となった。

法務はビジネスにどう寄り添うべきか
海外の同僚たちは内部クライアントとどう接するのか
信頼を得るためのコミュニケーションとは何か
「ビジネスを前に進める法務」であるために必要な姿勢は何か

米英トップファーム出身者たちと肩を並べるなかで、専門性以外にも、ビジネスサイドを動かす法務としての視点を磨いた。一方で、外資金融の法務は“社内法律事務所”的な側面もあり、ビジネスとの距離を感じる瞬間もあった。その中で静かに強まっていったのが、

「もう一度、創業期の“熱”の隣に立ちたい」
「もっと手触り感のある現場に戻りたい」

という想いだった。

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 次のステップ：メルカリ／メルペイ

その想いに呼応するように巡ってきたのが、メルカリ／メルペイからの誘いだった。
創業期特有のエネルギー、スピード、混沌、ゼロからつくる熱気——モルスタでは得られない“手触り感”があると確信した。

入社時自らを含めて3名だったメルペイの法務・コンプライアンス組織は、サービス拡大とともに25名規模へ急拡大。ビジネス設計、許認可、キャンペーン適法性など、あらゆる論点がリアルタイムで発生する。”現場と一体で走る法務”を本格的に体感したのがこの時期だった。

櫻井さんはこう語る：

「この時期が一番大変でしたね。モルガン・スタンレーは独立性が強い“社内法律事務所”的な環境でしたが、メルカリ／メルペイの法務は会社・現場と一体。法務責任者として、会社が掲げる目的意識やカルチャーを自ら咀嚼してチーム・メンバーに浸透させる一方、リーガルマインドを経営にも理解してもらわないといけませんでした。」

採用・評価・育成・役割設計を同時並行で進めながら、“マネージャーとしての自分”をつくり上げる時期でもあった。

「工数をかければ良い」という発想は通用しない。

「法務はビジネスを止める部署ではなく、前に進めるための存在であるべきだと感じていました。そのためにも、“なぜその工数が必要なのか”、“どうすればより効果的なのか”を自らも考えて、チーム・経営に理解してもらう必要がありました。」

業務の自動化、やらないことの明確化、人が介在すべき部分の見極め。そのためには “話す・聴く・想像する” コミュニケーションが不可欠だった。メルカリ／メルペイは、櫻井さんが「組織を動かす法務」へ進化した場所だった。

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オリンパス、そして現職へ

メルカリ／メルペイで一区切りをつけた後、櫻井さんはオリンパスへ。歴史ある大企業のHQ で日本のリーガルを束ね、現場と経営をつなぐ役割を担った。大規模組織でありながら、経営が法務に直接アクセスし、曖昧な状況でも迅速に判断を下す場面に多く立ち会った。約4年間の Japan Head of Legal を経て、2024年、三菱自動車へ。法務・ガバナンス本部長補佐（Deputy Global GC）として、変革期にある製造業の中心で舵取りを担っている。

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現職：大企業で“小回り”を効かせる醍醐味

AI や地政学の影響で製造業は大きく変化している。約25名の法務チームを率いる今も、櫻井さんが大切にしているのは“手触り感”だ。「エッセンシャルなものづくりに関わる実感が好きなんです。変化の大きい業界だからこそ、法務の役割が重要になるし、小さい所帯なので手触り感もあって手応えを感じます。」

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インハウスを考えている若手弁護士へのメッセージ：専門性×人を動かす力

インハウス法務は専門性だけでは成果を出せない。レポートラインの外にいる人と協働し、会社の価値観を自分の言葉で伝え、納得感を生み、組織を動かす必要がある。

そのためには、“話す・聴く・想像する” の三つが欠かせない。

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最後に：どの組織にいても“操縦桿を握る法務”

西村、モルスタ、メルカリ／メルペイ、オリンパス、現職——どれだけ環境が変わっても、櫻井さんの仕事観は一貫している。

“手触り感ある舵取り”を失わず、人と関わる面白さを楽しみながら、組織を静かに、しかし確実に動かしていく。事務所の外にも、手応えのある仕事は多くある。

卓越したアドバイスを提供するための探求と挑戦インタビュー：今仲翔弁護士

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 04:44:31 GMT

卓越したアドバイスを提供するための探求と挑戦

インタビュー：今仲翔弁護士

AI時代も本質的に弁護士に求められる能力は変わらない

今仲弁護士は「弁護士に求められる力はAI時代においても変わらない」と強調します。条文知識や膨大な判例検索は法的課題を解決するための手段であり、目的ではありません。AIがどれほど進化してもなお揺らがないもの、それはクライアントに寄り添い、状況を把握し、的確な言葉で説得し、交渉や紛争を解決する能力です。

大手四大事務所で数多くのM&A案件を担当した経験からも、交渉の現場で相手を動かすのは「クライアントや交渉相手の気持ちを汲み取る能力」であることを痛感してきたといいます。

「AIは大量の情報を処理できますが、クライアントや交渉相手の意思決定を左右するのは、最終的には人間の言葉。この原点は今後も決して変わりません。」

このような考えを持つようになった大きな契機が、ニューヨークの法律事務所での研修経験でした。現地のトップ弁護士たちは徹底的に調査を行いながらも、クライアントへのアウトプットは驚くほどシンプル。

「何時間ものリサーチを積み上げた結果、法的な問題がないと確信できた場合には余計な留保をつけずに結論のみをシンプルに伝える。クライアントとの信頼関係が築けていることが前提ですが、無駄のないアウトプットが印象的でした」

弁護士としては、「何をどのように調べたかも含めてなるべく丁寧に説明する」ことが良いと考えていました。もちろんそれ自体は誤りではないのですが、ニューヨークのロイヤーたちは徹底した下準備と同時に、デリバリーにおいても徹底してクライアントセントリックを貫いていました。クライアントの真の要望や信頼関係まで考えると「ロイヤーの回答を確認する時間を減らすこと」がベストなアドバイスとなることもあるのだなと大変勉強になったといいます。

ニューヨークでの経験は、さらにもうひとつの気付きを促しました。自分が「正しい」と信じてきたやり方も、必ずしも普遍的な正解ではないということです。難しい論点について徹底的に調べた結果、結論の報告は一行でというやり方を見たとき、彼は「自分の枠組みに固執せず、柔軟に考え抜くことの重要性」を学んだのです。

この二つの学びは、その後のキャリアの意思決定にも深く影響しました。「もっと優れた価値提供の方法はあるか」と常に問い直し、新しいフィールドに踏み出すことへの源泉となりました。

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現状維持ではなく、敢えて挑戦する理由

大手四大法律事務所でパートナーに昇進したと聞けば、多くのエージェントや同業者は「この人は成果を出した」と考えるでしょう。もう移籍や転職はなく、そのまま事務所でキャリアを全うするはずだと。実際、これまで四大事務所でパートナーになった後に、他事務所へ移籍したりインハウスへ転身した弁護士は少数です。

しかし今仲弁護士は、その座をあえて手放し、外へ出ました。

その理由は二つ。

「30年間同じことを同じ場所で続けて差別化できるのか」という分析。
「未知の世界を経験したい。ロイヤーとしての可能性を広げたい」という好奇心。

差別化の壁

パートナーになった後も以後30年以上は第一線で働き続けることが想定されます。しかし、例えばM&Aという分野において、同じ環境で案件を積み重ねることで他の弁護士との差別化を図ることは難しいのも事実です。「このまま同じ環境で業務を続けて、本当に30年後に自分は第一線に残れるのか」——その問いが大きく響いたといいます。

未知への好奇心

さらに彼を突き動かしたのは、好奇心でした。パートナー就任の直前、出向先で出会ったグローバルで活躍する経営者たち。彼らがリーガルに求めるものは単なる案件処理にとどまらず、リーガルのスキルを使って「いかに経営を推進するか」という視座でした。その高い要求水準に触れたとき、法律家として成長するには様々な道があることを実感したのです。

「弁護士として個の力を磨くことは当然大切です。ただ、個の力を磨くための手段は様々です。自分は、未知のフィールドに飛び込み、自分の可能性を広げることに挑戦したいと強く思いました」

事務所を離れる決断は、多くの人にとって意外に映ったかもしれません。しかし今仲弁護士にとっては大きな躊躇はありませんでした。

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プレイヤーからマネジメントへ——経営視点の獲得

今仲弁護士が次に挑んだのは、当時すでに上場を果たしていた成長企業、Medleyでした。ジェネラルカウンセルという立場で迎えられた彼を待ち受けていたのは、従来の弁護士キャリアとはまったく異なる挑戦でした。

事務所時代、彼の役割は「案件を正確かつ迅速に処理すること」に集約される、いわばプレイヤーとしての能力を磨き抜くものでした。しかしジェネラルカウンセルという立場で必要とされたのは、個の力ではなく、法務機能をどう整備・発展させ、経営の推進に資する法務組織を作り上げるという視点でした。

そこでは「どんな人材をどう採用し配置すべきか」「全社的なリスクの顕在化をどう未然に防ぐか」「他部署とどのように連携し、経営陣の一員として会社を経営していくか」といった問いが日々突きつけられました。単なる案件処理の延長ではなく、経営の一部を担う責任そのものだったのです。

「自分が優秀なプレイヤーであるだけでは不十分なのです。究極的には自分がいなくても組織が回る仕組みをつくること。それがマネジメントの本質だと気づかされました。」

Medleyでの経験によって、今仲弁護士は「個人として成果を出す」から「仕組みを通じて組織全体の価値向上に貢献する」という発想転換を余儀なくされました。これは、弁護士として培ってきた視点を超えて、経営を担うプロフェッショナルとしての新たな地平を切り開く転換点となったのです。

Medleyに在籍していた３年半の間、急激に変貌を遂げるベンチャー上場企業の成長をサポートすべく法務部も大きく変化しました。特筆すべきは、今仲様がジェネラルカウンセルとして急成長を続ける企業の経営陣を務めたことだけでなく、同時進行で法務部の組織構築を行い、組織を育てたことでしょう。

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なぜ独立という道を選んだのか

今仲弁護士のキャリアの特徴は、一般に「到達点」とされる地点を決してゴールと捉えないことにあります。大手事務所でパートナーに昇進することも、上場企業でジェネラルカウンセルを務めることも、多くの弁護士にとっては輝かしい到達点と見なされます。けれども今仲弁護士は次に独立という道を選びました。

「肩書きや立場も大切ですが、そこで何を経験し、次にどう生かすかが重要だと思います。私の場合、企業内法務の経験を通じて新たなニーズが見えて、そのニーズに応えていくためには独立が一番良いと判断しただけです。」

ジェネラルカウンセルとして経営陣と向き合う中で、「どのような人材を採用すればよいか」「ジェネラルカウンセルとは何をすべき存在なのか」といった根本的な問いに直面し、答えを得られず苦しんだ経験があります。同じ立場の同僚、先輩がほとんど存在しないため、法律事務所の弁護士に相談することもできませんでした。

また、日本企業は市場のグローバル化の影響で、法務、コンプライアンス、ガバナンス機能のアップデートが必要で、これは法的知識というよりは、より大きな視点からの経営経験がないと解決できません。日本企業の競争優位やリスク管理を考える上でも、当該分野におけるエキスパートがいることは重要です。

「自分がかつて感じた法務責任者の孤独と難しさ」を活かして他の人をサポートしたい。また、弁護士業務の提供だけでなく、法務・コンプライアンス・ガバナンス機能の立ち上げや組織運営をサポートして欲しいという企業のニーズがある、との確信とともに、独立という道を選ばれました。

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

若手へのアドバイス「異なる環境での経験は財産となる」

「迷うほど魅力的な選択肢があるのであれば挑戦してみることが良いのでは。AI時代においてもどれだけ幅広い経験をしているかがより重要になる。やり直しはいくらでもできる」

環境を変えることにより得られる経験値や人脈のメリットは大きいです。慣れ親しんだ環境を離れるには勇気がいります。先輩やメンターからの慰留もあるでしょう。ただ、時代は変わり続けています。同じ組織にとどまり続けることも、リスクになる可能性もあります——今仲弁護士はそう問いかけます。

事務所からインハウスへ、そして独立へ。自ら挑戦と変化を重ねてきたからこそ、選択肢を閉ざさずに動くことの意味を語ることができるのでしょう。キャリアは積み重ねるだけでなく、ときに「手放す」ことによって広がる。そうした柔軟さを持つ人ほど、より広い人脈と厚みのあるスキルを獲得し、手応えのあるキャリアを築いていけるのかもしれません。

Generational Divide: Why are Partners Struggling to Manage their Gen Z Associates?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:16:00 GMT

Something I think we’ve all struggled with is the generational gap; especially between our generation and the one before us. We tend to see things very differently from how our parents or grandparents do. I’d like to blame it on tech and how fast the world’s changed, but maybe that's’ just me realizing I’m now part of the “older” generation, and not the younger one anymore. And I know I’m not the only person feeling that shift.

For a while now, I’ve been meeting lawyers across all age groups; Gen Z associates, Millennial senior associates, Gen X and Boomer partners, and honestly, they’re all kind of complaining about how hard it is to deal with one another. You’ve got partners frustrated with how Gen Z thinks or works, and junior associates who feel the way they’re treated by older partners is outdated or just plain wrong.

Luckily, I’ve had the chance to work closely with Gustavo, who I’d describe as one of the most hardworking Gen Z professionals I’ve met; and together, we’ve put together a piece exploring this generational clash. In it, we offer some practical advice: tips for Gen Zs who are entering (or thinking of entering) the law firm world, on how to adapt to an environment still shaped by Millennials, Gen Xers and Boomers.

The Disconnect: Where it’s Coming from:

At the core of this generational friction lies a rift between expectations partners have for their associates and what Gen Z associates expect from their supervisors. Whether through communication style, professionalism, or expectations, these generations are clashing in their views regarding these aspects.

When it comes to communication styles, partners are used to a straightforward communication style while Gen Zs are a bit more sensitive and prefer more constructive feedback. This had led to scenarios in which a partner’s directness comes across negatively for the associate. And I know, Gen Z, Millennial, or Gen X, you might be rolling your eyes as you read this; but it is true.

Regarding expectations, partners started their career in a very different working environment than the one their Gen Z associates are starting. Global events, such as the Covid 19 pandemic, accelerated the shift towards remote work and more informal professional communication. Subsequently the rise of technology and social media has connected generations, in which people expressing their work frustrations has created a collective mindset across a generation that values flexibility, work life balance and casualty in the workplace. To some senior partners the concept of pushing back or asking their superiors for a better work life balance seemed unthinkable at the start of their careers, which is why their associates push for this, it comes across as a lack of discipline or seriousness.

This push for causality in the workplace has opened the door for miscommunication regarding what is appropriate in a professional setting among different generations. One example I heard from a partner involved an associate who showed up for a job interview at a law firm in Tokyo in casual attire (jeans, trainers, random t-shirt) instead of a suit. It must have seemed appropriate for the candidate, since they were hoping to get hired by this firm. However, from what I heard, the partner saw this gesture as the interview starting off on the wrong foot. As you can imagine, they did not end up getting the job.

