Lawyer on Air (Catherine O'Connell)
Explorez tous les épisodes de Lawyer on Air
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 May 2023 | Grab opportunities in your legal career or create them yourself with Asako Ouchi | 00:56:54 | |
Asako Ouchi takes us on an amazing journey through her career so far - you will need to hold onto your seat for this one! Tokyo, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Asako created opportunities for herself to get what she wanted from her career and she did not let her circumstances get in the way of at least asking. Often this approach turned into an opportunity, so I highly recommend listening to this particular career journey for anyone who is thinking that what they want might not be possible because of a circumstance. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Asako Asako Ouchi is a Senior Attorney at IBM. She undertook study at the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan (2010) and obtained her qualification for Legal Professional Practice from Keio University Law School (Juris Doctor, 2009) and Keio University (Bachelor of Laws, 2007). Asako joined Anderson Mori & Tomotsune in 2011 as an Associate in their Tokyo office to March 2020 assisting in all aspects of legal issues for Japanese and Foreign clients, with a focus on competition law, corporate law and labor law. During her time with Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Asako had the opportunity for several secondments in-house and to a UK law firm. First she was seconded to the compliance department of a Japanese shipping company for one year (June 2013 - June 2014) to assist with ongoing cartel matters and to help develop better solutions for competition law compliance. Her second secondment was as a foreign attorney to the London office of Field Fisher Waterhouse (July 2016 - June 2017). There she assisted Japanese companies involved in cartel investigations in the EU and provided seminars for potential Japanese clients explaining to them the effect of Brexit. Asako also spent time in the Shanghai office of Anderson Mori Tomotsune (October 2017 - September 2018) dealing with multiple international cases in the area of M&A, cartels, and other general cooperate matters. Asako experienced a further secondment to the legal and compliance department of Novartis Pharma K.K. (October 2018 - March 2020) which led to her being hired by them, in April 2020 as their Legal Counsel and then Senior Legal Counsel in the Oncology Unit (integrated with the Pharma Unit mid-August 2022) before she then joined IBM in April 2023. In her spare time, Asako enjoys her time going out with her family especially taking time out with her kids and focusing on them. She is also community minded and participated in the school parents board as a meaningful external activity working towards a sustainable future for her community. Connect with Asako LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asako-ouchi-9082b2232/ Links Bistro Hutch: https://www.facebook.com/BistroHutch/ Keio University Founder, Fukuzawa Yukichi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukuzawa_Yukichi
Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 23 Jan 2022 | Letting the impact of your work guide your legal career with Lani Vinas | 01:07:05 | |
Being raised in a financially struggling family in the Philippines did not stop my guest Lani Vinas from becoming a top level legal director in a law firm in Japan. Whatever you might think are your limitations, this episode will blow them all away for you. Lani tells us her story of her childhood and how her hard work combined with the generosity of others made it possible for her to be where she is today working at a premier IP firm in Osaka, Japan. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Laarni Laarni Victoria Quidoles Vinas (Lani) is a triple-qualified lawyer (Attorney-at-Law in the Philippines and New York and Solicitor of the Supreme Court in England and Wales). As a Legal Director of SHUSAKU YAMAMOTO, one of the leading intellectual property law firms in Japan, she handles IP portfolios of some of the firm’s wide range of clients from the U.S., Japan, Europe, Asia and Philippines, including inventions from Nobel Prize winners, blue-chip Fortune 500 companies, national governments, globally-renowned universities, research institutes, and start-up companies. Lani’s specialization includes technology law, healthcare regulatory work, intellectual property, corporate governance and compliance, as well as data privacy. Connect with Lani LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laarni-victoria-q-vinas/ Links Know your Rights Japan: https://www.facebook.com/knowyourrightsjp/ Renegaid: https://renegaidcommunitysupport.wordpress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/renegaidcommunitysupport/ Osaka General Union https://www.facebook.com/GeneralUnion.org John Oliver https://www.youtube.com/user/LastWeekTonight Michelle Obama, Becoming: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Becoming-Michelle-Obama/dp/1524763136 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 25 Jun 2023 | Always go for the best: Taking legal career opportunities head on with Naoko Matsuzaki | 01:12:01 | |
Naoko Matsuzaki, a Managing Director at KPMG, shares her reflections on defining moments in her career, including how working with clients and colleagues can lead to offers to take up amazing study and job opportunities. Naoko has come across many challenges in her career, not to mention trying to start her career in the “hiring ice age”! But she always found a way. This is an inspirational story of what can happen when you give things a try and just do your best. Special shout out to John Lindsay as you will LOVE this episode for your windshield time. Also, Tove Kinooka listen out for a fabulous horse analogy you will absolutely love. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Naoko Naoko is a graduate of law from Keio University and is a managing director at KPMG. As a core member of the leadership of a new team, she assists clients on mitigating corporate misconduct, namely prevention, detection, and incident response and enhancement of a compliance program for her clients. Her team is currently like an internal startup, working on building this new practice within the next few years. Naoko holds an LL.M. from Stanford Law School and an LL.B. from Keio University in Tokyo, is natively fluent in Japanese and English, and has lived and worked in Japan and the U.S. She is a member of the American Bar Association and has lectured on international panels regarding anti-corruption. Naoko also enjoys horseback riding. She is a certified horseback rider of the Japan Equestrian Federation and sometimes participates in British style dressage competitions. Connect with Naoko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naokomatsuzaki/ Links Die with Zero: https://amzn.asia/d/hNGWbLF Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 18 Jul 2021 | How to take a leadership role in your law career with Jenifer Rogers | 01:10:45 | |
I know there are so many lawyers who have been waiting to hear from our guest today: Jenifer Rogers. Sit back, buckle up and be prepared to be amazed and dazzled as we traverse her career in the law and hear about how she has found and made opportunities work for her. Jenifer is not only a powerhouse in the legal world but also turns her skills to help non-profits in areas she is passionate about. If you didn’t know Jenifer you might not realise just how big her heart is and how seriously she takes her impact on the world. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Jenifer Jenifer Rogers is General Counsel of Asia for Asurion based in Tokyo. She was elected as an External Director of Mitsui & Co. Ltd in 2015 as the first foreign female director of a Japanese trading company. She was also elected as an External Director to the Board of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. in June 2018 as their first female and foreign director and to the Board of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd in June 2019 and serves on its Audit and Compensation Committees. Before joining Asurion in 2012, Jenifer worked at (what is now) the Bank of America Merrill Lynch for 18 years in a variety of senior legal roles in various cities including Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York and Tokyo. Jenifer was elected as the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan in January in 2021, after serving as a Governor since January 2018 and as a Vice President from January 2020. She also serves on other not-for profit boards: since June 2016, Jenifer has been elected and served on the Georgetown University Alumni Association Board of Governors and in May 2018 was appointed by the American Ambassador of Japan to the Japan US Education Commission (Fulbright Japan) as Treasurer. She became a member of the Board of the U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) in April 2019. Jenifer is a founding member of the Japan Center of the Asia Society and a member of its Arts Committee. More recently in November 2020, she was appointed to the Board of Councilors of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University. She is a member of the New York bar and fluent in Japanese. Connect with Jenifer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenifer-rogers-0592306/ Links Andaz Rooftop Bar: https://www.andaztokyo.jp/restaurants/jp/rooftop-bar/ Feel better live more podcast: https://drchatterjee.com/blog/category/podcast/ Thinking fast and Slow book: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0141033576 | |||
| 04 Jul 2021 | Changing women’s lives with Naomi Koshi | 01:11:42 | |
In 2012 my lawyer extraordinaire guest became the youngest female mayor ever in Japan. This is no small feat and even more so in Japan where at the time only 3% of mayors were women. Naomi Koshi shares her tenacity to accomplish goals that improve people’s lives. Whether they are the citizens of the city she served as mayor or in the work she now does on Smart Cities as a partner at Miura & Partners. In this episode, we also discuss the timely topic of diversity on corporate boards and how Naomi is now turning her skills to increase female managers in businesses and promote more women to be elected to these boards. A value packed episode as well as a chance to get to know the woman who is a catalyst for making real changes in Japan. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!
