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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.”

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.

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。

BuySell Technologies執行役員・法務コンプライアンス室長の尾崎健吾氏に、キャリアの転機、法務組織づくり、現場に寄り添うインハウス法務の実践とリーダーシップを聞く。

An in depth conversation with Kengo Ozaki, Executive Officer and Head of Legal and Compliance at BuySell Technologies, on career inflection points, in house leadership, and building legal functions close to the business in Japan.