These generational differences shouldn’t be a source of tension between partners and associates. With mutual awareness and a bit of flexibility, there’s definitely a way for all generations to work together in a more modern, efficient, and inclusive way. That’s why, after some solid research and a lot of honest conversations with lawyers, we’ve put together a few simple tips that both associates and partners can follow to help bridge the gap and collaborate better.

Advice for Associates:

1. Professionalism Matters:

Law is a formal and professional industry. The way you dress, communicate, and carry yourself should always reflect that. First impressions matter, so aim to present yourself in a way that builds trust and credibility. Make sure you follow your firm’s dress code, speak respectfully and professionally, and maintain a professional attitude both inside and outside of the office.

2. Feedback is an Investment in You:

Critiques aren’t personal. Feedback is a resource, not an attack. Stay curious, ask questions, and don’t take things to heart. Sometimes, feedback won’t come wrapped in a long, softened-up email. It might be direct, even blunt. That doesn’t mean it’s meant to hurt you, it just means someone is pointing out what went wrong and how to fix it, clearly and efficiently.

3. Earn your voice

Confidence matters, but humility matters more. As a junior associate, you’ll be learning from lawyers who’ve likely been through everything you’re now facing. Respect their experience, listen with open ears, and absorb as much as you can. Over time, as you grow and evolve in your career your own perspective will naturally carry more weight.

4. Keep your word

It’s totally natural to have personal plans, and that you might not want to stay late working on something a partner or senior associate just handed you. But if you’ve committed to a specific deadline, make sure you stick to it. Meeting that deadline helps keep the deal, and the team on track. Missing it could jeopardize the hard work everyone puts in, and ironically, it might also mess up your own plans in the end.

Closing thoughts:

Taking everything into consideration, at the end of the day, both partners and associates share the same goal; doing great work for the benefit of their clients and themselves. With the power of mutual understanding and respect, I am certain that the firms that manage to foster a culture of respect and understanding will be the ones that will lead these new generations and the firm itself to success.

If you’d like more guidance as to how to survive working for a certain partner as an associate or just want general market information; feel free to reach out privately and we’d be happy to help.

Just Legalインタビュー： SBC メディカルグループ岡本高太郎弁護士（５３期）

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 03:28:00 GMT

トップ・ローファームでパートナーとなり、その後、企業内に身を置き、現在はナスダック上場企業における法務部長として法務機能強化に携わる――。一見すると、計算された戦略的キャリアのようにも思われますが、ご本人はそれを「結果的にそうなっただけです」と静かに笑います。

「目の前にあることをその都度必要だと思ってやってきただけです。あとから見れば、結果的につながっていたのかもしれません。」
岡本弁護士が法曹を志したのは学生時代のこと。「知的に面白く、人の役に立ち、専門性のある仕事に就きたい」と考えたとき、法律に興味を持つ。

キャリアのスタートは、２０００年代はじめの大手四大法律事務所。人数はまだ少なく、昭和の香りが残る環境で、学びの多い日々を過ごしました。クロスボーダーM&Aや複雑な紛争案件、英文契約書のドラフティングなどを少人数かつ短時間で、人間の限界に挑むのかと思うようなチャレンジも経験をされたそうです。「多くの案件を担当することで、弁護士としての土台を一つひとつ築いた感じですね。契約を構造から理解する力、調査力、文書をきちんと書く力。それらの基礎が、後々の現場でいきてくるのですが、そのときはとにかく必死なだけでしたね。」

「パートナーになった」その先を考えたとき。

しばらくするとパートナーに昇進され、外から見れば順調なキャリアです。しかし、そのポジションにとどまることは選択していません。

「当時としては、法律事務所を出るという選択は珍しかったと思います。ただ私は、“企業が、ビジネスが、どんな力学で動いているのか”を内側から自分の目で見たい気持ちが強かったです。」

トップファームからトップ企業アマゾンジャパンのインハウスへ。その後ブティックファーム２所、スタートアップ企業１社を経て現在は急成長中の医療グループで、法務責任者を務めている。どのような考えがあって決断してきたのでしょうか。
「緻密な戦略のもとに動いたというより、必要に応じて自分のいる場所を見直してきた、という感覚の方が近いかもしれません。」

評価よりも、手応えのある現場を選んだ？

「もちろん周りの評価も気になりますが、それよりも、自分がやっていることに意味があるかどうか、誰かの役に立てているかを大事にしてきたんだと思います。」現職の美容医療に対する“正直な”第一印象とは？「実は少し偏見のようなものがありました。美容医療って、世の中の誰もが使うものではないし、なんとなく『特殊な人が利用するもの』という先入観があって……。正直、あまりピンとこなかったというのが本音です。」入社前は、美容医療という業態自体に対する理解も限定的だったという。「たとえば鼻の形を変える、輪郭を整えるといった手術は、どこか別世界の話だと感じていた部分もありました。」それでも飛び込んだ理由と「違和感のなさ。」なぜその世界に入ることを決めたのか。「正直、多少の不安はありました。でも、会社の成長性や経営陣の発信を見て、“ちゃんと会社として事業をやっている”という感覚が伝わってきました。そこが最終的な決め手でした。」SBCメディカルグループは、コーポレート部門の組織基盤を強化する過渡期。メガバンクやコンサルティングファーム出身など、外部からキャリア豊富なエキスパートが次々と集まり、経営体制の厚みも増していました。

苦楽を共にしたコーポレートメンバーと実際に入社してみて最も印象的だったのは、社内で働く人々が想像以上に“普通”であったということです。ここでいう“普通”とは、決して平凡という意味ではなく、誠実な医療経営を支援するという強い使命感と情熱を持ち、日々の業務に真摯に取り組む姿勢を備えた人たちでした。それまでの私は、美容医療業界に対する世間のイメージや偏見を、知らず知らずのうちに自分自身の中にも取り込んでしまっていたのだと痛感しました。そして同時に、こうした偏見を打破し、彼らと共に正しい姿を社会に伝えていきたいという思いが芽生えました。入社後に感じたギャップと、新たな視点。「実際に入って最も驚いたのは、業務の幅広さですね。」法務・労務・情報セキュリティ・海外展開・M&A――。それらをすべて、ほぼ一人で支えている。「美容というイメージだけでこの会社を見ていたら、絶対にわからないと思います。むしろ“医療法人”や“ナスダック上場企業”という側面のほうが、毎日の仕事には大きく関係しています。」また、近年では消費者のニーズが外科的手術から「美容皮膚科」や「スキンケア」にシフトしつつあるという。「皮膚科領域になってくると、もはや一般的な医療や生活習慣の延長に近くなる。しみ・そばかす治療なんて、もう“特別なこと”ではなくなっています。」弁護士として、この業界で価値を出せる理由この業界には、まだまだ法務人材が少ない。法令遵守はもちろん、ルールの整備やガバナンス対応においても、外部弁護士ではなく“中の人”がやらなければ動かない局面が多いという。「それなりの規模なのに、誰も担ってこなかった領域がたくさんある。そこに自分が入る意味は大きかったと感じています。」 “わからなさ”の中に飛び込む価値：先入観の裏にあった“成長の場”
美容業界に対して、岡本弁護士が感じていた違和感やためらいは、ごく自然なものである。だが実際に入ってみて気づいたのは、「先入観は、情報不足から生まれることが多い」ということだった。そして今では、美容という分野が持つ“成長性”と“社会的ニーズ”の大きさを、日々の業務を通じて実感しているという。「すごく特殊な場所に来た、とは思っていません。ただ、他の人があまり見ようとしてこなかっただけで、実はちゃんと組織として機能していて、法務が必要とされている世界なんだと、今は思っています。」
M&A、労務対応、情報セキュリティ、海外子会社の法務支援、上場企業としてのガバナンス体制の整備まで、担当範囲は多岐にわたります。入社当初から「何でも屋」のような立場だったが、そのなかで手触りのある仕事をひとつずつ積み上げてきたという。

「最初は、正直ここまで幅広くなるとは思っていませんでした。でも、気がつけばやれていた。そういう状況に置かれたからこそ、自分の力を試す機会になったのだと思います。」

「飛び込んだ」のではなく、「組み立てながら進んだ」

ご自身のキャリアを振り返って、「無謀な挑戦をしてきたつもりはない」とおっしゃいます。一つひとつの選択は常に慎重で、丁寧だったと。道筋が完全に見えていなくても、立ち止まるのではなく、組み立てながら少しずつ前に進んできた。まさに、それこそが岡本弁護士の強さなのかもしれません。

「キャリアに“正解”はないと思います。でも、自分がしてきた選択に納得できるか。それだけは、ずっと大切にしてきたことです。」

弁護士という職業には、慎重であること、確実であることが求められる場面も多くあります。その一方で、ときにその特性が、柔軟さや“新しい風景”を遠ざけてしまうこともあるかもしれません。

少しずつ道を変えながら、自分自身で“次のかたち”を見つけてこられた歩みは、これからキャリアを考える多くの法務人材に、静かな示唆を与えてくれています。

Just Search Group Launches, Expanding Specialist Recruitment Expertise with New Brand, Just HR

Mon, 12 May 2025 03:57:00 GMT

Just Search Group has officially launched, bringing together specialist executive search expertise under a single, scalable brand serving the Japan market. The newly formed parent company encompasses Just Legal, a market-leading legal recruitment firm established in 2014, and introduces Just HR, its latest division dedicated to HR executive search.

The creation of Just Search Group marks a strategic step toward delivering specialist search and recruitment services with a unified purpose. Led by Group CEO, Paul Cochrane, Just Search Group’s mission is to deepen its long-term partnerships while maintaining the high-quality, consultative service that clients across Japan have come to trust.

Just HR, headed by co-founder and Managing Director Jason Lewis, starts with a clear focus: supporting organisations in their search for exceptional HR talent. The launch complements broader trends within the Japanese executive hiring market, where businesses are increasingly focused on employee experience, culture transformation and organisational resilience. Just HR is poised to support this shift by connecting forward-thinking employers with HR professionals who can lead meaningful change.

From CHROs and HRBPs to specialists in Learning & Development, Employee Relations, and beyond, Just HR is designed to address the growing demand for capable HR leadership in Japan’s evolving market.

With plans in motion to grow into additional professional sectors, Just Search Group is now focused on building a future-ready platform for delivering its singular style of executive search in Japan.

“This is a pivotal moment,” said Cochrane. “Bringing Just Legal and Just HR together under Just Search Group sets a strong foundation for future growth into new professional verticals, while reinforcing our commitment to meticulous and human-centred search.”

“Our clients have consistently told us that the real value lies in specialization,” said Jason Lewis. “Just HR was built in direct response to that need, giving clients a dedicated, knowledgeable partner for HR executive search. We’re excited to bring this level of depth and focus to the market.”

For more information, visit justsearchgroup.com .

エグゼクティブサーチのノウハウを集結させた「Just Search Group」設立のお知らせ

Mon, 05 May 2025 09:25:00 GMT

法務人材紹介の「Just Legal」、人事エグゼクティブサーチ特化の「Just HR」を統合

エグゼクティブサーチのノウハウを集結させた「Just Search Group」設立のお知らせ
法務人材紹介の「Just Legal」、人事エグゼクティブサーチ特化の「Just HR」を統合

2025年5月12日に、Just Search Group（本社：東京都港区、CEO：Paul Cochrane、以下、「当社」）を設立いたしました。これは、2014年に設立した法務人材紹介の「Just Legal株式会社」を傘下に収めると同時に、人事エグゼクティブサーチ特化の新部門「Just HR」も立ち上げました。

Just Search Group設立の背景とCEOのコメント
当社は、日本全国のクライアントを対象とした高品質でコンサルティング型のサービスを維持しつつ、長期的なパートナーシップを深めていくことをミッションとしています。さらに独自のエグゼクティブサーチの手法を提供するためのプラットフォーム構築に注力してまいります。

グループCEOのコメント
Paul Cochrane（ポール・コクレーン）
これは重要な節目です。Just LegalとJust HRをJust Search Groupの下に統合することで、新たな専門分野への支援も可能にするための強固な基盤を築くと共に、丁寧な人材中心のサーチを強化します。

Just HR立ち上げの目的と共同創業者のコメント
Just HRの立ち上げによって、優秀な人事人材の獲得支援が可能になります。従業員体験、企業文化の変革、組織のレジリエンスに着目する企業が増える日本市場において、エグゼクティブ人材の採用のトレンドに対応できることが強みです。

CHRO からHRBP 、L&D*、従業員リレーションなどの専門家まで、優秀な人事リーダー採用を叶えます。Just HRでは、変革をリードできる人事のプロと先進的な考えを持つ企業をつなぐための体制を整えており、今後もさらなる専門分野への拡大を進めてまいります。

*CHRO: 最高人事責任者
*HRBP: HRビジネスパートナー
*L&D: Learning & Development（人材育成とキャリア開発）

Just HRを率いる共同創業者兼マネージングディレクターのコメント
Jason Lewis（ジェイソン・ルイス）
クライアント企業との協業を通して、真の価値は専門性にあると確信しています。Just HRはHRエグゼクティブサーチにおいて、専門的な経験のあるパートナーとして、そのニーズに真っ直ぐに応えます。市場に対するこの深い知見を提供できることを、大変嬉しく思います。

Ultimate Guide: How to Move to Japan as a Foreign Lawyer

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 10:21:00 GMT

Opportunities for Foreign Lawyers in Japan: A Growing Legal Market

Introduction

Japan’s economic landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, creating exciting opportunities for foreign professionals, particularly in the legal sector.
Foreign investment has surged, reaching ¥50.5 trillion ($350.6 billion) by the end of 2023 , marking a 9.3% increase in one year . The Japanese government aims to double this figure to ¥100 trillion by 2030 .
Simultaneously, Japan’s tourism industry is booming , with nearly 37 million visitors in 2024 , surpassing pre-pandemic records by 15.6% . This influx has fueled record-high tourist spending of ¥8.1 trillion ($50.8 billion) , a 69.2% increase from 2019 .
This economic transformation is driving demand for legal services , especially in corporate law, finance, and international transactions. As a result, both Japanese and international law firms are actively recruiting foreign-qualified lawyers to help navigate the complexities of global business expansion. If you’re a foreign lawyer considering a move to Japan, this is the perfect time to explore your options.

Understanding the Legal Market in Japan

The Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi (Gaiben) Qualification

The Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi (Gaiben) qualification allows foreign-qualified attorneys to practice law in Japan while advising on their home jurisdiction’s legal system.

Requirements to Qualify:

Be licensed as an attorney in your home country
Have at least three years of practical experience (including at least one year outside Japan )
Apply to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations
Provide documentation of qualifications and experience
Pass a character and fitness review
Receive approval from the Minister of Justice

No need to pass the Japanese bar exam or be fluent in Japanese (although language skills are advantageous). The process generally takes 6-12 months .

Limitations to Consider:

Cannot practice Japanese law or represent clients in Japanese courts
Must collaborate with Japanese lawyers (bengoshi) on certain matters
Limited to advising on the laws of your home jurisdiction

The Gaiben qualification is particularly valuable for corporate law, international business, and cross-border transactions , where knowledge of multiple legal systems is a significant asset.

Legal Job Opportunities in Japan

1. In-House Legal Counsel

Best suited for: Lawyers with strong Japanese language proficiency and an interest in corporate legal operations.