About Naomi Naomi Koshi is a lawyer, an entrepreneur and former two-term mayor of Otsu City, the capital of Japan’s Shiga Prefecture. From 2002 to 2011, Naomi practiced corporate law at Nishimura & Asahi in Tokyo and Debevoise & Plimpton in New York. From 2010 to 2011, Naomi was a Visiting Fellow at the Center on Japanese Economy and Business at Columbia Business School in New York, researching comparative corporate governance matters. In 2012, Naomi was elected mayor of Otsu City, a prefectural capital with over 340,000 residents. Naomi won reelection in 2016, serving a total of eight years until her second term ended in 2020. Naomi was the youngest female mayor elected in Japan's history at that time, winning office at a time when only 3% of mayors in Japan were women (another fabulous woman has recently become the youngest female mayor in Japan) . As mayor, Naomi fought to expand opportunities for Japanese women. In light of the homemaker role traditionally thrust upon Japanese mothers, and observed first hand by Naomi in her own family unit, Naomi successfully expanded Otsu's childcare system, thus making it easier for many Japanese women to return to the workforce. Naomi is admitted to practice law in Japan, New York and California and is now a partner at the Tokyo based firm of Miura & Partners. Naomi focuses her legal practice on cross-border M&A and start-ups, including Smart City projects. In 2021, Naomi Co-Founded OnBoard K.K., a company specializing in diversifying Japanese corporate boards. Naomi serves as CEO of the company. Naomi also serves as an outside director of V-Cube, Inc. Naomi was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2015 and was named an OECD Champion Mayor for Inclusive Growth. She holds multiple degrees from Hokkaido University, and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School. Connect with Naomi Miura & Partners https://www.miura-partners.com/en/lawyers/00049/ OnBoard K.K. https://onboardkk.com/en/ | |||
| 29 Oct 2023 | Driving change in diversity and inclusion in Japan through ESG: Insights from Louisa Gawa | 00:46:20 | |
Louisa Gawa shares her journey to be working in ESG and compliance in Japan. She also opens up about her personal journey of developing a stutter as a teenager and how she was able to overcome it. You might be surprised by what she learnt from this life challenge and how it has become part of her success story. Tune in to hear her inspirational stories and learn practical tips for excelling in DEI and ESG initiatives working in Japan. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Louisa Louisa is an experienced ESG professional with a legal education, holding an MA in International and Anglo-American Laws, which qualifies her as a jurist under French law. She graduated in foreign languages, specialising in Japanese language and culture, and also completed a Masters of Science in Management. She began her career at General Electric as an International Communications Specialist, then spent several years at Schneider Electric as a Group Sustainability Performance Manager before relocating to Japan. Since her arrival in Japan, her main focus has been on diversity and ethics within an ESG agenda, initially in a law firm and more recently at Micron Technology. She approaches ESG from a compliance, risk, and performance management perspective. Connect with Louisa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisagaoua/ Links Lebanese restaurant, Le Bois le Vent: https://www.boislevent.com/ Junko Takagi: https://youtu.be/9l3woGXvsDY?si=_mHZTNs2Bg4De_Bi Yoko Ogawa: https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%9C%AC-Yoko-Ogawa/s?rh=n%3A465392%2Cp_27%3AYoko+Ogawa Molière: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moli%C3%A8re Voltaire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltaire Gisèle Halimi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gis%C3%A8le_Halimi Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 24 Nov 2024 | Advice for aspiring board members at every level of their legal career with Catherine and guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewett (Part 2 of 3) | 00:42:40 | |
This is Part 2 of 3, you can find Part 1 here. In this special session of the Lawyer on Air podcast, guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewett, an attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia, interviews Catherine O'Connell about her path to becoming a successful board member in Japanese corporations. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Akiyo Akiyo Inoko Hewett is the founder and principal of Inoko Law and Consulting, LLC, General Counsel at AI Medical Service America Inc. Akiyo earned her undergraduate degree from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, her J.D. from Keio University Law School, and her LL.M. from Emory University School of Law. While in law school, she attended several United Nations conferences as a legal advocate on international human rights law. Akiyo passed the Japanese bar exam and is eligible to practice law in Japan. She also passed the Georgia bar exam and is admitted to practice law in Georgia, USA. Akiyo loves to meet new people and build friendships. She is a member of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Japan-America Society of Georgia, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia. Connect with Akiyo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiyo-inoko-hewett-3ba626126/ Links Akiyo’s episode: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/season-six-ep-1-akiyo-inoko-hewett Ako Shimada’s episode: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/season-eight-ep9-ako-shimada Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 16 Apr 2023 | Balancing career and sporting achievements with Tomo Greer Foreign Associate and Ironman Triathlete | 00:57:07 | |
Today’s episode carries a content warning for sexual harassment. We don’t go into detail, but if this is a difficult topic for you, please skip minutes 31 to 35 of the episode. Tomo Greer wanted to be a professional athlete but came to find her way as both a lawyer and an athlete. It turns out you can do both! Tomo’s story of finding her way to becoming an Ironman competitor as well as a busy associate in a law firm in Tokyo, is so inspiring to anyone wanting to build their career as well as pursue a sport seriously. Even if you are not interested in becoming a triathlete, perhaps you might reconsider what you do have time for amongst your priorities after you listen to this episode! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Tomo Tomo Greer is a Foreign Associate at Tokyo International Law Office. Tomo is half Kiwi, and half Japanese, born in Fukuoka, made in New Zealand, and with some added spices added in Bangkok! Tomo is a New Zealand qualified M&A and corporate lawyer based in Tokyo. She has a wide experience across industries and has experience outside the field of law in tech, publishing and advertising. Tomo relocated to Japan in 2020 from Bangkok, spending 3 years working at a Japanese law firm. Beyond the corporate veil, Tomo is a passionate triathlete and proud Ironman with several age-group wins. She is ranked 5th amateur female in Japan for 2022. Tomo is also a former competitive semi-pro Muay Thai fighter in NZ and Thailand. Connect with Tomo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomo-greer-0612/ Website: https://www.tkilaw.com/members/tomogreer Links Iki Cafe: https://www.ikiespresso.com/ OL Oslo Brewing https://www.oltokyo.jp/ So Good They Can’t Ignore You https://www.amazon.co.jp/Good-They-Cant-Ignore-You/dp/1455509124 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 27 Nov 2022 | Launching your own firm in Japan treating clients as your team mates with Akiko Araki | 00:56:02 | |
Akiko Araki shows us that in addition to big law there is another way to do law in Japan. Your way. Akiko is the founder and Managing Partner of Araki International IP & Law. We follow her career from her first inspiration to be a lawyer to cleverly setting up her own practice when she transitioned into studying IP law. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Akiko Akiko Araki is the founder and Managing Partner of Araki International IP & Law. After a ten-year career with major law firms including US-based global firms, she founded Araki International to create an accessible platform for international clients who need legal supports to develop their business. As an attorney admitted both in California and Japan, she supports clients especially in cross-border matters, advising on Intellectual Property (IP), technology transactions, IT, data privacy, consumer law, labor law, general corporate and dispute resolutions. With its culture of promoting collaborations, Araki International welcomes various opportunities to work with clients and colleagues in a professional and friendly way. Connect with Akiko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiko-araki-397740122/ Website: https://arakiplaw.com/en/ Links Poseidon: https://www.poseidonrestaurant.com/ Ally Mcbeal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ally_McBeal Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 30 Apr 2023 | From pharmacology to international patent lawyer in Japan with Mami Hino | 01:00:30 | |
Mami Hino was enjoying her career in pharmaceuticals until it was made clear that she would need to leave the company after marrying someone from the same industry but a different company. This set Mami on a path to retrain as a patent lawyer, learn English to be able to study in the US to get to where she is today. It’s an astounding story of turning unfortunate circumstances into opportunities. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Mami Mami Hino is a partner of Abe Ikubo & Katayama, a Japanese Patent Attorney and admitted to practice in New York. Mami has represented the world’s leading technology companies for many years in disputes, litigation and transactions. Her practice is focused on invalidity trials and resultant IP High Court appeals, cross-border infringement litigation, strategic patent prosecution, client counselling, and opinions. Mami is also a registered pharmacist. It is due to her background as a registered pharmacist that Mami has built extensive experience representing innovative pharmaceutical companies to protect their patents, including by filing patent term extension applications, defending patents in invalidity trials and IP High Court appeals, and filing preliminary injunction requests and/or patent infringement suits against generic drug companies. Mami had to quit her previous company due to marriage with her husband and then went on to obtain her JD and became a U.S. attorney. Mami obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmaceutical sciences from Kyoto University and a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law. She is the first chairperson of the diversity committee of Japan Patent Attorney Association. Connect with Mami LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mami-hino-3b1379/ Links Aux Bacchanales: https://www.auxbacchanales.com/shops/#kioicho Suzu Sushi restaurant: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1309/A130903/13046817/ Hakone Honbako: https://hakonehonbako.com/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 28 Jul 2024 | The hard work of “effortless success” in your law career in Japan with Bonnie Kong | 00:47:34 | |