Advantages:

Direct involvement in business decision-making
Exposure to Japanese corporate culture
Better work-life balance compared to law firms

Challenges:

Japanese language proficiency is usually required for internal communication
Lower salaries compared to international law firms

2. International Law Firms

Best suited for: Lawyers specializing in Corporate M&A, Finance, and Dispute Resolution with top-tier qualifications.

Advantages:

More flexibility with Japanese language skills
Work on high-profile, international transactions
Competitive compensation (though often lower than NY/London salaries)

Challenges:

Many firms have smaller Tokyo offices , requiring direct client interactions
Firms prefer US (New York, California, DC), UK, or Australian/New Zealand legal qualifications

3. Japanese Law Firms

Best suited for: Lawyers with cross-border experience and strong credentials from US, UK, or Australian legal systems .

Advantages:

Less emphasis on Japanese language skills than international firms
Strong demand for native English-speaking lawyers with international expertise

Challenges:

Lower salaries compared to international firms
Japanese firms operate within a hierarchical work culture

How to Find a Legal Job in Japan

1. Networking and Professional Connections

Unlike Western legal markets, LinkedIn is not widely used in Japan for legal hiring. Instead, law firms prefer personal referrals and networking .
Best ways to build your network:

Attend international legal conferences with Japanese firms
Join alumni networks with connections in Japan
Engage with Japanese practice groups in your current firm
Participate in legal webinars focused on Japan

2. Legal Recruiters

Professional legal recruiters play a critical role in Japan’s legal job market. They can connect you with opportunities that are not publicly listed and provide valuable market insights.

What a good recruiter offers:

Exclusive job opportunities before they’re advertised
Insider knowledge on hiring trends and firm culture
Guidance on salary expectations and interview prep

Caution: Be selective when choosing a recruiter. Stick to one or two reputable recruiters to avoid duplicate job submissions, which can harm your candidacy.

Practical Considerations for Relocating to Japan

1. Visa and Work Permit Process

To work in Japan, foreign lawyers typically need a Legal Services Visa , which is sponsored by their employer . The application process can take several months , so planning ahead is crucial.

2. Compensation & Cost of Living

Salaries in Tokyo are generally lower than in NY or London , but higher than in Australia
Cost of living in Tokyo is lower than in NY or London, particularly for housing
Average salaries:
International law firms : $150K–$250K USD (varies by experience)
Japanese law firms : $80K–$150K USD
In-house counsel : $100K–$180K USD

3. Adapting to Japanese Work Culture

Japanese workplaces emphasize hierarchy, etiquette, and indirect communication . Demonstrating cultural awareness and adaptability is key to a successful transition.

Tips for professional integration:

Learn basic business Japanese phrases
Observe workplace hierarchy and respect seniority
Understand the importance of non-verbal cues in meetings

Final Thoughts: Is Japan Right for You?

Japan’s booming foreign investment and thriving legal market present unique opportunities for foreign lawyers. Whether your interests lie in in-house roles, international firms, or Japanese firms , there is a pathway for legal professionals with international expertise .
With the Gaiben qualification , strategic networking , and the right recruiter , you can navigate the job search process effectively and launch a successful legal career in Japan .
For those ready to embrace new challenges, cultural experiences, and professional growth , Japan could be the next step in your legal career.

External Counsels and In-House Counsels

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:21:00 GMT

We are pleased to announce the release of the latest issue of our newsletter!

Following the positive response to our previous issue, this edition focuses on the differences between in-house and external counsels.

***
In the preparation of this issue, we had the privilege of interviewing seven lawyers from both law firms and corporations. Additionally, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Mariko Mimura from Nishimura & Asahi for her invaluable supervision. We were fortunate to gather insights from distinguished professionals with experience in both law firms and corporations, as well as those who have experience working with both Japanese and international companies. We deeply appreciate the cooperation of everyone involved.
***

WANTED: Marketing Intern

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 10:27:00 GMT

Paid Marketing Internship Opportunity (Creative & Digital Focus)

Just Legal K.K., a leading legal search consultancy firm in Tokyo, is expanding and looking for a proactive Marketing Intern to join our team. We are seeking a dynamic individual with a passion for engaging the younger generation through innovative marketing strategies.

Responsibilities:

Develop and implement creative marketing strategies aimed at engaging new audiences.
Create and edit video/photo content for social media and promotional material.
Assist in the planning and execution of digital marketing campaigns.
Collaborate with the team to brainstorm new ideas and approaches for outreach.

Requirements:

Strong interest in digital marketing and content creation.
Experience in video and photo editing.
Proactive and able to work independently on projects.
A creative mindset and ability to think outside the box.

This is a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a fast-growing firm and make a real impact.

For applications and information contact Edgar Salazar – edgar.salazar@justlegal.co.jp

Our team member Yuna was featured by a prominent podcaster in Japan!

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 10:31:00 GMT

Our team member Yuna was featured by a prominent podcaster in Japan!

In the Podcast Yuna and the host Catherine explore the followings;

What’s HOT in today’s legal job market in Japan,

Most wanted Skills , and

Emerging sectors like HealthTech and bio ventures

If you’re a legal professional, this episode will give you valuable insights into the future of law in Japan. Don’t miss out - tune in now!

Listen here: Podcast Link

Watch on YouTube: YouTube Link

Back to Private Practice

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 10:37:00 GMT

A law firm client we met recently shared the struggles they were having with hiring associates. Their biggest competition is not other law firms, but in-house opportunities. In-house roles often attract candidates who want a better work-life balance, a stable salary, and closer involvement with a single business.

However, we are seeing an increasingly number of lawyers who have spent years in-house, transition back to private practice. Here are the reasons why:

1. Desire for Varied Legal Work

“When I work for my company, I only have one client. But if I work for a law firm, I get to work with multiple clients or various projects.”

One of the primary drivers for a return to private practice is the scope and variety of legal work available. In-house lawyers often deal with a narrower set of issues specific to the industry or company they work for. While this can be beneficial for developing deep expertise in certain areas, it can also become repetitive or limiting over time.

Private practice, on the other hand, offers the chance to work on a broader range of cases and clients, covering multiple industries and legal issues. This diversity can be intellectually stimulating and more aligned with a lawyer’s interests in continuing legal education and varied legal challenges.

2. Greater Control Over Career Progression

“If I stay at my current company, I won’t get promoted unless the senior counsel moves up or out.”

Some in-house counsel positions have more limited upward mobility compared to private practice. For ambitious lawyers who want to rise through the ranks, build their own practice, or achieve partnership, private practice can offer more autonomy and clearer career progression pathways. The return to private practice lets them shape their own career trajectory, take on leadership roles, or specialize in areas they’re passionate about.

3. Opportunity to Build a Personal Brand

“I would like to be seen as a specialist in my practice area.”

Most often, an in-house legal counsel’s identity is tied to the company they represent. In private practice, lawyers have the opportunity to build and cultivate a personal brand, and the ability to grow their professional stature within the legal market is a significant motivator for making the switch.

4. Opportunity to Help Establish a New Practice

“I want to leverage the specialized experience I’ve gained and help establish a practice from scratch.”

Some lawyers leave their previous law firms to gain more in-depth experience in a particular industry. After a few years in private practice, once they become known as an expert in the field, lawyers can also seize the opportunity to help establish or grow a new practice area within a firm by leveraging the expertise, industry insights, and valuable connections they’ve gained as an in-house counsel. This allows them to play a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s direction while building on their specialized knowledge and experience.

5. Compensation and Financial Incentives

I’ve heard many candidates explain the reason they want to go back into private practice is to provide more financial stability for their family. Since the compensation structure in private practice are often based on billable hours, client acquisition, and firm performance, compensation can be much higher than in-house, especially for senior lawyers.

6. Reconnection with Legal Expertise

“I don’t want to have to keep dealing with non-legal related matters.”

In-house counsel roles often require lawyers to wear many hats, including handling compliance, risk management, and business strategy. Some lawyers find that this shift away from pure legal work causes them to lose touch with their core legal skills. A move back to private practice allows them to refocus on being a lawyer first and foremost, often with more direct involvement in complex litigation, negotiations, or regulatory work.

7. Sense of Achievement

“Even if I did a great job closing the deal or winning a case, most often my supervisors from non-legal departments didn’t understand and appreciate the work that I did.”

Professional feedback is more frequent and performance-driven, with clear benchmarks like client satisfaction, billable hours, and revenue generation. This regular evaluation fosters a strong sense of progress, driving motivation and continuous growth, making private practice a rewarding environment for those seeking achievement and career development. On the associate level, the partner you are working with on a deal may have more knowledge on the subject and can provide immediate feedback and suggestions on the legal issues you are tasked to complete.

As with any career change, moving back to private practice comes with its own challenges:

1. Business development and acquiring clients. In-house lawyers often lack the extensive client networks that private practice attorneys cultivate over time, making it harder to bring in business.

2. Skill alignment can be an issue. In-house roles tend to focus on business operations, risk management, and internal advisement, while private practice requires proficiency in billable work, business development, and courtroom advocacy. Reacquiring or sharpening these skills can be tough.

3. Perceived gap in recent experience, especially in litigation or specialized legal areas. Some firms might be skeptical about a lawyer’s ability to reintegrate into the fast-paced, client-centric environment of private practice.

4. Work-life balance can shift significantly. Private practice typically involves longer hours and higher pressures to meet billable targets, a big contrast to the often more predictable schedules of in-house roles.

Conclusion

For many lawyers, returning to private practice after working in-house can seem like the right move, particularly when considering long-term career goals, such as working on more varied legal work, having greater career control, financial incentives, personal branding, or a reconnection with core legal skills.

However, the transition is not without its challenges. Lawyers may need to rebuild a client base, adjust to the high demands of billable hours, and refresh skills specific to private practice. Despite these obstacles, this shift is a reminder that legal careers are not linear. With careful planning and strategic effort, many paths can lead to success, growth, and fulfillment.

Becoming a Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi (Gaiben) in Japan: Why It Matters and How to Achieve It

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 10:42:00 GMT

Despite the current and recent economic situation of Japan, not to mention the consequences of the global pandemic; in the last five years, the number of foreign lawyers living in Tokyo has shown significant growth. Moreover, both Japanese and foreign law firms seek foreign-qualified lawyers, and foreign lawyers abroad looking to move to Japan are increasing in number. It is therefore important for foreign lawyers to be fully prepared for this transition in the event of a change in the Tokyo market.

While considering personal aspects of this career change, such as logistics of moving and cost of living, it is important to understand what Japanese law firms require in a foreign lawyer. Among these requirements, one of the most important requirements is qualification or eligibility to become a foreign lawyer in Japan.

As a foreign lawyer willing to build a successful career in Japan, becoming a Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi (Gaiben), is a ‘basic’ step. The Gaiben qualification opens opportunities and allows you to provide legal services that would otherwise be restricted to you. Below, you’ll be able to find the importance of obtaining this qualification, and how to achieve this.

Why is the Gaiben Qualification Important?

1. Legal Authorization:

The Gaiben qualification legally empowers foreign lawyers to advice on the law in their jurisdiction of primary qualification. The legal practice in Japan, without this status, is forbidden by Article 72 of the Bengoshi Act.

2. Broadened Legal Practice:

As a Gaiben, you are at liberty to offer professional legal services not only about the laws of your jurisdiction but also about designated laws if approved to do so by the Minister of Justice. This is inclusive of advice concerning laws in other jurisdictions, provided that you have obtained written advice to that effect from a lawyer who is qualified to practice in that jurisdiction.

3. Professional Credibility:

With the Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi qualification, your professional credibility, and reputation in the Japanese legal market will be advanced. It tells that you attain rigorous standards and recognition by Japanese authorities that may attract clients and opportunities for employment.

4. Career Opportunities:

Most law firms in Japan require foreign applicants to be either eligible or already registered as a Gaiben in order to consider the possibility of them joining. Not being qualified, being eligible for it, or not willing to qualify would close the door to a large amount of opportunities.

Steps to Become a Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi (Gaiben)

1. Qualification as a Foreign Lawyer:

· Ensure that you are qualified as a lawyer in your home jurisdiction.

2. Work Experience Requirements:

· You must have a minimum of three years of work experience in the practice of law, with at least one year outside of Japan.

3. Preliminary Examination:

· Apply for the preliminary examination. First, your application documents will be checked for completeness before examination.

4. Minister of Justice Approval:

· In case of eligibility, subsequently file your application with the Minister for approval accompanied with the appropriate fees and signing of sworn statements. Then, the Ministry will contact the Japan Federation of Bar Associations for an opinion.

5. Consultation and Counseling:

· As part of the process, you can be provided with counseling services to assist you on the approval procedures. The application is then put before the Foreign Lawyers Committee within the JFBA, which submits its opinion.

6. Final Decision and Registration

· In case of successful applications, the applicant will be notified of their Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi status. This fact is advertised in the official gazette. In case of approval, you are registered to the bar association of your choice.

· The average waiting period for a decision from the moment you submit your application is of 6 to 12 months.

Flow of Approval Procedures

Following is a detailed flow of the approval procedures to become a Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi.

Main Stage: Approval

1. Application for Approval:

· Take the Approval Application form and original copies of accompanying documents to the Ministry of Justice.

· File the application and swear an oath.

· Pay the Application fee by affixing revenue stamps of ¥27,500 on the application form.

· An approval application receipt shall be issued.

· Make necessary corrections, and contact the Ministry of Justice office for an appointment to visit them.

· Fill up the application, and take an oath in Japanese. You may bring an interpreter if you need one.

2. Application for Approval Examination:

· The Ministry of Justice will seek an opinion from the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, JFBA.

· The application is examined, then a judgment is rendered or passed.

3. Notice of the Results of the Examination:

· Publication in the government gazette of the notice of the results.

· A notice for approval or rejection is issued and sent to the applicant and the JFBA.

· In case of the approval of the application, follow up on the registration at a bar association.

Conclusion

One of the most important steps in building up a good, strong legal practice in Japan would be the Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi qualification for any foreign lawyer. Having such a qualification will help to expand the legal services you can offer. This enhances professional prestige and helps in ensuring conformity with Japanese law. If all steps involved are properly followed and you are aware of the importance of the process, it will help you acquire Gaiben status and, hence, a lot of the related professional opportunities within the legal environment in Japan.

Links of Interest

· https://www.nichibenren.or.jp/en/about/judicial_system/gaiben_info.html

· https://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/gjb.html

· https://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/m_housei07_00003.html

Summer Snapshot 2024: Competitive In-house Market for Employers

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 10:47:00 GMT

Already in 2024, Japan’s legal job market has seen significant activity, reflecting broader economic trends and industry demands. As the economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic, several key factors are shaping the landscape for legal professionals. Here, we delve into the current trends and what they mean for job seekers and employers alike.

A Bustling Legal Job Market

The in-house legal job market in Japan is busy. Companies across various sectors are in search of in-house legal counsel to navigate the growth of their businesses. This is particularly noticeable across manufacturing & hi-tech, healthcare & health-tech, finance & investments, and energy.

These industries are know the importance of strong legal support to manage regulatory compliance, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, and other critical legal functions.

The in-house legal job market in Japan is busy. Companies across various sectors are in search of in-house legal counsel to navigate the growth of their businesses. This is particularly noticeable across manufacturing & hi-tech, healthcare & health-tech, finance & investments, and energy.

These industries are know the importance of strong legal support to manage regulatory compliance, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, and other critical legal functions.

Rising Salaries

Salaries for in-house counsel continues to increase compared to the pre-COVID era. Although the rise has not been drastic (yet), it is steady and significant enough to impact hiring trends. A growing number of companies are showing a willingness to offer higher pay for key legal hires, acknowledging the value of experienced legal talent. This willingness to invest in top-tier professionals highlights the competitive nature of the market.

Salaries for in-house counsel continues to increase compared to the pre-COVID era. Although the rise has not been drastic (yet), it is steady and significant enough to impact hiring trends. A growing number of companies are showing a willingness to offer higher pay for key legal hires, acknowledging the value of experienced legal talent. This willingness to invest in top-tier professionals highlights the competitive nature of the market.

Candidate-Short Market

Despite the active job market, there remains a shortage of qualified candidates; i.e. commercially minded, bilingual in-house counsel. This scarcity continues to drives up demand, giving job seekers an often strong negotiating position. Employers are finding it challenging to fill positions with the right talent, leading to longer recruitment processes and increased competition among companies.

Despite the active job market, there remains a shortage of qualified candidates; i.e. commercially minded, bilingual in-house counsel. This scarcity continues to drives up demand, giving job seekers an often strong negotiating position. Employers are finding it challenging to fill positions with the right talent, leading to longer recruitment processes and increased competition among companies.

Emphasis on Cultural Fit

In this candidate-short market, companies are placing a higher priority on finding the right cultural and personality fit. Technical skills and experience remain crucial, but organizations are increasingly looking for candidates who align with their values and can integrate seamlessly into their corporate culture. This shift underscores the importance of soft skills and the ability to work collaboratively within teams.

In this candidate-short market, companies are placing a higher priority on finding the right cultural and personality fit. Technical skills and experience remain crucial, but organizations are increasingly looking for candidates who align with their values and can integrate seamlessly into their corporate culture. This shift underscores the importance of soft skills and the ability to work collaboratively within teams.

In Summary

The in-house legal job market in Japan continues to be dynamic and evolving. With rising salaries, high demand for in-house legal counsel, and a focus on cultural fit, both employers and job seekers must adapt to these trends. For companies, offering competitive compensation and emphasizing corporate culture are key strategies to attract and retain top talent. For job seekers, highlighting both hands-on transactional or technical experience, and alignment with company values can enhance job prospects in this bustling market.

The in-house legal job market in Japan continues to be dynamic and evolving. With rising salaries, high demand for in-house legal counsel, and a focus on cultural fit, both employers and job seekers must adapt to these trends. For companies, offering competitive compensation and emphasizing corporate culture are key strategies to attract and retain top talent. For job seekers, highlighting both hands-on transactional or technical experience, and alignment with company values can enhance job prospects in this bustling market.

Spring 2024 Market Update - Demand Picking Up

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 10:52:00 GMT

The Japanese legal market continues to evolve and adapt to changes in business and society; namely geopolitical, economic, and environment right now. With the Japanese economy the talk of the global business community (including a weak yen, unfortunately…), the legal market is buzzing, and we are seeing healthy demand for a variety of bilingual lawyers and compliance professionals. Here is a quick snapshot as of Spring 2024.

In-house Legal

In-house legal departments focusing on asset management and health technology are experiencing significant growth.

Asset Management: With the increasing complexity of global finance, there’s a rising demand for legal expertise in navigating intricate regulatory frameworks and modern financial instruments. The industry continues to grow, particular as the Japanese Government tries to encourage its citizens to invest, not just save their hard-earned cash.

Health Technology (HealthTech): The intersection of healthcare and digital technology is expanding rapidly, creating a need for legal professionals who understand regulatory compliance, data privacy, and intellectual property issues in this sector. The speed of development in this area, particular in conjunction with AI, is breathtaking, and we are seeing more and more companies enter the Japanese market or be born in Japan, and in need of lawyers and compliance support.

Additionally, investment businesses and private equity are seeing heightened activity, requiring legal support for venture funding and managing regulatory challenges. Private equity continues to grow in size and in power, even if there is much potential in this area in Japan.

In-house legal departments focusing on asset management and health technology are experiencing significant growth.

Asset Management: With the increasing complexity of global finance, there’s a rising demand for legal expertise in navigating intricate regulatory frameworks and modern financial instruments. The industry continues to grow, particular as the Japanese Government tries to encourage its citizens to invest, not just save their hard-earned cash.

Health Technology (HealthTech): The intersection of healthcare and digital technology is expanding rapidly, creating a need for legal professionals who understand regulatory compliance, data privacy, and intellectual property issues in this sector. The speed of development in this area, particular in conjunction with AI, is breathtaking, and we are seeing more and more companies enter the Japanese market or be born in Japan, and in need of lawyers and compliance support.

Additionally, investment businesses and private equity are seeing heightened activity, requiring legal support for venture funding and managing regulatory challenges. Private equity continues to grow in size and in power, even if there is much potential in this area in Japan.

Private Practice

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), Private Equity, and Energy/Projects are areas of high demand.

Corporate M&A and Private Equity: In this dynamic business environment, companies restructuring and seeking legal guidance for strategic transactions. There are still a huge number of Japanese companies with capital to invest, and a growing appetite for acquisitions (the recent US Steel deal being a great example).

Energy/Projects: With a focus on sustainability and renewable energy, legal expertise in this sector is increasingly vital for navigating complex project development and regulatory landscapes. Energy transformation continues to be a hot topic, and likely will be for years to come.

The Japanese legal market continues to change, presenting both challenges and opportunities for job seekers and employers. Given current client needs, and conversations across the market, we anticipate the need to experienced lawyers and compliance professionals to remain strong, particularly in the areas outlined here, and including others such as AI and related technologies.

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), Private Equity, and Energy/Projects are areas of high demand.

Corporate M&A and Private Equity: In this dynamic business environment, companies restructuring and seeking legal guidance for strategic transactions. There are still a huge number of Japanese companies with capital to invest, and a growing appetite for acquisitions (the recent US Steel deal being a great example).
Energy/Projects: With a focus on sustainability and renewable energy, legal expertise in this sector is increasingly vital for navigating complex project development and regulatory landscapes. Energy transformation continues to be a hot topic, and likely will be for years to come.

The Japanese legal market continues to change, presenting both challenges and opportunities for job seekers and employers. Given current client needs, and conversations across the market, we anticipate the need to experienced lawyers and compliance professionals to remain strong, particularly in the areas outlined here, and including others such as AI and related technologies.

Award Report

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 10:56:00 GMT

Our esteemed consultant Yuna Yoshimasa was awarded the “Young Leadership Award” by the management committee of Health 2.0 conference which was held during the week of February 19th in Dubai.

Congratulations to Yuna for being recognized for your contribution to the healthcare industry.

Navigating Strategic Shifts: International Law Firms in Japan Intensify Hiring Amid Global Dynamics

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 10:59:00 GMT

In response to heightened U.S.-China tensions and a mid-career partner shortage, international law firms in Japan are actively recruiting foreign-registered and Japan-qualified partners, according to a recent article from Law.com.

The strategic hiring, driven by factors like billing rate disparities and a focus on specific skill sets, aims to bolster practices in areas such as corporate M&A, energy, and project finance.

Paul Cochrane, a founding partner of Just Legal, was interviewed for the article, and notes that firms are navigating challenges such as a scarcity of candidates and the need for flexibility in portable business expectations.

For more details, you can read the full article here .

The use of AI in the legal and recruitment industries

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 11:01:00 GMT

The use of AI today

Virtually all firms are already using some form of Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’). Widely-used legal research platforms, including Westlaw and Practical law, which have been around since 1975 and 1990, respectively, have already integrated elements of AI. However, the heightened discourse and controversy currently surrounding AI dates back to November 2022, with the release of Chat GPT, and concerns the use of Generative AI (Gen AI).

“Generative AI refers to a type of artificial intelligence that is designed to generate new content, often in the form of text, images, or other media, rather than simply responding to inputs or making decisions based on predefined rules. The term ‘generative’ highlights the AI’s ability to create new and original output.” This is the definition written by the Gen AI tool ChatGPT.

Generative AI is now at the stage where it is smart enough to give plausible answers to most prompts. However, it still requires the use of a human being, to input the prompt, proofread, and edit the answer to ensure that the output material is accurate.

Legal professionals are beginning to recognize and embrace the integration of Generative AI in their day-to-day responsibilities. A survey from Thomson Reuters Institute, speaking with lawyers from the US, UK and Canada, found that 82% of legal professionals who took part in the study understood that this AI could be used in legal work. However, only 51% believed that it should actually be used for legal work.

If implemented effectively, AI should reduce the number of hours lawyers are working on deals. By minimizing time spent reviewing contracts, lawyers will be able to allocate more time on strategic activities. This will undoubtedly have a knock on effect on the delivery of legal services, pricing to clients and the execution of legal work. Some go as far as to suggest that the ‘fundamental definition of what it means to be a lawyer and how you interact with your colleagues and clients is already being reshaped’ by the introduction of Gen AI.

Opposition to the integration of AI

The seamless integration of Generative AI demands substantial investments from firms, both in terms of financial resources and the valuable time of their partners, to ensure success. Those opposed to the introduction of this new technology have every right to feel on edge. As if the past few years of disruptive events hadn’t been enough of a challenge to the status quo, the introduction of AI is posed to further transform the legal sector.

The principal concern surrounding Gen AI is cybersecurity. A survey of UK law firm management conducted by The Lawyers City Signal, identifies this widespread concern for cybersecurity. For some perspective, the results identified that 60% of law firm management were moderately concerned by macroeconomic instability, whilst 21% cited climate change as a significant concern. A considerable 50% of respondents cited their biggest worry as cybercrime.

The use of public Generative AI such as Chat GPT understandably raises concerns regarding confidentiality and cybersecurity for law firms. Lawyers have expressed their lack of trust in tools such as Chat GPT, for engaging in legal matters. However, when dealing with contract review and confidential information, law firms won’t be using public facing tech like GPT, instead services such as LegalOn Technologies, the largest contract review product in the world, will be adopted. Despite opposition, it is now commonly accepted to be a matter of time before all law firms have adopted Generative AI specific to the legal industry, to their practice.

Period of integration

Allen and Overy and MacFarlanes have invested in and adopted the use of Harvey, a legal AI startup. The technology is being introduced slowly to a limited number of lawyers to aid in tasks such as research, analyzing and summarizing documents, as well as creating first drafts of emails and memos. PwC has also given around 4000 legal staff access to the Harvey tech.

The next six months to two years is shaping up to be the time for many law firms to integrate technology into their daily practice. Firms now must decide how and when they are going to implement AI to their daily operations.

Firms will also have to consider how best to use this AI to their advantage. It isn’t clear yet which level of lawyer will benefit the most from this AI support. Junior-mid level associates are likely to be the most comfortable adapting to and implementing the use of AI, however they don’t necessarily have the knowledge and skills yet to identify mistakes or omissions that the use of AI may result in.

What does AI mean for legal recruitment?

There is a lot of talk about AI stealing jobs, however AI in its current form wouldn’t be able to effectively replace the work we do at Just Legal.

For recruiters engaging principally in the active candidate market (using job boards, LinkedIn, active candidate database) it is likely that AI will eventually be able to replicate a significant proportion of the services provided. AI can already assist, and will continue to develop, around resume screening, candidate matching, and interview scheduling. When dealing solely in an active candidate market, algorithms will improve to help recruiters and clients find suitable candidates.

However, at Just Legal, we predominantly focus on the passive candidate market, meaning that the majority of the candidates we bring to clients, are not actively looking to change jobs. Such candidates are often successful in their current roles, and therefore possess the skills and experience that make them valuable to employers. With the security of their current job, passive candidates typically are not actively looking to change jobs, and therefore to even consider an external opportunity means they hold a genuine interest in the client, which can lead to greater long-term commitment and job satisfaction. Hiring an impressive passive candidate can also reflect strongly on our clients, signaling the organization as an attractive and competitive employer, capable of attracting top talent. This talent pool is largely inaccessible to AI and often contains the strongest candidates for our clients.

Like in the legal market, Generative AI is a tool that we at Just Legal will use to streamline our services, leading to higher efficiencies and a faster recruitment process for our clients. However, human interaction and decision making will always be valuable in certain aspects of the recruitment process. From the initial interviews we carry out to assess cultural fit and soft skills, to our ability to negotiate offers, we act as the interface between the client and candidate, and at this point, this still very much relies on the human connection between people. This is especially true of the legal recruitment market, where each hire has a large impact on the success of the firm or legal team.

Safe to say our clients won’t be working with Generative AI robots anytime soon!

To Go or Not to Go (Abroad)

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 11:11:00 GMT

As recruiters, we often hear from Japanese lawyers that they are thinking of studying abroad for various reasons. Most often, this is after the lawyer has worked in his/her firm for a certain number of years and is considering what to do for their next career step. Here are a few reasons we often hear:

#1 Improve English skills

Many Japanese lawyers lack confidence in their English speaking skills. They believe that by staying in an English-speaking country for at least a year, their English skills will improve drastically.

#2 Gain experience living and working in a foreign environment

We can all agree that living anywhere is very different from what you can experience as a traveler. With an immersive educational experience, lawyers believe they can learn and practice through hands-on experiences.

#3 Learn about a specific legal field

Recently, there has been an increase of need for legal professionals in various new fields, such as data privacy, international arbitration, fintech, and intellectual property. For some of these fields, there are more resources and precedents outside of Japan.

#4 Develop a commercial mindset and specialist knowledge with non-legal degrees

Many transactional lawyers have explained to us that learning more about business itself will allow them to be better equipped when advising their clients – whether they’re big clients or startups. To do so, they will sometimes choose to pursue an MBA or degree in management or finance.

#5 To prepare and take a foreign bar exam

Many Japanese lawyers are interested in acquiring a foreign qualification in a common law jurisdiction, such as in the UK or US. For example, while some students from common law countries will be found eligible to sit for the NY bar on the basis of their first law degree, many students will need both to complete the LLM degree and take particular classes as part of the degree in order to be eligible to take the bar.

#6 Take a (nice) break from work

After working in Big Law for a few years, gaining knowledge, experience and insight to the legal world, it’s nice to go back to school for a while to recharge and recalibrate.

#7 Follow the steps of their senpais (senior colleagues)

Some junior lawyers see that their senior colleagues have gone down the same path and have successfully climbed up the law firm ladder after studying abroad and, often, obtaining foreign qualifications. So, they believe that this is a recipe for success.

But should you go?

The above reasons all sound grand, but does studying abroad make a true difference as a step up in your career? What do Managing Partners and employers think about studying abroad as a Japanese lawyer?

Great life experience

Studying, living, and possibly working abroad can really broaden one’s horizons and open yourself to, literally, a whole new world. It can provide you with a new perspective to life and work. However, in terms of legal knowledge, on the job training in an international environment might be able to provide more insight compared to just learning it in school.