Bonnie Kong is a partner at Anderson, Mori & Tomotsune in Tokyo. Bonnie shares how she came to be working in law and how an interest in Japan set her on a course over 10 years of visiting, learning the language, working on deals with Japan overseas and then finally moving to live in Japan. We discuss the importance of continuous learning, cultural understanding across generations, and community engagement in achieving legal career success. We also discuss the paradox of effortlessness! Join us for another fascinating story of a woman in the law in Japan. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Bonnie Bonnie Kong is a Partner in the Tokyo office of Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. Bonnie has extensive experience in a broad range of corporate matters, including capital markets transactions, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and securities and investment projects in Greater China and Japan, as well as licensing and regulatory compliance. Prior to joining Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Bonnie was a partner of a prestigious international law firm in Hong Kong and prior to that in other firms in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Bonnie is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, and is conversational in Japanese. She undertook a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and she subsequently studied Bachelor of Chinese Laws at Tsinghua University and did a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) at The University of Hong Kong. She also joined a Japanese Language Program at Keio University in Japan. She is qualified as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand and New South Wales, Australia, and as a solicitor in Hong Kong and England and Wales. Outside of the practice of Law Bonnie served as a judge at the Intercollegiate Negotiation Competition in the past two consecutive years. She was previously a part-time lecturer at the Graduate Schools of Law and Politics at the University of Tokyo. Bonnie is passionate about diversity equity and inclusion and has been appointed as a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune since April last year and as a member of the Pro Bono Committee since April this year. She is involved with supporting Women in Law Japan most recently with the International Women’s Day event in 2024, hosted at her law firm’s seminar room. In her spare time, Bonnie loves traveling and has been to different parts of Japan, and she also enjoys cycling. Connect with Bonnie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bwkong/ Links Bonnie’s Secret Restaurant, Suigian: https://suigian.jp/ 72 Micro Seasons App https://www.kurashikata.com/72seasons/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 22 Dec 2022 | The power of taking a sabbatical with Tina Saunders | 01:36:42 | |
Tina Saunders ticked all the boxes as she moved through her career as a lawyer, but when she was offered partner track, she hesitated. Listen and hear what happened next when Tina asked for a one year sabbatical from her firm. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Tina Tina is Director, Beasley School of Law, at Temple University Japan Campus (TUJ). Tina joined the TUJ faculty in 2013, teaching Civil Procedure and Torts and since 2016 has been managing the TUJ Beasley School of Law programs: That is their Master of Laws (LL.M.), Juris Doctor (J.D.) semester abroad and non-degree Certificate programs in U.S. and International Law. Tina received her law degree from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration from Howard University. Tina took a one year sabbatical, traveling in Japan and other countries and ultimately saw Tina leaving her law firm career to start a new adventure and work as an educator. Outside of work, Tina loves making cocktails, hiking, jogging and for her mindfulness, she has taken up adult coloring. Connect with Tina LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-saunders-64067015a/ Links Bar Trench: https://small-axe.net/bar-trench/ Michelle Obama’s book: The light we carry. Toni Morrison: Recitatif Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 26 Jun 2022 | Trust your gut with your law career in Japan with Bonnie Dixon | 00:55:13 | |
Even when your law career doesn’t go smoothly, perhaps you have been laid off or there are other challenges on your path, trusting your gut can help you to find the right way forward. My guest is Bonnie Dixon, the first foreign woman to be made a partner of a Japanese law firm. You will not believe how Bonnie created this opportunity for herself. Bonnie also shows us other ways we can serve our countries, either as a commercial attache in business or in the community as a scout leader. In this episode you’ll hear:
About Bonnie Bonnie Dixon is a Partner at Atsumi & Sakai in Tokyo. In 2005, when Bonnie joined the firm she became the first non-Japanese attorney to become a partner of a domestic Japanese law firm since the Occupation of Japan. Educated at the University of Michigan with a B.A., majoring in Japanese and Political Science in 1978, and the University of Michigan Law School, attaining her J.D. in 1981, Bonnie speaks and reads fluent Japanese and has worked in Tokyo for more than twenty years in the aggregate. Recently, Atsumi & Sakai has established an office in New York, to be formally named as Atsumi & Sakai New York LLP. This expansion will be led by Bonnie, who will serve as managing partner of the New York office. In her spare time, Bonnie produces translations of Kabuki and Bunraku dramas. Her translation commentaries can be heard through the Earphone Guide service available for rent at the National Theater in Tokyo and at the National Bunraku Theater in Osaka. She is an avid hiker and enjoys camping and other outdoor activities. Bonnie was the founder and for years served as the Scoutmaster of Troop 5 of the Far East Council of the Boy Scouts of America. During her tenure as Scoutmaster, Bonnie was the only female scoutmaster of the BSA program in all of Asia. She currently serves as an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 5’s female scouts. Connect with Bonnie Please email Catherine to be connected with Bonnie. Links The Tokyo American Club: https://www.tokyoamericanclub.org/index.php/en/ Connect with Catherine | |||
| 16 Oct 2022 | From sales executive to law firm partner with Yumiko Ohta | 01:13:02 | |
Are you wondering if you could be an associate in a law firm, even though you are “older”? Yumiko Ohta didn’t let anything stand in the way of passing the bar exam and joining a law firm later in life. Now a partner in one of the best places to work, Yumiko shares her story of leading her career and family choices. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Yumiko Yumiko is a partner at US-based global law firm Orrick Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP in its Tokyo office. Yumiko is a member of the Employment Law Group and focuses mainly on HR matters as well as various corporate transactions including compliance, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, litigation and general corporate transactions. Before joining Orrick, Yumiko was an associate at Tanabe & Partners, where she acquired the basic foundational skills to practice law. She also has experience serving as a statutory auditor for Japanese corporations and also served as a court appointed mediator for 10 years. Yumiko attained her LL.B. from the University of Tokyo and is a member of the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association. She is also offers up her time as Vice-Chair of Human Resource Management, Committee of American Chamber of Commerce (ACCJ). Connect with Yumiko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yumiko-ohta-84b330140/ Links Yakitori Abe: https://hitosara.com/0006049203/?cid=gm_hp Bottled Lightning: https://www.amazon.com/Bottled-Lightning-L-M-Weeks-ebook/dp/B09ZWQT54Y Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 26 Sep 2021 | From General Counsel to CEO of an international organisation with Mitsuru Claire Chino | 01:15:02 | |
Becoming CEO of an international organisation is probably not on young lawyer’s minds as they graduate from law school and find their first law job. Mitsuru Claire Chino shares with us her path from working in a law firm to General Counsel to CEO. She has some absolute nuggets of wisdom that you won’t want to miss on how she sees that anyone can be their best, and it might surprise you some of the people she looks up to! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Claire Claire is Managing Executive Officer of ITOCHU Corporation, a Fortune Global 500 company headquartered in Japan, and President & CEO of ITOCHU International Inc., a subsidiary of ITOCHU in New York, overseeing North America. Before assuming her position in New York, he was General Counsel of ITOCHU, and prior to that, a partner with an international law firm. In 2013, Claire became the first female executive officer of any major trading company in Japan. Claire has received several recognitions, including from the World Economic Forum (Young Global Leader), Yale University (Yale World Fellow), Asia Society (Asia 21) and the U.S. Japan Foundation (USJLP Fellow). Claire has also been recognized in the legal community as a “Top 25 In-House Counsel in Asia” (Asia Legal Business), “Asia Pacific’s Innovative Lawyer” (Financial Times), and “FT Global General Counsel 30” (Financial Times), and has received a “Transformative Leader” award (Inside Counsel). In 2018, the California Lawyers Association recognized her as the 8th Annual Warren M. Christopher International Lawyer of the Year. Most recently, she became the recipient of the Smith Medal from Smith College. She is a graduate of Smith College (B.A. cum laude) and Cornell Law School (J.D.), where she serves on the advisory board. She is a classically trained singer and gives solo performances from time to time. Connect with Claire LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitsuru-claire-chino-10ba6930/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fitochuinternational%2F Links On Borrowed Time by Graham Hall https://www.amazon.co.jp/Borrowed-Time-Graeme-Hall/dp/1527271374 Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair | |||