Fancy paid sabbatical

Many lawyers study abroad with the sponsorship of their law firm- that includes tuition and subsidies for the cost of living. It’s more of a perk, nowadays, instead of something needed to gain knowledge about how lawyers in other countries practice law.

Interrupting a driven lawyer’s career

Essentially, if a Japanese lawyer were to go abroad to study (maybe more than one degree) and gain a foreign qualification, that would mean a 2-3 year pause to their career, away from the field and past clients and contacts.

Does it prove that your English is better?

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon that, even if Japanese lawyers have studied abroad, they are still not confident or comfortable in speaking English in a business setting.

Can you really use what you’ve learnt?

For Japanese Bengoshi, acquiring a foreign license (such as a UK or NY bar) can be a great way to show their understanding of English common law. Another reason to get a foreign bar qualification is to be able to advise as a foreign-qualified lawyer in Japan. For some firms, compensation ranges can be quite different depending on which qualification a lawyer holds.

However, unless the lawyer uses the license to work in that jurisdiction for a certain number of years, they usually won’t be able to advise their clients regarding the laws of that jurisdiction in Japan. Most firms would not expect a NY-qualified, Bengoshi lawyer to advise on US legal matters.

Conclusion

Studying abroad and gaining foreign qualification is a “nice to have” but not necessary to work as a good Japanese lawyer in Japan, in both international and domestic firms. If Japanese lawyers are looking to work in a more international environment, while continuing to add value as a specialist in Japanese legal matters, it would be more practical (and cost efficient) to consider working for an international law firm or company instead of going abroad.

The Evolution of Remote Work

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:13:00 GMT

Historically

Going to the office to work was a given for white collar workers for decades, until COVID-19 hit, which served as the impetus for the widespread adoption of hybrid working among many white-collar or ‘knowledge workers’. However, the concept of ‘telecommuting’ dates back to 1972, a term initially coined by Jack Nilles, a literal rocket scientist and then researcher at USC In 1979, IBM took pioneering steps toward hybrid working with a team of 5 employees embarking on a remote working trial; by 1983, over 2000 IBM employees were engaging in remote work. Fast forward to 2009, and IBM announced that 40% of their staff had “no office at all”, leading to substantial savings of nearly $2 billion in office space costs.

This anecdote of IBM’s trial highlights the broader gradual rise of remote working from the 1970s to 2010, owing to the advancements in personal computers and the proliferation of Wi-Fi. It was anticipated that the number of employees working from home would steadily increase with time, however, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend to an unprecedented scale, necessitating swift adaption from both employees and businesses to this new work paradigm.

The benefits

Today, lawyers around the world engaging in hybrid working benefit from a more flexible work-life balance. We have spoken with Partners and Associates who are experiencing a novel sense of consistency as they now find themselves regularly sharing dinner with their families – a precious first in their professional careers. Associates from the Big 4 Japanese law firms have expressed their gratitude for their firms’ new-found appreciation for work-life-balance. Similarly, in-house lawyers have expressed the introduction of working from home to be a ‘silver-lining of the COVID-19 pandemic’.

The employee is not the sole beneficiary to this shift, employers too have reaped some rewards. Studies following the pandemic revealed compelling findings: remote workers who spent 60-80% of their time working from home, were far more engaged and productive, than those working in the office full-time. Not to mention the cost savings of a reduction of office space. It is clear that there are positives on both sides.

But it’s not all good news…

However, it’s worth noting that some sources indicate that the initial surge in productivity seen during and immediately after the pandemic has waned. In response to this data, leaders of major Japanese corporations are expressing a desire to bring their teams back to the office, citing the need to ‘boost collaboration and avoid a productivity slump’. Japanese corporations are concerned that without the relationships formed between co-workers in the office, employees are likely to ‘turn to the highest bidder’. Although it’s fair to say that the legal market is far more complex than this.

Law firms around the world are also encouraging lawyers to get back into the office. Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson, for example, has introduced a flexible summer work-from-home scheme, limited to the month of August, while simultaneously reducing the overall annual allowance for remote work. With Shearman and Sterling adopting a similar strategy, and Skadden Arps simply asking lawyers to return to the office four days a week. Incentive based initiatives are also emerging, as seen at Osborne Clarke, where in order to qualify for an additional bonus, lawyers must be in the office at least three days a week.

This shift back towards more days in the office, could be beneficial to the lawyer as remote work does have some drawbacks on the well-being of individuals. The so-called ‘epidemic of loneliness’ becomes more pronounced when employees spend their entire workday isolated. Recent studies have revealed the negative side effects of social isolation can be as detrimental as smoking 15 cigarettes a day (PLOS Medicine)!

Moreover, it’s crucial to recognize that a poorly managed hybrid work arrangement can also lead to severe loneliness or dissatisfaction. In situations where there is a lack of clear guidance, employees may find themselves spending their days in the office engaged in a seemingly endless stream of video calls, with limited face-to-face engagement with colleagues. Thus rendering their commute into the office somewhat redundant. In cases where organizational structure is lacking, the expected benefits of in-office work, such as promoting work culture, encouraging collaboration and enhancing productivity, may not come to fruition. For the hybrid model to be effective and conducive to mental well-being of employees, it’s essential for firms to make necessary adjustments to their HR processes.

What is the best approach?

Obviously full-time remote work, as experienced during the pandemic, may not be the ideal working environment for both law firms and lawyers. However, it’s important that firms refrain from revoking the option of remote work for their employees. In the finance sector, for instance, a study discovered that half of the respondents would rather leave their jobs than increase their time spent in the office (as per Bloomberg’s latest Market Live Pulse survey). Globally, only 20% of Bloomberg’s survey participants expressed a preference for working solely from the office.

While this survey comes from the finance sector, it’s plausible to assume that lawyers may share a similar sentiment regarding remote work. Eliminating the option of hybrid working entirely would prompt lawyers to seek opportunities at firms that offer a more flexible approach to remote work. Recent conversations with lawyers in the Japanese market identify that individuals still prefer at least having an option to work from home as needed.

When it comes to firms hiring and lawyers choosing a new workplace, it’s crucial to establish well-defined expectations for flexible working arrangements, that both the employer and employee should agree on. Without a degree of structure and clarity, the advantages of remote work are diminished for both parties. However, based on conversations with lawyers in the industry, it appears that some form of hybrid working is likely to remain a key feature of the legal market in the years to come.

Navigating the Legal Landscape in Japan: The Power of Language

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 11:17:00 GMT

In the intricate world of law, where precision in communication is paramount, being a foreign lawyer in Japan presents its own set of challenges and opportunities. One might argue that speaking Japanese is not an absolute necessity, but delve a little deeper, and you’ll discover the transformative power it holds, not only in broadening your professional horizons but also in fostering trust and understanding with your clients.

Yes, it’s true—a foreign lawyer can find work in Japan without being fluent in Japanese. The legal community is diverse, and the demand for international expertise is on the rise. However, being proficient in Japanese opens doors that would otherwise remain slightly ajar. It’s not just about the convenience of being able to navigate through legal documents and conversations; it’s about building connections and instilling confidence.

Consider this: your ability to speak Japanese goes beyond merely conducting legal affairs. It becomes a bridge that connects you with the intricacies of Japanese culture. Clients, much like anyone seeking legal counsel, want more than just advice; they desire assurance that their lawyer understands the nuances of their society. Speaking Japanese signals that you’re not just a legal professional passing through but someone who has invested time and effort to understand and appreciate the cultural context in which legal matters unfold.

While it may be a stretch to imagine a non-native Japanese-speaking lawyer competing head-to-head with native Japanese-speaking Bengoshi, the goal isn’t necessarily to outshine them in linguistic prowess. Instead, it’s about expanding your reach and accessibility. The more fluent you become, the more clients you can effectively engage with. It’s not a competition; it’s a strategic advantage.

So, how does a foreign lawyer embark on this linguistic journey in a country where kanji characters and polite nuances abound? The answer is simple: start studying. Every effort, no matter how small, contributes to your overall proficiency. Even if reaching a 100% Japanese-speaking level seems like a lofty goal, every bit of progress counts.

Think of it as an investment in your long-term career in Japan. Language is not just a tool for communication; it’s a gateway to understanding, and understanding breeds trust. As a foreign lawyer, gaining the trust of your clients is perhaps the most significant hurdle you’ll face. Speaking their language, both literally and figuratively, is a powerful way to overcome it.

In conclusion, while speaking Japanese may not be a strict requirement for foreign lawyers in Japan, it undoubtedly holds the key to unlocking a myriad of opportunities and building lasting connections. It’s not just about what you say; it’s about how you say it and the cultural resonance that accompanies your words. So, to my fellow legal professionals, whether you’re just starting or well into your career in Japan, the message is clear: embrace the language, and you’ll find yourself not just practicing law but becoming an integral part of the legal fabric in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Current Job Market

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 11:19:00 GMT

Summer 2023 is coming to an end… not that it feels like it here in Tokyo!

The last few years have been turbulent. Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the consequent global energy crisis have had economies around the world on the brink of recession. Of course, this has had a knock-on effect on hiring needs and capabilities, although less than one might have anticipated.

Overall, law firms absorbed the shockwaves spread across global economies between 2022-2023 and, despite a slowdown in revenue growth, performed well in the first 3 quarters of 2023. With some recently setting rather ambitious growth goals for the next few years ( Hogan Lovells $3bn by 2028 ) and others engaging in large-scale mergers ( Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling ) . These are positive signs that the top-tier global legal market is relatively buoyant despite continued disruption from outside influences.

In Japan, both domestic and international firms are looking to grow. The shrinking of the Japanese legal market due to macroeconomic factors, is pushing Japanese firms to globalize as top-tier and mid-tier firms announce the opening of new overseas offices . Meanwhile, more international firms with offices in Tokyo are hoping to establish a foreign law joint enterprise, to tap into domestic legal work and expand their Japanese client base. Our consultants specializing in private practice moves are working with top firms to identify key talent in this often challenging market, helping firms to grow and develop to remain competitive.

Despite the global slowdown of M&A activity and ever-increasing competition for domestic work in Japan, an emerging trend across Asia Pacific and Europe has seen domestic firms rising in the M&A rankings ‘ at the expense of larger international firms .’ However, the competition with international firms remains strong. The most recent example is Nishimura & Asahi announcing their foreign law joint enterprise, allowing foreign-qualified lawyers to become equity partners. N&A surely hopes that this move will attract lawyers qualified outside of Japan who are experienced in cross-border M&A and other international transactional practices. As the second of the Japanese Big 4 to take this step, domestic firms are recognizing the importance of cross-border economic activity and the subsequent need to attract foreign talent. We anticipate movement by foreign partners and senior lawyers to N&A, as we have seen since 2020 when Anderson Mori & Tomotsune became a foreign joint enterprise.

Whilst law firms are experienced in finding opportunities even in challenging economic environments, corporations tend to be more vulnerable in economic downturns. Whilst we remain busy across the finance, healthcare, technology and entertainment sectors, our consultants focused on in-house moves have noted that overall, the in-house market demand is still below 2019 levels, albeit increasing month-on-month.

One key element remains constant in the Japanese market, however; it is always challenging to find strong candidates in this market. That is where we add obvious value, of course, but employers should do their best to promote their organization and sell candidates on the opportunities they can offer.

Looking ahead, for the final months of 2023 and into the New Year, we expect to remain busy as firms seek to carry their momentum from this year into 2024!

Definitive Consulting joins forces with Just Legal to bring its market-leading legal partner search capabilities to Japan

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 11:20:00 GMT

27th March 2023: Global legal partner search and team move specialist, Definitive Consulting, and Just Legal, a leading legal and compliance search firm, have agreed a co-operation and equity deal that will see Definitive Consulting establish a presence in Japan for the first time.

The agreement draws on the firms’ complementary service offerings, Just Legal’s local market knowledge and Definitive Consulting’s deep expertise in scaling recruitment firms globally to power both businesses’ growth ambitions in Japan and across Asia.

Under the terms of the deal, Paul Cochrane, co-owner and director of Just Legal, will move to Definitive Consulting. He will lead the firm’s launch in Japan, establishing the only dedicated partner-led search offering in the country from 1st April 2023, building on its market-leading status in Asia.

Meanwhile, Darren James, Chairman of Definitive Consulting will take an active role in supporting Hiroshi Kurosaka, co-founder and director of Just Legal, as he seeks to strengthen the Just Legal offering and establish it as the number one legal and compliance specialist recruiter across Japan and Asia.

Commenting on the agreement, James said: “This is a landmark deal that brings together two market-leading firms with complementary service offerings. It will equip both parties to realise ambitious growth plans in the region while offering law firms access to a comprehensive, market-leading search and recruitment proposition.

“I am personally delighted to be working with Paul and Hiroshi, who have already established Just Legal as a highly-regarded, leading player in the Japanese legal market. Paul’s local knowledge and expertise will be invaluable as we establish Definitive Consulting as the only dedicated, partner-led search specialist in Japan, and I am excited to work closely with Hiroshi and the Just Legal team in helping them to achieve their goals for the business.”

The deal will see Definitive Consulting maintain its focus on partner-level search and team move resourcing from its new office in Tokyo, while Just Legal will continue to offer in-house, associate level and compliance recruitment solutions.

Commenting on the deal, Cochrane said: “We are excited to be joining forces with Definitive Consulting. Our law firm clients have increasing partner hiring needs that are not being properly served by anyone in the Tokyo market right now. A key partner hire can have an outsized positive impact on the fortune of a law firm here in Japan and we are looking forward to helping our clients enjoy those benefits.

Kurosaka added: “We are thrilled to partner with Definitive Consulting and bring our Japan legal and compliance search expertise together with their business strategy and operations capabilities. This will allow us to better serve our clients in Japan and accelerate our growth in Japan and across the Asia Pacific region.”

About Definitive Consulting

Definitive Consulting is a leading global executive search specialist and trusted partner to professional services firms worldwide. Our specialist practice groups work closely with a select group of leading firms in the Advisory, Assurance, Consulting, Legal and Taxation sectors.

Our client-led consultancy is always driven by a simple aim: To deliver competitive advantage through exclusive access to outstanding talent. Everything we do, from the people we hire and the clients we work with, to our approach to consultancy, is designed to ensure that we consistently deliver.

We work from offices in Dubai, London, Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney and now Tokyo.

www.definitive-consulting.com

Demand for NFT lawyers?

Thu, 19 May 2022 11:22:00 GMT

Although we have not yet seen many legal roles in Japan calling for lawyers with NFT experience, we expect this to change moving forward as the crypto and NFT marketings continue to grow.

Large Japanese corporations such as Rakuten and LINE have opened up marketplaces for NFT users, which offer invaluable opportunities for Japanese consumers (especially in the art/entertainment industries) to easily purchase/sell their collections.

In addition to such major exchanges, creative individuals who can think outside the box are also benefiting from the rise of NFTS. A Japanese comedian recently sold the sound of his voice using COMSA as an NFT (non-fungible token) for ￥1,700,000, and another comedian created his 3D avatar, which was sold for ￥120,000 on OpenSea .

Although the barrier to entry into NFTs is lower than ever, legal protection for buyers and sellers is still a work in progress. As cases increase in number and laws are created and/or clarified, this will change and protection will be increased, however, potential dangers such as hacking, disputes, and copyright issues, are just some of the risks that early NFT participants have already faced in this new frontier.

As the NFT market continues to grow, calls for more legal protection will also, and with it, we expect to see increased demand for lawyers in this field. While still early days, lawyers with any sort of experience, no matter how limited, or even an interest in NFT and blockchain technology, will soon have a range of new and fascinating opportunities open to them.

November is done and dusted…where did that go?! Last year, 2020, was a strange vortex of a year, thanks to COVID-19. Thankfully, the market started picking up late last year and that momentum contin

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 11:24:00 GMT

November is done and dusted…where did that go?!

Last year, 2020, was a strange vortex of a year, thanks to COVID-19. Thankfully, the market started picking up late last year and that momentum continued in 2021.

This year has been better, and busier for us, with consistent demands from companies needing to hire. A notable bright spot of late has been an increase in hiring from law firms. We’re not back at pre-covid levels yet but it feels like we’re getting close. Well, that was my thinking until this week and the world was introduced to the Omicron strain of this virus…

Putting aside border closures, which will continue to dampen international attorney hiring and cross-border deals (to some extent), overall, the market is active and getting more so. We will no doubt experience the usual year-end slowdown, however, with international travel over Christmas and New Year likely off the cards for many, I suspect that, like last year, the slowing down will be less than we would normally expect.

It’s clear now that most companies have not just learned to live with covid, they have learned to work around it and, in many ways, not miss a step when it comes to business. Every law firm we speak with is busy. Many of the attorneys who would have previously been open to speaking, even if they were not thinking of moving, are just too busy; they don’t have the mental space. So many companies are hiring and, given a ‘seller’s market’ (candidate short), with fewer people open to a job move than we used to find (understandably; why take on more risk at this time?), it means more demand. Particularly ‘hot’ are finance, healthcare, tech, and entertainment.

We remain bullish on the Japanese legal market. While much still depends on this damn virus and how it mutates from here, the doom and gloom of spring/summer 2020 is thankfully behind us, and we expect to see continued increasing demand for attorneys in hiring in Japan in 2022.

Surviving & Thriving in the New Normal (or, the Power Going Out For A Coffee)

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 12:38:00 GMT

Here we are 20 or so months from the start of the pandemic that has changed our lives – probably forever. For the most part here in Japan, we have survived what we would have thought impossible two years ago.

It was never pretty – Didn’t drink, drank too much. Baked. Dieted. Didn’t diet enough. Exercised, over-exercised, injured, under-exercised – and here we are back at a new normal just trying to not drink too much, exercise, diet….etc.

Now what?

How do we thrive in the hopefully coming opening up, mixed messages and the new normal that we find ourselves in?…we are in uncharted territory here. Work from home or the office or both? Relationships ? Health? Careers?….Dreams?

I certainly don’t have the answers, but this article isn’t going to write itself, so let’s take a stab at some of these themes and see just how wrong I am 6 months from now. Shall we?

It seems we are going back to the office in some capacity and in some frequency. Our team at Just Legal has made a little push and we have a contingent in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This has brighten and energized our entire team. It’s a good sign things are getting back to normal. Maybe it’s just symbolic, but symbols mean a lot when you are looking for hope.

However, we are still working mostly from home and that is true for most of our clients, and that can still be an emotional drag and we can find ourselves in some kind of limbo stuck in between these worlds. What can we do to break that feeling?:

Keep that ‘in the office’ feeling by staying connected on non-office days. Start your day with a phone call or two to your teammates. Of course you are busy and there’s that work product that has to be completed ASAP, but that little extra effort to connect to another human that has similar professional goals to you might just go a long way – for you and for them. Sometimes just a no-nothing no-purpose call can create bonds that lead to new ideas and even generate sales or productivity. Give it a try and experience the power of a kind word.

Get Healthy – really! So many times in the past 20 months I’ve been down and felt the blahs deeply. I’ve given a team member or two a call to get some sympathy or just to get someone to listen to me. And that has almost never worked, but the advice they have given me has: go out and exercise.

This has become a mantra of sorts at Just Legal. Go out and exercise – anything. A walk, a jog, a bike ride…..anything. And the amazing simple truth, it works. If you are working from home you really should make exercise part of your daily ritual. Actually, it should be part of your daily ritual regardless if you are working from home or in the office. Get your blood pumping, get your vitamin D and it will help lift your mood and make you better at your job.

And what about while working in the office?

First of all, if you aren’t vaxxed, get vaxxed and get over yourself, protect others and get back into the game. We’re not getting out of this funk until the virus has nowhere to go. (Rant over)

Next, can you change up your experience to create new habits and use this pandemic forced reset for something good long-term, like the following:

A useful commute: Has the pandemic led you to the amazing resources on your phone that you can use to make yourself a better and smarter person? – and no, I’m not talking about candy crusher or the news or facebook. I’m referring to meditation or interesting podcasts….There are great apps out there to teach you how to mediate and sitting/standing on a train is the perfect time for this…the worse your commute is, the better the situation for learning how to meditate.

And podcasts: wow, is there a lot of great content out there now. current events, history, economics, languages, dramas – it’s like we are back in the golden age of the radio.

Grab Coffee or Lunch – the most important appointment of the day! At least once a week grab a colleague and pretend that it’s 2019 and go to lunch or get a coffee and be grateful we are not in lockdown. We need human contact and we also need coffee.

And what about the limbo both working from home or in the office?

Be thankful, be grateful: This is a tactic for better health as well – mental health. And it’s maybe the most important point here. Let’s be grateful for what we do have. This pandemic sucks on so many levels, but labouring and stewing on that can drag you down. Let’s be grateful that Japanese society is largely a group conscience society and people purposely wear masks for the safety of others, rates for vaccinations are up and growing and people in Tokyo and Osaka are generally sensible. Let’s be grateful that we can work at home and at the office – or even that you have a job. Be grateful for friends and family – a little thank you to reward kindness or to yourself daily will do wonders for your mental health.

There has to be more tips for our new normal– do you have any? I’ll add them to this article if you share them with me over email. I promise.

But at the end of the day, we are all in this together to some degree and there are some steadfast truths that we have to accept and lean on to survive this new world order because, it doesn’t look like it’s going away any time soon.

You need your mental & physical health to perform your daily life and it’s necessary so that you can pick up others. That ability to help others creates an energy and its own healing powers and it’s relatively easy and cheap. Maybe it only involves a video call or a coffee, but it adds up. Don’t doubt it. There are people in your ognaization now that need to hear from you. And they will be grateful for you and you will be grateful that you did it.

We have a lot to be thankful for, let’s focus on what we have and not what might have been. And while you are doing that, take advantage of the wonderful fall weather this fall, it’s just perfect for going out for a walk or for a walk to get a coffee.

Early Summer 2021 market update – COVID keeping Japan closed

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 12:51:00 GMT

It’s now June 2021 and, thankfully, the legal market continues to trend upwards here in Tokyo. We are seeing more law firms resume or increase hiring, as well as a steadily increasing demand for in-house counsel and compliance professionals. So, while we’re still some ways off pre-COVID levels of hiring, we at Just Legal are busy and demand from companies and law firms is solid and growing.

However, there remains significant uncertainty amongst people with whom we are speaking about potential roles. The vaccine rollout in Japan has started but it is moving at a glacial pace, which is not exactly instilling widespread confidence that Japan is nearly out of the woods yet with regard to COVID. Not to mention the looming specter of the Tokyo Olympics & Paralympics…

That aside, it is a good market for (most) lawyers and compliance professionals looking to step up or take on a new challenge and those looking to cut back on the grinding hours of private practice with a move in-house, at least for Japanese nationals and those foreign nationals currently in Japan.

With the borders remaining largely closed and Japan not issuing new work visas (I believe there are exceptions), unfortunately, those outside of Japan and without the right to enter, are stuck outside of Japan for a while longer. We are getting contacted regularly by non-Japanese outside of Japan who, despite the COVID situation in Japan, are keen to live and work here. We also have numerous clients (especially law firms) who are desperate for help here. Frustratingly, the state of limbo that is the current immigration situation, is not allowing for a marriage of these two sides of the market.

This will change at some point although it’s anyone’s guess as to when. I personally suspect that we will need to see most of the Japanese population be fully vaccinated and a continued drop in COVID numbers before it does, however. Q4 this year maybe, but more likely early 2022. For everyone’s sake, especially, the broader Japanese economy, we certainly hope to see a return to normal (in terms of immigration) ASAP.

Keeping yourself busy and preparing for a better market

Fri, 22 May 2020 12:54:00 GMT

The legal recruiting market in Japan is nearly at a standstill and opportunities are scarce. It is not a great time to be looking for a job. If you are lucky enough to be employed and have a (relatively) stable stream of income, you are in a good place. Wait for the storm to be over before resuming your search. The days, however, might be feeling long and some people might not be feeling particularly productive these days.

While waiting for the world to get back to normal, here are few ideas to keep your days busy and to stay productive with the goal of resuming your job search once the current slowdown caused by the pandemic is over.

Update your CV

Creating or updating your resume is usually time-consuming, but this is a good time to get it done – whether you are considering a job change or not. It will save you time in the future as it is easier to update periodically than to try to remember what you did years or even months ago. Ask your recruiter to review it and to give you some tips.

In the same spirit, update your transaction list (often required for private practice roles) and your LinkedIn profile.

2. Add some experience

Take the online class you have been wanting to take for so long but never could due to your busy schedule, catch-up on your reading. While it might not add massive value to your resume, it will keep your mind active and show a potential hiring manager that you kept your appetite for learning and development alive, even during slow times.

3. Connect with people and build long term relationships

It’s a good time to stay in touch with colleagues and recruiters that you know and to connect with new people (online, using tools such as LinkedIn) to build new, meaningful, long-term relationships that might help jump-start your job search at the end of this. Everybody has a little more time recently, and most people should be open to connect more easily and exchange thoughts and stories about current and past experiences.

It is also a good time to take that call from or reach out to a recruiter. He/she will likely tell you that the market is completely inactive, but it gives you a chance to connect and get closer to someone you may need in the future. Your recruiter will value this approach and it will ultimately make him want to work harder for you.

4. Take care of your mental and physical health

Most of all, take care of your mental and physical health (see our related article about your mental wellbeing while working from home: http://www.justlegal.co.jp/mental-wellbeing-while-working-from-home/ ). If you come out of this, physically and mentally fit, you will be able to start your job search in a positive and optimistic mood, as opposed to being worn out and jaded.

Stay healthy and reach out to us for any questions, or just to say hello…

Mental wellbeing while working from home

Thu, 21 May 2020 12:57:00 GMT

In order to adapt to these highly unusual circumstances that much of the world is currently facing, many companies and law firms have implemented business continuity plans. As the weeks and months of isolation due to the Coronavirus pandemic continue to accumulate, it is not surprising that some people are struggling with high levels of stress and social separation.

Allowing depression and anxiety to take control of our mental health is something that we cannot afford to happen. There are ways to cope and maintain our mental wellbeing. We have come up with a list of (hopefully) helpful tips from our own teleworking experience at Just Legal.

1- Engage positively with colleagues and team members

An individual’s mental wellbeing is deeply affected by their opportunities to engage positively with other people. Evidently, prioritizing social engagement and reaching out to others are key to avoiding miscommunication and maintaining relationships. Without being physically in the same room, the opportunities for non-work related conversations will decrease significantly, as well as the ability to continue to work effectively within the group. Work hard to stay connected and make time to communicate with people one on one or in groups. For instance, setting up 15 minutes of your time every day before starting work for an ‘informal’ conversation is a good way to stay in touch. As a job seeker, take this opportunity to network online and stay connected even when there are no opportunities available at this time.

2- Maintain routines

Setting psychological barriers between work and home is also a crucial part of spending ‘a normal day at the office’. The more routine that we can maintain in our lives the better. Try to stick to a consistent schedule throughout the day and schedule regular breaks, if possible.

3- Decide where at-home work will happen and have a clear end to your working day

Boundary management is a challenge for most of us. If possible, dedicate a ‘Work Only’ space for yourself. Try to minimize distractions around this work zone to further separate both worlds. Furthermore, without having the daily commute and with the merging of our personal and professional lives, it became more difficult to STOP working. This can lead to overworking and puts us at a higher risk of reaching the point of burnout. To support this, you may find it helpful to set a consistent end-of-day time and switch off digital devices when you stop working at day’s end.

And finally…

Take time to relax and carry on doing things you truly enjoy!

****Conclusion ****

Social isolation is one of the major risks to our mental wellbeing posed by the current work at home situation in many countries. Many people are experiencing deep uncertainties towards the future, on top of feelings of loneliness and isolation.

When staying indoors for long periods of time, especially during this crisis, it is of the utmost importance to check in on your mental health. If you are having too many difficulties adjusting to these special circumstances, be proactive in communicating with others on a daily basis. Set up a time to reach out to colleagues, friends, family members, and those in your community. Reach out to those who may be the most vulnerable to these changes and those most physically isolated. We are all in this together and we can get through it together.

The current state of Japan’s legal job market

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 12:59:00 GMT

Japan’s economy, like much of the world, has taken a massive hit in the past weeks with the COVID-19 outbreak and the ensuing recession – and it feels like things are only just beginning. This is, of course, also reflected in the local legal job market and while we have not yet seen the full negative impact of Coronavirus on the economy, the prospect for Japan’s legal job market does not look promising. We note that this might all change tomorrow, for better or worse, but as of today, here are some current observations.

(1) Lack of opportunities

The market is slow. Many companies have stopped hiring or have deferred hiring to later this year due to business uncertainties.

Most foreign companies and foreign law firms have already frozen their hiring and are likely to push any hiring back until they have more certainty on the future of the pandemic and its effect on the global economy. Some large Japanese companies and law firms are still moving ahead with current hiring processes however, all signs suggest that these will likely be the last open headcounts for some time.

If you are lucky enough to be interviewing for a role that has not been cancelled (yet), you are likely experiencing a slower hiring process than you would like, however, hang in there as it least it hasn’t been frozen or stopped completely.

(2) Slow processes

With apparent difficulties adjusting to a new (remote) working environment, interview scheduling is slower than usual. Extensive remote work is new to Japan, and many companies are struggling to adjust to this new working environment and the challenges (not only IT-related) that come with it. Technical difficulties and other business priorities are considerably delaying interviewing processes. Be patient and keep your motivation up.

(3) Salaries

It is for now still a competitive market (for the remaining open headcounts), given the limited number of attorneys considering a move. Therefore, budgets have (not yet) been impacted or decreased. But it is easy to imagine that compensation levels will be lower during, or following this recession.

(4) No or few dismissals (for now…)

We have only seen a few dismissals as of now (mid-April 2020). It will likely depend on projections for the second half of the year and any changes in the current COVID spread. It is difficult to predict how widespread dismissals will be in the legal industry but we do expect to start seeing more if the economic slowdown does not ease in the next month or so.

Conclusion

Given the limited options in the Japan market currently and the prospects of it getting worse in the coming weeks, it is probably best to stay put if you do not have to move. Exercising patience now and waiting for the market to recover, will hopefully result in a broader and better selection of opportunities down the line.