| 05 Jan 2025 | Leaning into your legal career in Japan with Emi Takeda | 00:59:13 | |
Emi Takeda is General Counsel for Japan at Accenture. It was a pleasant surprise to hear about Emi’s passion for sake and wine as well as the law, and how she managed to overcome the culture shock of acclimatising to big city life upon arriving at Tokyo University, having come from being a student from Fuji City. If you are wondering what it’s like to lead a team of over 100 lawyers, like Emi does, then enjoy listening as she shares insights into the challenges and rewards of managing large legal teams, embracing leadership roles, and the work-life “juggle” while raising a family. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Emi Emi is a senior international lawyer with over 20-years experience at top global law firms and as General Counsel for Accenture Japan. In her current role and Board Member at Accenture Japan, she manages a team of more than 130 lawyers and contract professionals. Emi received her LL.B. from the University of Tokyo and graduated from the Legal Training and Research Institute of Japan. She went on to receive her LL.M. from Columbia Law School. Emi is a Japanese bengoshi admitted to practice in Japan and she is also admitted in New York. Emi is a working parent of three children, 9, 13 and 16 years old. She also enjoys classical guitar, Japanese sake and wine. Awards and recognitions: GC Power list – Japan 2023, 2024 ALB Japan Law Awards: In-House Lawyer of the Year (2022, 2021); Woman Lawyer of the Year (In-House)(2022); In-House Team of the Year (2021); Innovative In-House Team of the Year (2021) Connect with Emi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emi-takeda-6935a4142/ Links Sushi Kuon Kamagai: https://sushikuon-kumagai.food-tenpo.com/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 07 Nov 2021 | Driving the future of work with passion featuring Nicole Scoble-Williams | 01:16:51 | |
Have you always wanted to be a lawyer but given up on your dream thinking it was too late? Well my guest, Nicole Scoble-Williams is going to show you how absolutely anything is possible with her amazing career to date that traverses software engineering and IT, genetic counselling to law and the future of work. We certainly have a futuristic episode for you! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Nicole
Nicole helps to activate adaptable and resilient businesses and her careers so far have gone through harnessing the collective intelligence of humans working productively with smart technology. Nicole works with individuals, businesses, and governments. She helps them to re imagine their future vision and to adapt to the constantly evolving new realities of work in today's digital age of perpetual disruption. Nicole is a published author of several publications such as the Deloitte 2021 Global Human Capital Trends Short Report on the Worker-Employer Relationship Disrupted: which asks if we are not a family what are we? Connect with Nicole LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-scoble-williams/ Links Steven Covey: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519 Linda Gratton, Andrew J. Scott: The New Long Life: https://www.amazon.co.jp/New-Long-Life-Framework-Flourishing/dp/1526615177 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair | |||
| 08 Jan 2023 | Developing a growth mindset to become founding partner of a joint enterprise law firm in Japan with Rika Beppu | 01:05:03 | |
Rika Beppu was adamant she would forge her career through her own hard work as an English lawyer working in a UK firm. When her firm offered her the role of a lifetime and an opportunity to be the founding partner of a new office in Tokyo, this really challenged her idea of how she had planned her career and it did not include Japan! Listen as we hear how Rika navigated her career to where she is today. In this episode you’ll hear:
About Rika Rika Beppu is a corporate M&A lawyer who has been practicing law in Tokyo as a foreign-registered lawyer for the past two decades. After her first degree from the English Language and Foreign Studies faculty of Sophia University, Rika studied and worked in the UK as an English law solicitor. She then came to Tokyo to open the first joint enterprise between a large Japanese law firm and an international law firm. Rika advises Japanese corporates in their global M&A transactions which span the globe. More recently she has been involved in divesting non-core global businesses of Japanese companies. She is passionate about equality in the workplace and in society and has been inspired by her experience as an Asia Society Young Global Leader fellow to contribute to and give back to society in different ways. This led her to be instrumental in founding Women in Law Japan in 2016 together with a group of amazing like-minded female legal professionals. She has also become active in the Lawyers for LGBT & Allies Network in Japan which fully supports equal marriage rights in Japan. In her role as chair of the legal services committee of the European Business Council (that is, the EU Chamber of Commerce in Japan), she advocates for a level playing field for foreign registered lawyers, in particular, she is advocating that the three-year work experience rule should be abolished in its entirety. In June 2022, Rika was appointed as an outside director of Mitsubishi Materials Corporation and is relishing this new challenge. Connect with Rika LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rika-beppu-21b55830/ Links Asia Society Young Global Leaders Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 31 Mar 2024 | Embracing change in law: Olga V. Mack's insights on technology, personal branding & thought leadership | 01:19:03 | |
I am thrilled to welcome Olga V. Mack, a renowned contributor to thought leadership on law and tech to the Lawyer on Air podcast. Olga takes us on a captivating journey, sharing her experiences from integrating art, science, and law to her impactful presence on LinkedIn and the evolution of her own podcast, "Notes to My Legal Self." Join us as we delve into her alternative to mentorship, AI innovation, and the power of individual excellence in the legal landscape. If like Olga, you do not like to wait in line, learn how you can be at the forefront of the exciting changes happening in the legal industry today. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Olga Olga V. Mack is an accomplished entrepreneur, executive, and attorney dedicated to harnessing transformative technologies for positive change. Serving as a Lecturer at Berkeley Law, Fellow at CodeX, The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics, and a Generative AI Editor at law.MIT Computational Law Report, Olga is a strong advocate for the integration of innovative technologies that enhance functionality and accessibility across various domains. With a proven track record as an award-winning general counsel, operations specialist, and tech startup advisor, Olga encourages the adoption of cutting-edge technologies to drive progress and efficiency. As a seasoned TEDx presenter, Olga leverages her unique blend of expertise in technology and business to inspire and educate audiences. Recognized as a top speaker and thought leader, she shares her insights through various platforms, including Forbes, Bloomberg Law, law.MIT Computational Law Report, Newsweek, Venture Beat, Above the Law, ACC Docket, and many other popular and industry publications. Olga's work revolves around exploring the transformative potential of emerging technologies across industries. Her accomplishments include being honored with prestigious awards such as Silicon Valley Women of Influence, ABA Women in Legal Tech, Make Your Mark, Corporate Counsel of the Year, and Women Leaders in Technology Law. Join Olga in her mission to embrace technology for positive change and explore its impact on society, business, and innovation. Connect with Olga LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olgamack/ Links Notes to my Legal Self: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notes-to-my-legal-self/id1531421449 ACC: https://docket.acc.com/author/olga-v-mack Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 11 Jun 2023 | Self branding through kindness and thoughtfulness for your successful career in law with Akiyo Inoko Hewett | 01:04:37 | |
You are going to love this episode featuring one of the biggest fans of Lawyer on Air and a successful lawyer in her own right, Akiyo Inoko Hewett. Akiyo got my attention with her thoughtful and insightful post on LinkedIn; little did I know that she was a big LOA fan! In addition to being an avid listener, she has forged a career for herself as a bilingual international lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia. If you are wondering about different places to start a law career, this episode is packed with great examples of how Akiyo achieved this. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Akiyo Akiyo Inoko Hewett is an Associate in the Corporate Practice of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP. Akiyo is a member of the International Practice Team. She is passionate about serving both domestic and international clients who deal with cross-border transactions. Akiyo’s practice includes corporate formation, corporate governance and compliance, as well as various types of commercial transactions. Akiyo earned her undergraduate degree from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, her J.D. from Keio University Law School, and her LL.M. from Emory University School of Law. While in law school, she attended several United Nations conferences as a legal advocate on international human rights law. Akiyo passed the Japanese bar exam and is eligible to practice law in Japan. She also passed the Georgia bar exam and is admitted to practice law in Georgia, USA. Akiyo loves to meet new people and build friendships. She is a member of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Japan-America Society of Georgia, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia. Connect with Akiyo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiyo-inoko-hewett-3ba626126/ Links Bulgari Ristorante https://www.bulgarihotels.com/ja_JP/tokyo-osaka-restaurants/tokyo/il-ristorante Ramona Houston’s podcast: https://ramonahouston.com/podcast/ Love Train by Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNro3uBlqVg Sarah Ouis of Law But How? https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-ouis-lawyeruk/ Link to Akiyo’s LinkedIn post Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 24 Oct 2021 | Combining engineering and Japanese with law to create a unique lawyer career with Celeste Koravos | 01:10:55 | |
If you have ever wondered how your interests might intersect with a legal career, then this is the episode for you. My guest is Celeste Koravos, not only is she a lawyer but a certified engineer and skilled Japanese linguist. How did she create a unique career with her varied interests and talents? Listen to find out! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Celeste Celeste Koravos is a Senior Commercial Counsel, Asia-Pacific, at Maxeon Solar Technologies. As President of Australia Japan Society of Victoria she is also passionate about contributing to the bilateral Australia-Japan relationship, building relationships, connecting people and creating new value. In early 2021, Celeste worked as the Director, Directions at COVID-19 Legal at Victorian Government Department of Health. Prior to that she was Legal Counsel at Mitsui & Co. (Australia) Ltd, advising various business divisions and group companies in Australia and New Zealand. She also has extensive private practice experience in leading Australian and international law firms in Melbourne and Tokyo where she advised on complex construction, engineering and large-scale infrastructure projects. Celeste is also a qualified civil engineer (first class honours) with industry experience including BHP Billiton (coal bed methane), Exxon Mobil (gas and power marketing) and ARRB Group (traffic and transport). Celeste enjoys interfacing technical, legal and commercial aspects of projects. Connect with Celeste LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/celestekoravos/ Website: https://ajsvictoria.org.au/ Links T-Site Bookstore https://store.tsite.jp/daikanyama/ Seven types of ambiguity by Elliot Perlman https://www.amazon.co.jp/Seven-Types-Ambiguity-Elliot-Perlman/dp/1594481431 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 09 Jul 2023 | Embracing career challenges and enjoying the journey with Aya Saito | 01:17:18 | |
In this episode, Aya Saito, shares her journey from a kind of identity crisis to finding her style and authentic self in a unique role. Her career challenges became accomplishments that she even enjoyed! I’ve not heard of any guest so far in six seasons refer to their challenges in this way. Through the power of conversation, Aya uncovers these gems even though she didn’t know they were there! Join us for another fabulous episode from one of our own women in law in Japan. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Aya Aya is a member of the Global Legal Team at Boston Consulting Group based in Tokyo office, where she is supporting Japan and South Korea. Aya is a qualified attorney in Japan (Bengoshi). Prior to joining BCG, Aya was in private practice with an Osaka boutique law firm specializing in international transactions, intellectual property and dispute resolution for Kansai corporations. She then moved to Tokyo to join the Legal team at Accenture, where she handled large outsourcing and technology deals, and other complex legal matters. She has co-authored several books with fellow Bengoshi, and is also a CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner). Aya is a mother to a 4 year old boy. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, swimming, yoga and travelling. Connect with Aya LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aya-saito-545138121/ Links Ryukotei Chinese Restaurant: https://www.ryukoutei.net/ More than enough: https://www.amazon.co.jp/MORE-THAN-ENOUGH-ELAINE-WELTEROTH/dp/0525561587 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 17 Apr 2022 | Being intentional to create your legal career in Japan with Olivia Nomura | 01:10:43 | |
What do you do when you have two competing loves, such as Japanese language and law? Olivia Nomura didn’t settle for one, she went for both. In this episode, Olivia shares how she was able to become a Japanese speaking foreign lawyer working in Tokyo for a big international firm, who now manages exciting multi-jurisdictional M&A deals. Oliva shows us how she perseveres in the short term for her long term goals and finds innovative ways around obstacles that pop up along the way. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Olivia Nomura Connect with Olivia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-nomura/ Links Craft Gin Bar Sicx: https://www.fec-inc.jp/ To be fair by Rosemary Riddell https://www.amazon.co.jp/Be-Fair-Confessions-District-Court/dp/1990003168 Hidden Brain Podcast: https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain Lumio lamp: https://www.hellolumio.com/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 07 Jan 2024 | Mari Hiraizumi: Redefining corporate legal leadership and board membership in global corporations | 00:59:04 | |
Mari Hiraizumi is a trailblazer in Japan. Not only is she the General Counsel and Executive Director for her organisation, but has been able to take on another external board role at the same time. This is truly groundbreaking with this trio of roles! If you are an in-house legal counsel and you are aiming for a board role at another company and wondering how to do that, then this is the episode for you. In this episode you’ll hear:
About Mari Mari Hiraizumi is the General Counsel, Head of Legal, and Executive Director ("Torishimariyaku") for GSK, a UK-based global pharmaceutical company, in Japan. Mari holds an LL.B. from Kyoto University (1997) and an LL.M. from New York University (2003). She is a licensed attorney admitted to practice in Japan (since 1999) and also in New York, USA (since 2004). Mari began her professional career in 1999 as an associate attorney at Osaka International Law Offices. In 2002, she moved to the U.S. to study at NYU Law School. After obtaining her LL.M. from NYU, she worked for Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur, an Ohio-based law firm, as a foreign attorney for one year, providing support to Japanese car manufacturers and suppliers in the U.S. Midwest area. Upon returning to Japan, Mari became a Deputy Director at the Social and Economic Treaties Division, International Legal Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she supported free trade agreements with countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Chile. This experience sparked her interest in working as an in-house lawyer rather than at a law firm. In 2007, Mari transitioned to an in-house attorney role at Bayer in Japan, where she made significant contributions to developing the company's legal function. In 2019, she joined GSK, and in 2020, she became an Executive Director ("Torishimariyaku"). Since March 2022, Mari has also taken on the role as an external board member (“Torishimariyaku”) of a Japanese manufacturing corporation, Showa Aircraft Industry Co., Ltd. By doing so, she aims to be a role model for Japanese in-house counsels and contribute to multiple companies concurrently, highlighting the benefits for both companies and in-house lawyers themselves. Mari is deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). During her time at Bayer and Boehringer Ingelheim, she led D&I projects. Currently at GSK, she sponsors the Employee Resource Group called "SPECTRUM Japan" and supports the group in engaging in joint activities with other companies in the industry to drive change in the medical industry. In 2021, Mari was recognized for her achievements, winning the ALB Japan Law Awards as the Woman Lawyer of the Year (In-House category). This year, she received two awards at the ALB Japan Law Awards, namely, In-house Lawyer of the Year and Woman Lawyer of the Year (In-House category). Additionally, she was listed in the GC Powerlist Japan chapter in July, a Legal 500 publication that highlights the most influential in-house lawyers and legal teams in the local legal industry. Outside of work, Mari enjoys traveling, running, hiking, and visiting hot springs (onsen). To date, she has traveled to more than 50 countries. In 2021, she obtained certification as an "Onsen Sommelier" from the Onsen Sommelier Association, a private organization. She also has a fondness for ramen noodles and other affordable yet delicious local foods. Connect with Mari LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mari-hiraizumi-7557345/ Links Momotenashiya Shinbashi: https://www.torioka.com/eat/ Funao Winery, Okayama https://www.funaowinery.com/ Die with Zero, https://amzn.asia/d/5clkY1E | |||
| 12 Feb 2021 | Introduction Episode: Who is this "Lawyer on Air"? | 00:12:29 | |
Hi everyone! I’m Catherine the Host of Lawyer on Air - where I pour you a glass of wine at my favorite virtual wine bar in Tokyo while you listen to inspirational inside stories from my guests, as we relax and talk about what it’s like in life, and in the law, for women lawyers in Japan. On this Podcast, you are going to hear stories from all different types of women lawyers, who are challenging the legal space in Japan, in private practice and in-house. They’ll inspire you by re-telling the path that brought them to the Land of the Rising Sun and they will share behind the scenes tales of passion and resilience, leaving you with a guidebook of gems, to help you lead your best lawyer self, in life, and in the law. So, pull up a barstool, slip in your EarPods, and let’s get started! | |||
| 05 Feb 2023 | Leveraging volunteer opportunities to sustain your legal career with Marose Pereira | 00:55:36 | |