Of course, if you really want to or need to move, we advise acting quickly while there are still some companies/firms looking because, depending on how bad the developing recession may become, the limited opportunities available right now probably will not last for long, especially if the more people (legal and compliance professionals included) find themselves out of work soon.

Early virus observations

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 13:12:00 GMT

(1) Lack of opportunities

The market is slow. Many companies have stopped hiring or have deferred hiring to later this year due to business uncertainties.

(2) Slow processes

(3) Salaries

(4) No or few dismissals (for now…)

Conclusion

Let’s talk about money

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 13:15:00 GMT

Hi Justy,

I am now interviewing with several companies. One of my priorities for this move is compensation. I am really hoping for a raise, and if I do not receive an offer that meets my minimum expectation, I will most likely not accept it.

I am now wondering, when should I bring up my compensation expectations in the process?

Mr. Taka

Dear Mr. Taka,

It is a very frequent question, and probably one of the most sensitive ones, too. Compensation is typically an important factor in any decision to change jobs and, while it is not always the highest priority, a prospective employer will usually understand your desire to ensure that your minimum needs are covered.

The timing.

Speak with your recruiter, discuss the budget for each role that is presented to you, and make your expectations clear. A recruiter will be able to tell you if the budget and your expectations are aligned and/or if there is room for negotiation. Be honest with the recruiter; it is important for him/her to be aware of your needs if he/she is able to assist in moving the process forward smoothly.

Do not discuss compensation expectations at the first interview.

If you do that you will be playing against yourself. Your expectations might change as the process goes, you will find the role more/less attractive, you might find yourself later considering other opportunities with higher budgets…etc. Therefore, I advise that if asked, you refer the question of salary expectations to you recruiter for the client to speak with.

If you disclose your precise expectation to the company too early it will be difficult for you to change it later on.

Your recruiter should make sure that the client is aware of your minimum expectations so that when you get to final stages, there is no surprises for you, or the company. Let the recruiter do his/her job.

Do not wait until the very end of the process to discuss your compensation.

The danger in waiting is that your expectation ends up being more that the prospective employer can pay, and that you will have already invested much of your time in the interview process – hoping for the best – only to end up being disappointed with the result. It is very important for you to be straightforward, but also reasonable.

Avoid negotiation ‘strategies’, they rarely work.

I often see candidates thinking much about how to get the best outcome and bringing up negotiation strategies (e.g. “If I say this…I will get that” or “I am fine with less but I want to aim for more…”). Such strategies rarely work. If your expectation is reasonable and aligned with the companies’ budget, things should work out.

Think about what you need (to support your family, rent, loans, etc.) and communication based on that. Of course, more is always better, but do you really want to miss out on your dream job just because a company pays you what you view as fair but, for example, less than your thought its maximum budget was?

The number that matters is the one that you will accept.

The only number that matters is the one that you will accept. This should be your priority when thinking about what your expectations are. Looking at the role, the company, the growth potential…what do you need to accept this offer? That should be the amount you should be aiming for and that you should be sharing with your recruiter.

Best of luck with your job search,

Justy

Breaking the myth: being a working parent is a disadvantage in a job search

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 13:19:00 GMT

Dear Justy,

I recently returned to my job from parenting leave and I am struggling to balance my family life and work. I currently have a busy role and I wish to move into one that can offer better work-life balance so that I can spend more time with my children.

I do however fear that being a working parent might be an obstacle or a disadvantage in my job search. Any thoughts?

Thank you,

Worried Working Parent

I recently returned to my job from parenting leave and I am struggling to balance my family life and work. I currently have a busy role and I wish to move into one that can offer better work-life balance so that I can spend more time with my children.

I do however fear that being a working parent might be an obstacle or a disadvantage in my job search. Any thoughts?

Thank you,

Worried Working Parent

Dear Worried Working Parent,

It is not easy to combine your work and private life, especially when both are busy and demanding. We have seen an increasing number of companies becoming more understanding of the needs of working parents than previously, and more are promoting flexibility as a means of accommodating working parents, and even using flexible work arrangements to attract lawyers. Some companies are offering more suitable working environments for parents; such as shorter working hours, flex time, starting or finishing earlier, working from home, etc.

If you are asking: Is being a working parent a disadvantage over other candidates? No, not necessarily. However, it does depend on how flexible you can be.

It mostly comes down to your needs and expectations (re working hours etc.). Certainly not all companies do offer flexible work arrangements, and it will also depend on how flexible you can be with your workload and your working hours. Perhaps a company tells you during the interview process that you won’t need to work past 6 pm most days– which can be helpful in managing your family schedule. However, should you join the company, there may be occasions when you need to work a little later, perhaps just 30 min or so, and so flexibility on your part will also be required to ensure a smooth understanding and continued working relationship between you and your employer.

Even for those companies that don’t have established flexible work policies, or that are perhaps small and have not yet had to respond to a request for a flexible work arrangement, it doesn’t mean they won’t, or that they cannot accommodate you. Ask, either directly or via your recruiter, if the company can be flexible. Often a compromise can be reached that helps both you and your employer, e.g. if they allow you to leave at 5 pm every day, you in turn agree to complete your work later that evening at home.

Going into your search with an open and flexible attitude will increase the number of opportunities open to you. Of course, some companies may be more reluctant to consider candidates with families or young children, particularly if the role for which they are recruiting is a very busy or unpredictable one. However, for a lawyer looking for a little more balance, it is unlikely such a busy or unpredictable role will make that person happy, so, again, it is best to be not just open minded, but also openwith your potential employer and of course your recruiter.

To summarize, being a working parent should not be a disadvantage and should not prevent you from applying to any role, as long as your experience – and expectations – match the roles that you are applying for.

If you wish to find out more about roles that offer great work life balance, please feel free to reach out to us.

Thank you,

Justy

It is not easy to combine your work and private life, especially when both are busy and demanding. We have seen an increasing number of companies becoming more understanding of the needs of working parents than previously, and more are promoting flexibility as a means of accommodating working parents, and even using flexible work arrangements to attract lawyers. Some companies are offering more suitable working environments for parents; such as shorter working hours, flex time, starting or finishing earlier, working from home, etc.

If you are asking: Is being a working parent a disadvantage over other candidates? No, not necessarily. However, it does depend on how flexible you can be.

It mostly comes down to your needs and expectations (re working hours etc.). Certainly not all companies do offer flexible work arrangements, and it will also depend on how flexible you can be with your workload and your working hours. Perhaps a company tells you during the interview process that you won’t need to work past 6 pm most days– which can be helpful in managing your family schedule. However, should you join the company, there may be occasions when you need to work a little later, perhaps just 30 min or so, and so flexibility on your part will also be required to ensure a smooth understanding and continued working relationship between you and your employer.

Even for those companies that don’t have established flexible work policies, or that are perhaps small and have not yet had to respond to a request for a flexible work arrangement, it doesn’t mean they won’t, or that they cannot accommodate you. Ask, either directly or via your recruiter, if the company can be flexible. Often a compromise can be reached that helps both you and your employer, e.g. if they allow you to leave at 5 pm every day, you in turn agree to complete your work later that evening at home.

Going into your search with an open and flexible attitude will increase the number of opportunities open to you. Of course, some companies may be more reluctant to consider candidates with families or young children, particularly if the role for which they are recruiting is a very busy or unpredictable one. However, for a lawyer looking for a little more balance, it is unlikely such a busy or unpredictable role will make that person happy, so, again, it is best to be not just open minded, but also openwith your potential employer and of course your recruiter.

To summarize, being a working parent should not be a disadvantage and should not prevent you from applying to any role, as long as your experience – and expectations – match the roles that you are applying for.

If you wish to find out more about roles that offer great work life balance, please feel free to reach out to us.

Thank you,

Justy

Don’t forget your personality

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 13:21:00 GMT

Dear Justy,

Your assistance is needed. I’m a good lawyer but I am struggling to find the role I want. I have a great background, graduating from a top 5 law school before joining one of the best firms out there. My deal list is more extensive than most of my peers and I know my bilingual language skills are top notch. Frankly, I know I am a better attorney than 90% of the associates at my firm including those that have many more years experience than me. And, I work harder than anyone else – especially Partners.

However, I’ve recently started dipping my toe in the in-house job market, and I have struck out everywhere thus far. I’m getting initial interview invites but nothing moves forward, and I don’t know why. Surely there’s not many (if any) others out there with a stronger background than me? I would think companies would be falling over themselves to hire a lawyer with my calibre.

A. Player

Your assistance is needed. I’m a good lawyer but I am struggling to find the role I want. I have a great background, graduating from a top 5 law school before joining one of the best firms out there. My deal list is more extensive than most of my peers and I know my bilingual language skills are top notch. Frankly, I know I am a better attorney than 90% of the associates at my firm including those that have many more years experience than me. And, I work harder than anyone else – especially Partners.

However, I’ve recently started dipping my toe in the in-house job market, and I have struck out everywhere thus far. I’m getting initial interview invites but nothing moves forward, and I don’t know why. Surely there’s not many (if any) others out there with a stronger background than me? I would think companies would be falling over themselves to hire a lawyer with my calibre.

A. Player

Dear Mr Player,

I suspect yours is an easy fix. Have you ever heard of something called humility? Or good graces? Or even personality?

At your level, despite your awesomeness, as a lawyer your skills are mostly a commodity. Maybe no one can get that extra 2-3% out of a document like you but, most likely, no one cares about that extra 2-3% either. But people do care about with whom they work.

Funny as it may seem to you, employers – especially companies hiring in-house counsel – will often put as much emphasis on ‘fit’, i.e. personality, as experience. In-house headcounts are typically difficult to obtain, so when CEOs, General Counsels, or HR Heads are trying to choose whom to hire from a group of candidates, personality can play a major factor – nay, a deciding factor.

This is not to say that a lawyer should change his/her personality or ‘act’ his/her way through an interview, however you have to approach each interview like it’s a test of you as a person. What makes you an interesting person? You can’t just waltz in and just expect your resume to get you the job.

It sounds like you have a stellar professional background however there are a lot of good, experienced lawyers out there, and you have to do everything you can – this includes dropping your guard and embracing something honest in your exchange, asking questions, treating interviewers with respect, and demonstrating that you can be humble and that you want the job – if you want to be taken seriously. Employers want applicants to want them also.

So, be yourself, and be nice. Charm the interviewer, but mean it, don’t try to fake it.

You’re not going to get every job you go for because: (a) that’s not realistic; and (b) you’re not going to fit to every company’s culture. However give yourself the best shot you can by going into each interview with the goal of showing the interviewers who you are as a person, and in the best light possible.

Happy hunting!

Justy Dog

P.S. Finally, hiring managers also ask recruiters about candidates; about their personalities and sometimes hobbies/interest. So be nice to your recruiter too – just in case.

I suspect yours is an easy fix. Have you ever heard of something called humility? Or good graces? Or even personality?

At your level, despite your awesomeness, as a lawyer your skills are mostly a commodity. Maybe no one can get that extra 2-3% out of a document like you but, most likely, no one cares about that extra 2-3% either. But people do care about with whom they work.

Funny as it may seem to you, employers – especially companies hiring in-house counsel – will often put as much emphasis on ‘fit’, i.e. personality, as experience. In-house headcounts are typically difficult to obtain, so when CEOs, General Counsels, or HR Heads are trying to choose whom to hire from a group of candidates, personality can play a major factor – nay, a deciding factor.

This is not to say that a lawyer should change his/her personality or ‘act’ his/her way through an interview, however you have to approach each interview like it’s a test of you as a person. What makes you an interesting person? You can’t just waltz in and just expect your resume to get you the job.

It sounds like you have a stellar professional background however there are a lot of good, experienced lawyers out there, and you have to do everything you can – this includes dropping your guard and embracing something honest in your exchange, asking questions, treating interviewers with respect, and demonstrating that you can be humble and that you want the job – if you want to be taken seriously. Employers want applicants to want them also.

So, be yourself, and be nice. Charm the interviewer, but mean it, don’t try to fake it.

You’re not going to get every job you go for because: (a) that’s not realistic; and (b) you’re not going to fit to every company’s culture. However give yourself the best shot you can by going into each interview with the goal of showing the interviewers who you are as a person, and in the best light possible.

Happy hunting!

Justy Dog

P.S. Finally, hiring managers also ask recruiters about candidates; about their personalities and sometimes hobbies/interest. So be nice to your recruiter too – just in case.

How can I know if I can really trust my recruiter?

Thu, 20 Aug 2015 13:24:00 GMT

Dear Justy,

Love the column and all the advice. One question has been bothering me for a long time now and I hope you can shine some light on this.

There are a lot of recruiters out there who say they can help me find a new position. I am not sure how to tell who can really help me and who is just saying they can. My career sets the stage for my life and is very important to me. I want a recruiter who will listen to me and understand my situation, someone I can trust with my life. Recruiting isn’t my area of expertise, how can I know if I can really trust my recruiter?

Job Seeker looking for some light

Love the column and all the advice. One question has been bothering me for a long time now and I hope you can shine some light on this.

There are a lot of recruiters out there who say they can help me find a new position. I am not sure how to tell who can really help me and who is just saying they can. My career sets the stage for my life and is very important to me. I want a recruiter who will listen to me and understand my situation, someone I can trust with my life. Recruiting isn’t my area of expertise, how can I know if I can really trust my recruiter?

Job Seeker looking for some light

Dear Seeker,

Thanks for reading and writing. Let me turn on the light for you.

Trust is built on the relationship and interactions you have with someone.

Speak with the recruiter to find out what they know about your area. If they don’t know much, pay particular attention to whether they are ready or willing to introduce you to their colleagues who have more experience in your specific industry or practice area. The guys and gals at Just Legal work closely as a team, they share information, and the focus is giving the best service to both their clients and candidates. And they are honest – sometimes the best move might be no move at all, and they will tell you this. It’s about the relationships and trust, not the quick buck.

Trust goes hand in hand with honesty. How they speak with you, is it sincere or scripted? Are they honest about the things they say? Do they listen to you? If a recruiter gives you a suggestion for a new position, does it match what you are doing or what you said you wanted? Does he give you reasons why this position is good for you? Discussion, getting more information, and learning more is key to your success… and your recruiter should be focused on your success, not theirs.

The recruiters who work as a team for their clients and their candidates have the best information because they share all of the information they have. It’s like the Iditarod; if they are working as a team they can get you to the finish line easier and before anyone else. You gotta love those hounds!

What I’m saying is, we’re all people here. OK, well, not me but you are. Do they treat you like a person, having discussions and listening to you, or do they treat you like a can of dog food for which they need to follow the FIFO rule of inventory?

Give the team a Just Legal a call and you’ll find the light you have been looking for.

Thanks for reading and writing. Let me turn on the light for you.

Trust is built on the relationship and interactions you have with someone.

Speak with the recruiter to find out what they know about your area. If they don’t know much, pay particular attention to whether they are ready or willing to introduce you to their colleagues who have more experience in your specific industry or practice area. The guys and gals at Just Legal work closely as a team, they share information, and the focus is giving the best service to both their clients and candidates. And they are honest – sometimes the best move might be no move at all, and they will tell you this. It’s about the relationships and trust, not the quick buck.