Marose comes from a family of inspirational women and she will definitely inspire you with her outlook on life and how she has made the most of opportunities that have presented themselves to her. Marose shares with us how her outside activities are actually a way to improve her knowledge and network in her chosen area of arbitration. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Marose Marose is a Counsel at Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners and is a registered foreign lawyer licensed in both the Philippines and the State of New York. Marose serves as a Volunteer Public Relations Officer of the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA), which is the leading commercial arbitral institution in Japan. She is also the co-Founder and Vice-Chair on the Executive Committee of Energy Related Arbitration Practitioners (ENERAP) - Japan Chapter (since 2021) and is Vice-Chair, Technology, Media and Telecommunications Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association. Marose also lectures at Kyushu University, and in 2023 will teach a course at Temple University in Tokyo. She has also published several articles about Philippine legal updates and the rules of the JCAA. Connect with Marose LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marose-pereira-02394aab/ Links Rose Bakery: https://www.rose-bakery.jp/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 02 Oct 2022 | Strategically planning your lawyer CV in your legal career with Chika Hirata | 01:02:36 | |
Have you ever wondered if it was too late to do that law firm experience, to go in-house or to law work in a completely different area? It is never too late to fill a gap in your CV, as my guest Chika Hirata shows us in this episode! Chika is mentor to up and coming professionals, and loves to give back, just as she was mentored by one of our most popular episode guests, Lawyer Extraordinaire, Royanne Doi. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Chika Chika joined Takeda in June 2018 and is currently the Head of Japan/JPBU Ethics & Compliance. She is in charge of strategic planning and leading global initiatives for global Takeda as a member of the Global Ethics & Compliance Leadership Team. Chika leads and supervises various initiatives related to Ethics and Compliance, Data Privacy and Enterprise Risk Management at Japan Pharma Business Unit. She also works closely with senior leaders in Japan to embed corporate values and culture in daily business activities with higher ethical standards. Chika has worked at various global financial institutions, in private practice as a lawyer, and a member of senior management teams. She has extensive and rich experience in corporate governance, change management, team building and talent development in multicultural environments. Throughout her career, she has committed herself to being a disrupter regarding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the context of Japanese corporate culture, and is passionate about mentoring and coaching talents from diverse backgrounds. Prior to joining Takeda, she was responsible for Corporate Secretariat and Legal Affairs as Statutory Executive Officer, SVP & Chief Legal Officer at MetLife Insurance in Japan. Chika is admitted to practice in the State of New York. Connect with Chika LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chika-hirata-3058696/ Links Brasserie Va-tout https://brasserievatout.jp/ Black Box Thinking https://www.amazon.co.jp/Black-Box-Thinking-Surprising-Success/dp/1473613779 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 01 May 2022 | Hiring, retaining talent and the future of law in Tokyo with Ken Siegel | 00:40:04 | |
What would it be like to work in the Tokyo office of a major law firm such as Morrison & Foerster (MoFo)? Well in this episode we bring you the Managing Partner of the Tokyo office, Ken Siegel, sharing his insights and experience with over 25 years of working in Japan at the top of M&A law. It is my great pleasure to give you this rare opportunity to hear from Ken about the latest on hiring, retaining talent and the future of law in Tokyo. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Ken Ken Siegel is the Managing Partner of Morrison & Foerster’s Tokyo office and the head of the office’s 50 attorney M&A team. Ken’s practice focuses on the representation of high-technology companies in acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances. Ken has been consistently ranked as one of the leading U.S. attorneys in Japan. Among other things, he is the only attorney rated as a “Star Individual” for M&A in Japan (the level above Band 1) by Chambers Global, having been ranked at this level for twelve consecutive years (2011 – 2022 editions), and having been ranked in Band 1 for the prior decade. According to Chambers Asia Pacific, Ken is “commercial and pragmatic, an incredible M&A attorney” who “deserves tremendous credit for his M&A practice” and has “outstanding acumen, experience and leadership.” Ken has been resident in Japan since 1994, and managing partner of the Tokyo office since 1997. Ken received his B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Amherst College in 1981. He studied Japanese language at Stanford University’s Inter-University Center for Japanese Language in Tokyo and at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), receiving a graduate degree in International Affairs in 1983. He received his J.D. degree in 1986 from the University of Chicago Law School. Connect with Ken Please connect with Catherine to be introduced Links Mixology Heritage: https://www.jrtk.jp/hibiya-okuroji/shop/detail_00013/ Kinobi: https://kyotodistillery.jp/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 21 Jan 2024 | Using your law degree without being a lawyer at top companies in Japan with Tomoko Konishi | 00:42:08 | |
If you have finished your law degree but are not sure if you want to work as a “lawyer”, you might consider going to an in-house role such as Tomoko Konishi has done. Tomoko has had a truly varied career so far and is now working in corporate governance. With a law degree you really are able to serve society from all kinds of angles, this time Tomoko is doing it her own way, listen to hear more! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Tomoko Tomoko is General Manager of Corporate Legal Unit in the legal group at JERA. She has worked her entire career inside companies, first with Bridgestone and now in the JERA team. Tomoko graduated from the Kyoto University, Faculty of Law and joined Bridgestone Corporation in 2003 and moved to JERA in 2021. Tomoko is the mother of two children and an American Cocker Spaniel Connect with Tomoko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomoko-konishi-a3b5a439/ Links Yakitori “Isehiro”: https://www.newotani.co.jp/en/tokyo/restaurant/isehiro/ Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke: https://amzn.asia/d/gf3FXlN Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 15 Oct 2023 | Creating fairness in the legal landscape of an organisation: Insights from Kenji Tagaya | 01:14:53 | |
Kenji Tagaya joins Lawyer on Air as a very welcome male guest, fan of the show and ally of women working in the law in Japan. Kenji is General Counsel at Jera and shares his own lived experience of being a minority and how he uses that experience to help empower others. In addition to his career, Kenji is very active in volunteer activities and we hear about how he asks if he can join in and help and in doing this he has been able to use his skills for good outside of the office too. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Kenji Kenji Tagaya is the Executive Officer, Head of Legal Group of JERA, which is one of the major energy companies in Japan, encompassing the entire energy supply chain from upstream fuel investment and fuel procurement through power generation. Prior to joining JERA in 2016, Kenji worked for a Japanese governmental financial institution (JBIC) and was involved in oil & gas and power project financing in Asia and the Middle East. He also spent time at Allen & Overy’s Projects Group in London as an Associate, and also at an international financial institution (EBRD) in London as a Principal Counsel, involved in development financing in emerging countries. He was awarded ALB (Asian Legal Business) Japan “In-house Lawyer of the Year” in 2017 and Chambers “GC Influencers” Japan in 2019. He received LL.B. from Kyoto University (Japan) and LL.M. from Georgetown University (US). Connect with Kenji LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenji-tagaya-b6811675/ Links Rokusei https://www.rokusei.co.jp/ “How I Built This” Podcast: https://www.npr.org/series/490248027/how-i-built-this Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 19 Feb 2023 | What you need to know about joining the Japan legal market in 2023 with Sam Inohara | 01:07:09 | |
From time to time I invite an ally of women lawyers in Japan onto the show, and someone I would love you to meet is Sam Inohara. Even though he did not graduate from a top 10 law school, he has created a unique career path in Japan, culminating in his present position as Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright Tokyo office. In this episode, he explains why you should consider Japan in your international law career and what the situation is here now with the legal market. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Sam Sam Inohara is a California-qualified lawyer and has been living and working in Japan for over 20 years. He is a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright where his practice focuses on mergers & acquisitions and matters adjacent to M&A. Connect with Sam LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-inohara-25a2431/ Website: https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-jp/people/137735 Links Kawakamian: https://www.kawakamian.com/shops/tokyo.php Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 02 Apr 2023 | Japan qualified or foreign qualified lawyer? Yui Ota-Barclay shares her experience | 00:59:21 | |
Becoming a “Bengoshi” (Japan qualified lawyer), did not suit Yui Ota-Barclay so she took a chance to become a foreign qualified lawyer instead. In this episode, Yui shares her unique path to becoming an associate at Norton Rose Fulbright based in Tokyo. This is another diverse story of how things can work out for you even though it might not be on that 5 year plan you had in mind. In this episode you’ll hear:
About Yui Yui Ota-Barclay is an Associate at Norton Rose Fulbright based in Tokyo. Yui is a transactions lawyer admitted in New York. She specialises in Asset finance with a focus on the shipping and energy sectors. Yui was raised in Yokohama, Japan, and spent one year in Colorado, U.S. as an exchange student during high school. She graduated from Keio University (Bachelor of Laws) in Tokyo in 2012 and thereafter obtained a Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. in 2013. After completing an internship with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Office of International Affairs, where she focused on international collaboration for consumer protection matters, she joined the Tokyo office of Norton Rose Fulbright in 2014. She then worked in the London office for one and a half years and was involved in transactions with clients based in the U.K. and Europe before returning to the Tokyo office in 2021. Yui is a strong advocate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It’s her passion. She leads, and has been actively engaged in, the Diversity and Inclusion initiatives at Norton Rose Fulbright, both in Tokyo and across the global platform. Yui is a member of the Gender Equality Committee of Kanagawa Prefecture, which aims to guide local government policy on gender related issues. Yui also joined the executive committee of Women in Law Japan as a volunteer in 2023. A fun fact about Yui is that she is a keen runner and in 2022, she ran a total of 1,015km - that’s the equivalent of 24 marathons! Connect with Yui LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuiotabarclay/ Links Barny Akasaka: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1308/A130801/13218865/ Yui’s articles: I am somebody’s wife https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/about/re/stringers/in-tokyo-la-and-cape-town-issue-20 What it is to be a Japanese woman: https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/about/re/the-essay/what-it-is-to-be-a-woman-issue-21 Way of Life https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-au/about/re/way-of-life/yui-ota-in-japan-issue-14 The guide – Tokyo culture https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/about/re/the-guide/tokyo-culture-issue-11 Where to eat [in Tokyo] through morning noon and night https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/about/re/eating-out/in-tokyo-and-yokahama-issue-19 Ladies who London Podcast: https://www.ladieswholondon.com/ Women and Family in Contemporary Japan book: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Women-Family-Contemporary-Japan-Holloway/dp/0521180376 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 10 Dec 2023 | Thriving in law in the Japanese eDiscovery industry with Anitha Henderson | 01:06:15 | |
Anitha Henderson is an eDiscovery attorney in Japan. Anitha shares her journey from studying law to navigating a fulfilling career that intertwines with her passion for Japanese language and culture. From her experiences in the JET program to her love for communication in Japanese, Anitha's story is one of perseverance, adaptability, and embracing imperfection in the legal profession. Join us as we delve into Anitha's insights on eDiscovery work, the impact of AI in the legal industry, and her appreciation for small moments that give meaning to life. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Anitha Anitha is an eDiscovery attorney who focuses on managing Japanese language projects for cross-border litigation and for internal investigations. Her work includes starting from consulting clients and law firms, designing the most efficient workflows, managing reviewers, running AI analysis, and doing everything needed to make sure the project gets done defensibly, on time, in budget, and at a high quality. She finds joy in providing first class service directly to Japanese firms that might not otherwise have access to it in their native language so close to home. She is fluent in Japanese and does 99% of her work in Japanese; this podcast will probably be the most English she has spoken in weeks. She is also very easily bribed with Coca-Cola. Originally from Florida, Anitha graduated from the University of Florida JD/MBA joint degree program and is a member of the Florida and Washington DC bars. She sends her love to her law school study group, Ashley, Nikki and Rob, for all their unconditional support over the years. In her free time, Anitha loves watching way too much TV, playing casual video games, keeping up with her favorite idol groups (KAT-TUN and BTS), collecting anime trading cards, spending time with her host family in Kyoto, and traveling. Connect with Anitha LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitha-henderson-488a467 Links Al Cepo https://www.al-ceppo.jp/ Terry Pratchett, Disc World Series https://amzn.asia/d/08BBvbV Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 12 Nov 2023 | Navigating remote international work and work-life balance challenges with Sawako Ohgi | 01:01:10 | |
Sawako Ohgi is the General Manager in the Strategic Legal Unit at JERA Co. From living overseas in a variety of countries as a child to managing a team remotely from the UK, Sawako's story is one of resilience, leadership, and determination. Join us as we delve into Sawako's in-house career path, her advice for in-house counsels, and her passion for balancing work and personal life. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Sawako Sawako Ohgi is General Manager, Strategic Legal Unit, Legal Group, JERA Co., Inc. and a New York qualified lawyer. She spent 9 years at the International Affairs Division of Tokyo Electric Power Company handling M&As (domestic and international) and IPP development, project finance, and corporate law. Sawako was responsible for transferring overseas power assets from TEPCO/Chubu to JERA (2016). She also spent 3 years in the UK because of her husband’s transfer but continued to work fulltime remotely (2018-2021). Currently, she is responsible for JERA's legal issues, contracts review, disputes and regulatory support and is also the mother of two daughters aged 10 and 12. Connect with Sawako LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sawako-ogi-008a411/ Links JERA Team mates: Angela Yuen: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/season-two-episode-seven-angela-yuen Kenji Tagaya: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/season-six-ep-8-kenji-tagaya Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 12 Jun 2022 | Boosting your legal career in Japan through your guiding principles with Lexi Takamatsu | 01:07:19 | |
Lexi Takamatsu had just sat down for the very first time in her new home in the US, opened her laptop to find an email which would change the trajectory of her life again. Lexi shares how by finding what she likes about her legal practice and focusing on those areas, opportunities have come to her that she never imagined. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Lexi Lexi is an international disputes specialist, who has represented companies in U.S. domestic and international litigation and arbitration, including commercial disputes, intellectual property disputes, and corporate governance disputes. Lexi attained her BA from University of Southern California 2008, and JD from U.C. Berkeley, School of Law in 2015. She was admitted in California in the same year (2015 In 2015, Lexi completed a one-year clerkship (2015-2016) for a U.S. Federal District Court Judge in the Central District of California, assisting the Judge in drafting opinions for the civil litigation cases on her docket. In 2016 Lexi joined the U.S. law firm, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Los Angeles, California. After 2 years with Skadden Lexi joined the disputes department of Morrison & Foerster’s Tokyo office where she was from 2018 to late 2020. At MoFo she was in the disputes department working on cross-border intellectual property and contract-based disputes. Lexi joined Mori Hamada in September 2020, she is working to expand Mori Hamada’s international arbitration practice, while also assisting in various disputes and white collar investigations. Connect with Lexi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexi-takamatsu-a423a339/ Links Burnout by Emily Nagoski https://www.amazon.co.jp/Burnout-Secret-Unlocking-Stress-Cycle/dp/1984818325 | |||
| 19 Dec 2021 | Your legal career playbook for 2022 | 00:45:17 | |
It’s the Lawyer on Air “Bonenkai” (End of Year) Episode. Grab a glass of your favourite beverage and join Catherine and Jayne as they help you see out 2021, and welcome in 2022 with this bumper bonus episode. Make sure you listen to the end, ...we have some bloopers for you too ... because we like to keep it real! You’ll need a pen and paper to write down all the great tips we have compiled for your legal career and living your most authentic life in 2022. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Catherine Catherine hails from New Zealand and is founder and principal of her own boutique law firm in Tokyo. She provides flexible legal services to law firms, legal departments and businesses, on a project and needs-specific basis. This is a pioneering unique legal solutions model in Japan. Her areas of focus include: foreign lawyer support for Japanese and international law firms in Japan, determining how, when and where a full-time, in-country legal counsel might best contribute to an in-house legal department; setting up systems and workflows, localising global templates, introducing general commercial contract governance to business, she combines her bilingual capability and deep in-house counsel experience, to act as the lead on all the in-person and written contract negotiations for client’s “business as usual” and project work. Catherine also does Professional Mentorship coaching lawyers 1:1 and in Masterminds (by invitation or referral), supporting CEOs with risk and legal training, and coaching in-house legal staff and law firm associates through her Associates Accelerator Academy. Catherine is a multiple award winner in entrepreneurship, excellence and being a trailblazer. Links Careless Whisper by George Michael: https://youtu.be/izGwDsrQ1eQ Catherine’s Mastermind: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/catherines-lawyer-extraordinaire-mastermind-2022-waiting-list/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer Connect with Jayne: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaynenakata/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transformationswithjayne/ Website: https://www.jaynenakata.com/ | |||
| 10 Jul 2022 | Land your dream legal job in Japan with Alkis Kotzampasis | 00:51:07 | |