Trust goes hand in hand with honesty. How they speak with you, is it sincere or scripted? Are they honest about the things they say? Do they listen to you? If a recruiter gives you a suggestion for a new position, does it match what you are doing or what you said you wanted? Does he give you reasons why this position is good for you? Discussion, getting more information, and learning more is key to your success… and your recruiter should be focused on your success, not theirs.

The recruiters who work as a team for their clients and their candidates have the best information because they share all of the information they have. It’s like the Iditarod; if they are working as a team they can get you to the finish line easier and before anyone else. You gotta love those hounds!

What I’m saying is, we’re all people here. OK, well, not me but you are. Do they treat you like a person, having discussions and listening to you, or do they treat you like a can of dog food for which they need to follow the FIFO rule of inventory?

Give the team a Just Legal a call and you’ll find the light you have been looking for.

Scarcity of Banking Legal jobs, moves in-house MNC and maybe a new strategy

Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:27:00 GMT

Dear Justy,

I studied hard and well and got into a great school. I was hired by a top firm and have been doing long hours on complex deals and my CV looks great. I had always hoped to end up in an in-house banking job but each time I’ve applied for something that I thought was a great fit I’ve lost out. And, there just doesn’t seem to be so many new opportunities coming up in Tokyo anymore.
Is it because Tokyo has lost ground to Hong Kong and Singapore or it is the world economy? What has happened and can I still get into an IBD legal role in Tokyo and how ? Bummed Banking bengoshi

Dear Bummed

The answer is all of the above and more. I don’t have the numbers to truly verify but the eye test suggests that Tokyo has lost 35-45% of the total banking jobs in gaishikei’s since 2008. Even before the GFC the numbers were shrinking as people and their jobs moved on to Hong Kong or Singapore or were just made redundant.
The easy answer is that there just isn’t the low hanging fruit bankers need to flourish here in Tokyo and so they went away finding the pickings more, um, fruitful, elsewhere. The GFC has quickened the reduction of jobs in Tokyo finance but there was always going to be a slide down to a much smaller market than what we have seen the past ten years. The GFC just made it happen faster.
Add onto that Japanese Corporate tax, Narita being too far away to make Tokyo an accessible Asia HQ, lack of skilled bilingual workers, the regulatory environment in Japan and we (Tokyo) can’t compete against other financial centres in Asia.
However, there are still banks and asset mgmt. firms here and most of them still have legal teams so why isn’t there more hiring going on?
There is very little turnover in finance legal jobs and as a result there aren’t too many job opportunities and of the vacant jobs few are due to business growth reasons. If you look at most (not all) legal department teams you will typically see that the majority of the lawyers there are 10+ years experienced.
The optimal team structure, they say, is a pyramid of seniority for the sake of leverage and salary expense efficiency. Tokyo’s legal departments are more shaped like a ‘T’ with a General Counsel on top. A ‘T’-structure with an Umlaut if you will
It’s simply the result of years of cost cutting and staff reductions so only the best and the most efficient remain in these legal departments. They also happen to be the most senior. Some of them are covering 2-3times as much as they used to and use law firms as external counsel to manage the workload.
There are others still that are now doing 30-40% less workload then they did 5 years ago. They are likely next on the chopping block and they know it but they’ll stay around to collect the severance package and move out of finance then.
The problem here in Tokyo is there is nowhere for in-house finance lawyers to go even if they wanted to leave their jobs.
Japan’s economy isn’t creating much in the way of new industries and opportunities for these people; so a bottleneck effect is created. In other cities senior finance lawyers would move on to hedge funds, consulting jobs, their own specialized firms or other senior counsel roles in other industries.
In Tokyo, the drop from a finance legal salary to an in-house salary with a multinational (MNC) is usually a big drop so when someone moves it’s because they are either losing their job (a job sometimes not replaced) or it’s because they are interested in a professional/life-style change. To be sure, the latter is the minority and thus there are few new job openings in finance.
That said, Japanese banks are doing well these days but you’re not getting rich working there unless you are on the top of the pyramid. And you are not going to the top of the period unless you started there. Japanese banks do hire laterally but at a lower salary compared to foreign banks. For this reason, it’s not a heavily-travelled path for lawyers but there are signs that it is changing but that change typically takes a long time.
So to your question: How to get into a finance legal in-house role?
The late 1990’s and early 2000’s were boom markets and the exception, not the rule. Today we have fewer jobs and lots of competition for those jobs so the only way to stand out is to be unique – just like in every other industry. I think there’s been a built-in expectation of law firm associates from the late 1990’s to even today that if you join a top firm and work hard you will be rewarded with a great in-house job in time. To some degree maybe that’s still true, but only for the top Associates working with the top Partners. So, unless you are that top Associate you need to manage yourself so that you can create a career.
The difference between job and career is something for another discussion but going along with the flow is not building a career. It’s a step in building a career to be sure, but just because you are working at a Wall Street, Magic Circle or Big 4 law firm doesn’t mean you have a career. You need someone to hire you (or become Partner) for your law firm experience before you can say you have a career. And that’s not the end of it, is it? ….it never stops.
So, you need a strategy to achieve your goals. How can you make you unique? What skills do you have that are or will be in demand for the near future? I can tell you right now that if you are a junior bengoshi with private banking experience Hiroshi Kurosaka has two great jobs for you right now because – there are very few junior bengoshi with private banking experience.
If you have that experience then you are unique, specialized and marketable. And, that’s the start of a career.
You have to be brutally honest with yourself as well. Unless you have excellent bilingual skills and are recognized internally at your firm and the lead on the biggest deals, the road to your dream job is going to be tough. But there are many things you can do if you are so determined to work at a bank. I wrote about going into Compliance previously (please see Lawyers, Regulatory & the two-step).
There’s the big dog in the ‘small dogs’ park’ theory I like very much. Take your killer skills and CV to a place where you are the big dog
There are still some Asset Management firms where you can do this (be a big dog) but that window is closing. There’s the insurance and re-insurance industries where there are still a number of non-qualified lawyers in top management roles. That’s an opportunity.
There is also the career strategy of being realistic and giving up the banking dream job for a career as an in-house counsel at a multi-national (MNC). There must be industries or companies that excite you. Again, think big dog in small dogs’ park and you might be pleasantly surprised how your options change for the better – maybe not in terms of working in banking or finance but in job satisfaction.
One bright spot here is that in many regulated industries – retail pharmaceutical, online pharmaceutical, telecommunications, oil/gas, shipping, etc. – the in-house lawyer presence is quite small. This has been changing over the years. Hopefully companies in these industries will continue to value the importance of a legal department and we’ll see more jobs here.
You probably need help as well – internally and externally. Internally, your Managing Partner with good connections can promote you and your skills to his/her clients if you have an open relationship with him/her. Secondments are good experience as well and can lead to other in-house opportunities.
Externally, networking in the form of meeting other in-house lawyers that can introduce you to their managers and Head of Legal is useful – socially is best. And, the guys at Just Legal will do in a pinch as well!
So, what have we learned – the job market for your dream job is a tough road and you have to manage career by being honest about the market and your abilities. (I know what you are thinking “ground breaking work JD. Way to go. “Hey, I’m just a dog!)
But here’s one new idea, if you are not the brightest in your law firm class or honestly don’t think you can bridge the performance gap to the best in your class/year at your firm then jump in-house earlier rather than waiting. Jump before your 4th year (skip LLM or gaiben years away) and take the chance to make it in-house.
More and more banks (and MNCs) want junior talent to try to re-establish the optimal pyramid structure. So often the Associates we speak to want to wait to get more law firm experience or complete their LLM. This used to make a lot of sense. However, in today’s market, this is possibility a mistake unless you are going for Partnership and even that option (and expensive option at that) is becoming more scarce as firms are making up Partners at a much slower rate than they have in the past and that is not going to change.
So, instead of waiting until at least your 5th or 6th year to start looking in-house maybe it’s time to start trying at year 3?

The Gaiben question

Tue, 30 Sep 2014 13:29:00 GMT

Dear Justy Dog

I’ve been going to school in Japan since HS. I speak Japanese fluently and think I have more value here than back home. I finally just arrived in Tokyo after years of trying to get back here and I can’t find a good law firm job. I don’t yet have my gaiben qualifications completed (I still need two years at home.) and it seems like firms are not so eager to hire non-gaibens. What should I do?

Fictionally yours,

stay or go?, Akasaka

I’ve been going to school in Japan since HS. I speak Japanese fluently and think I have more value here than back home. I finally just arrived in Tokyo after years of trying to get back here and I can’t find a good law firm job. I don’t yet have my gaiben qualifications completed (I still need two years at home.) and it seems like firms are not so eager to hire non-gaibens. What should I do?

Fictionally yours,

stay or go?, Akasaka

Dear Stay or Go

If you want a career as a private practice attorney in Tokyo then you need to become gaiben eligible. It makes life easier and you will give yourself more options later. Law firms need their attorneys to be gaiben because the Japan Federation of Bar Associations has been vocal that all foreign attorneys be gaiben and it’s the law. That said, some firms hire first and second year lawyers without gaiben under the pretence that they don’t interact with clients so they are working within the law. Still, it’s s slippery slope as sooner or later you will need your gaiben but if staying in Tokyo is important to you then keep trying to find a job – timing is everything. And maybe try James & Paul at Just Legal, RUFF!-

As for “proper career advice” and nothing else, I would suggest getting 2 years at a firm’s HQ doing real grunt work and the hours. Then you could be setting yourself up nicely for a very good career in Tokyo as foreign firms in Tokyo are always happy to hear about experienced, bilingual and gaiben-eligible attorneys.

Why 2 years? To become gaiben eligible you need to satisfy two things. 1) You need to be an attorney of good standing in your home jurisdication and 2) you need three years experience practicing law in that jurisdiction. One of those 3 years could be in Tokyo, however, practicing under a partner from the same home jurisdiction. So, you can be back in Tokyo in 2 years …..

In the end, it’s up to you because it’s likely you will find work here if you want it. But if we are just focusing on a private practice career getting your gaiben sorted out at the start of your career will have numerous benefits and give you more options down the road.

Good Luck

If you want a career as a private practice attorney in Tokyo then you need to become gaiben eligible. It makes life easier and you will give yourself more options later. Law firms need their attorneys to be gaiben because the Japan Federation of Bar Associations has been vocal that all foreign attorneys be gaiben and it’s the law. That said, some firms hire first and second year lawyers without gaiben under the pretence that they don’t interact with clients so they are working within the law. Still, it’s s slippery slope as sooner or later you will need your gaiben but if staying in Tokyo is important to you then keep trying to find a job – timing is everything. And maybe try James & Paul at Just Legal, RUFF!-

As for “proper career advice” and nothing else, I would suggest getting 2 years at a firm’s HQ doing real grunt work and the hours. Then you could be setting yourself up nicely for a very good career in Tokyo as foreign firms in Tokyo are always happy to hear about experienced, bilingual and gaiben-eligible attorneys.

Why 2 years? To become gaiben eligible you need to satisfy two things. 1) You need to be an attorney of good standing in your home jurisdication and 2) you need three years experience practicing law in that jurisdiction. One of those 3 years could be in Tokyo, however, practicing under a partner from the same home jurisdiction. So, you can be back in Tokyo in 2 years …..

In the end, it’s up to you because it’s likely you will find work here if you want it. But if we are just focusing on a private practice career getting your gaiben sorted out at the start of your career will have numerous benefits and give you more options down the road.

Good Luck

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50 Leaders in Law - Volume 5

50 Leaders in Law - Volume 4

弁護士リーダー50 (4)

弁護士リーダー50 (3)

50 Leaders in Law - Volume 3

弁護士リーダー50 (2)

50 Leaders in Law - Volume 2

50 Leaders in Law - Volume 1

弁護士リーダー50 (1)

リーダーインタビュー： 櫻井由章弁護士（52期、三菱自動車工業株式会社 法務・ガバナンス本部本部長補佐 兼 法務部長）

卓越したアドバイスを提供するための探求と挑戦 インタビュー：今仲翔弁護士

Generational Divide: Why are Partners Struggling to Manage their Gen Z Associates?

Just Legalインタビュー： SBC メディカルグループ 岡本高太郎弁護士（５３期）

Just Search Group Launches, Expanding Specialist Recruitment Expertise with New Brand, Just HR

エグゼクティブサーチのノウハウを集結させた「Just Search Group」設立のお知らせ

Ultimate Guide: How to Move to Japan as a Foreign Lawyer

Introduction

Understanding the Legal Market in Japan

The Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi (Gaiben) Qualification

Requirements to Qualify:

Limitations to Consider:

Legal Job Opportunities in Japan

1. In-House Legal Counsel

Advantages:

Challenges:

2. International Law Firms

Advantages:

Challenges:

3. Japanese Law Firms

Advantages:

Challenges:

How to Find a Legal Job in Japan

1. Networking and Professional Connections

2. Legal Recruiters

What a good recruiter offers:

Practical Considerations for Relocating to Japan

1. Visa and Work Permit Process

2. Compensation & Cost of Living

3. Adapting to Japanese Work Culture

Tips for professional integration:

Final Thoughts: Is Japan Right for You?

External Counsels and In-House Counsels

WANTED: Marketing Intern

Our team member Yuna was featured by a prominent podcaster in Japan!

Back to Private Practice

Becoming a Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi (Gaiben) in Japan: Why It Matters and How to Achieve It

Summer Snapshot 2024: Competitive In-house Market for Employers

A Bustling Legal Job Market

Rising Salaries

Candidate-Short Market

Emphasis on Cultural Fit

In Summary

Spring 2024 Market Update - Demand Picking Up

In-house Legal

Private Practice

Award Report

Navigating Strategic Shifts: International Law Firms in Japan Intensify Hiring Amid Global Dynamics

The use of AI in the legal and recruitment industries

To Go or Not to Go (Abroad)

The Evolution of Remote Work

Navigating the Legal Landscape in Japan: The Power of Language

Current Job Market

Definitive Consulting joins forces with Just Legal to bring its market-leading legal partner search capabilities to Japan

Demand for NFT lawyers?

November is done and dusted…where did that go?! Last year, 2020, was a strange vortex of a year, thanks to COVID-19. Thankfully, the market started picking up late last year and that momentum contin

Surviving & Thriving in the New Normal (or, the Power Going Out For A Coffee)

Early Summer 2021 market update – COVID keeping Japan closed

Keeping yourself busy and preparing for a better market

Mental wellbeing while working from home

The current state of Japan’s legal job market

Early virus observations

Let’s talk about money

Breaking the myth: being a working parent is a disadvantage in a job search

Dear Justy,

Dear Worried Working Parent,

Don’t forget your personality

Dear Justy,

Dear Mr Player,

How can I know if I can really trust my recruiter?

リーダーインタビュー：櫻井由章弁護士（52期、三菱自動車工業株式会社法務・ガバナンス本部本部長補佐兼法務部長）

卓越したアドバイスを提供するための探求と挑戦インタビュー：今仲翔弁護士

Just Legalインタビュー： SBC メディカルグループ岡本高太郎弁護士（５３期）