We have a wonderful special guest on the show from Michael Page, Tokyo, Alkis Kotzampasis. Alkis shares the latest trends in the Japan legal market and how you can best work with a recruiter even if you are not looking for a new position right now. I have worked with Michael Page myself over the years so I knew they would give us honest and useful advice for how to make best use of their services. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Alkis Alkis enjoys assisting lawyers realize their potential. He is also advising his clients on how to source the best legal talent for their teams. Due to the busy nature of the legal profession, Alkis understands that it is difficult for many legal professionals to keep themselves updated on the job market and he aspires to fill that gap of knowledge with the information he provides them. As the current Manager of the Legal & Compliance team in Michael Page, Alkis has developed a vast network of clients since coming to Japan. His practice focuses both on law firms and in-house. He has successfully introduced candidates in different industries such as technology, finance, energy & others and at varying levels in seniority such as Legal Counsels, Legal Directors, Compliance Managers, Associates and Partners. In terms of personal accolades, Alkis was the no.1 biller for Michael Page Japan in 2021 and member of the top-10 in Michael Page Asia. Alkis grew up in Athens, Greece. He studied in the UK in Durham University and Lancaster University. He then moved on to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg for an internship, worked for a year in Athens, fulfilled his military obligation right after and came to Japan in January 2020. When not recruiting you’ll find him trying delicious food, playing sports, travelling or all at the same time! Connect with Alkis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alkis-kotzampasis-5a171812a/ Links Talent Trends Report: English: https://www.michaelpage.co.jp/en/talent-trends/the-great-x Japanese: https://www.michaelpage.co.jp/talent-trends/the-great-x Bar Amber: http://baramber.jp/ Aladdin: http://www.persia-aladdin.com/ | |||
| 18 Apr 2021 | How to rock the transition from BigLaw to In-House with Aramide Fields | 01:22:03 | |
Do I have a bumper episode for you this week. You might think it’s “lengthy” but I prefer to say “packed full with nuggets!” During the recording, I had tingles on my skin hearing how this week’s Lawyer Extraordinaire, Aramide Fields, uses her career in the law in service of others and how her curiosity and interest in learning continues to lead her to new challenges in her life in Japan now as Associate General Counsel for the Asia Division of Autoliv. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me, @lawyeronair or find us on LinkedIn or Twitter. In this episode you’ll hear:
About Aramide Aramide Fields is the Associate General Counsel for the Asia division of Autoliv, a Fortune 500 company and the world’s largest automotive safety supplier. She provides strategic legal and business advice to colleagues in sales, purchasing, supply chain, compliance, and other functions throughout Asia, including Japan, Korea, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Before joining Autoliv in November 2020, Aramide was in BigLaw for 15 years at Morrison & Foerster. She spent about half of that time in the firm’s San Diego office, and the other half in the firm’s Tokyo office working in litigation, internal investigations, and compliance. Aramide earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School, and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Virginia. She lives in Tokyo with her husband and three children. Connect with Aramide LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aramide-fields Links Mel Scott’s Podcast: Counsel Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/counsel/id1516422327 #Networked https://www.amazon.com/Networked-Distancing-Connections-Cultivate-Businesses-ebook/dp/B08MB98HNX Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 18 Feb 2024 | Exploring Legal Ops in Japan: An inspiring career path in law and tech with Vivien Clancy | 00:58:18 | |
Vivien Clancy has a wealth of experience in the legal operations space which she brings to her current position in the Tokyo office of Herbert Smith Freehills. Vivien’s adventures and zest for life have all contributed to her fascinating career experiences. It goes to show that all experiences lead you to that next iteration of your career. If you are considering a legal operations role and wondering where to start, then this is the episode for you. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Vivien Vivien Clancy is a client relationship manager and legal operations specialist with a background in in-house and private practice. Vivien has a wealth of experience in the legal operations space, including supporting a mining major's legal transformation initiatives. Before moving to Tokyo, she was the Senior Legal Operations Manager in Singapore supporting the HSF Corporate teams across Asia on a variety of internal and client projects, including regional process improvement initiatives, embedding legal project management and developing the firm’s client advisory practice for legal operations. Prior to joining HSF, she was a senior in-house lawyer at a FTSE-listed MNC and a digital healthcare startup in Singapore, and a private practice M&A lawyer at Linklaters / Allens in Melbourne. Connect with Vivien LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivien-c-3577602b/ Links Bills: https://billsjapan.com/en Legal Ops Podcast: https://www.legalops.fm/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 01 Sep 2024 | Crafting successful legal careers in Japan with top recruiter Yuna Yoshimasa | 01:01:25 | |
Considering a career change or moving to a different area of practice in your legal career? Perhaps you are considering the big leap to Japan from overseas? Yuna Yoshimasa, a legal recruiter at Just Legal in Tokyo, specialising in healthcare and life sciences gives us the latest information so you can think about new opportunities. The episode also covers the recruitment process, trends, and tips for lawyers aiming to work in Japan, particularly in the healthcare sector. Yuna also shares valuable advice on working with recruiters and the importance of English and communication skills. This episode is a must-listen for lawyers considering a career shift to the Japanese market or a change in industry. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Yuna Yuna Yoshimasa is an experienced Legal recruiter at Just Legal, an executive search firm specialising in Legal and Compliance in Tokyo. She leads the healthcare sector and assists pharmaceutical, medical devices, diagnostics companies, and health tech companies with their mid to senior legal (both Bengoshi and FQLs) and compliance hires. She excels at relationship building and she is able to offer an abundance of information and connections through her relationships with hiring managers and aspiring candidates in the industry. Yuna is no doubt the most dedicated expert in this field. In February 2024, Yuna was awarded the “Young Leadership Award” by the management committee of the Health 2.0 Conference, which was held in Dubai, with recognition for her contribution to the healthcare industry. Yuna lived in the UAE when she was in her second year of high school and studied in Australia as an exchange Uni student. She graduated in 2010 from the Faculty of Foreign Studies at Sophia University. When she is not so busy with transactions, Yuna enjoys playing the drums. She wishes to form a band (again) and perform at gigs. Yuna welcomes listeners who play any musical instruments to get in touch! Connect with Yuna LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuna-yoshimasa-64bb42169/ Website: https://www.justlegal.co.jp/ja/team/yunayoshimasa/ Links Restaurant イル https://www.makuake.com/project/ile/ Survey with Head of Legal in Healthcare: 【Part 1】https://www.justlegal.co.jp/Just-Legal_Newsletter_healthcare_2404.pdf 【Part 2】https://www.justlegal.co.jp/Just-Legal_Newsletter_hmvoices2_2404.pdf Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 23 Jul 2023 | From briefs to boardrooms: How lawyers can climb the corporate ladder in Japan with Alkis Kotzampasis | 01:09:07 | |
Catherine invites legal recruiter Alkis Kotzampasis back to the podcast, to share his insights from his new position as Principal of Page Executive at Michael Page. They delve into the most effective ways to work with a recruiter and what to prepare for those interviews as well as the trends that are now affecting the market in Japan. This is must-know information for anyone wanting to take on a new role perhaps in the C-suite boardroom or anyone wanting to start working in Japan in the near future. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Alkis Alkis has been an established recruiter with PageGroup in Japan since 2020. Initially, he built the legal & compliance recruitment team of Michael Page from scratch and during this effort, he received regional top performer awards from PageGroup in 2021 and 2022. Impressed by his open-minded approach and his quick delivery, clients often quote his honesty, dedication and resilience as some key elements that differentiate him from competition. Since April 2023, Alkis has transitioned internally to Page Executive, the executive search arm of the group. There he is assisting with the Japan launch and with building new client relationships. Page Executive is a brand with global recognition and has been quoted by Forbes as one of the top 1% executive search firms in the USA in 2022. It also has a strong track record across Asia Pacific with presence in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China. Alkis bread & butter under the Page Executive brand remains legal & compliance recruitment. He is currently working exclusively with top tier law firms to support their Partner hiring and with Global Corporates to assist with their Legal Director Japan hiring. The scope of his work under Page Executive has also expanded with Alkis being given the opportunity to build strategic relationships with Global Board Members and Japan Board Members of additional functions. The aim remains to provide them with any advice they seek on the market, assist them with their personal progression goals and recruitment challenges, and in general offer them with great service. All in a confidential manner. Since our last recording, Alkis has spent his free time significantly expanding the list of countries he's visited and the number of cuisines he's tried, which are the two main activities he engages in when not working. Connect with Alkis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alkis-kotzampasis-5a171812a/ Company Profile: https://www.pageexecutive.com/consultant/alkis-kotzampasis Email: alkiskotzampasis@pageexecutive.com Links Talent Trends: https://www.michaelpage.co.jp/en/talent-trends/the-invisible-revolution Nuit (Nakameguro): https://nuit.tokyo/ / https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1317/A131701/13263261/ Giannis Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2QCiJC06y4 (another inspiring short video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-AW_ZxPSwwo) Rough summary of his story: https://olympics.com/en/news/giannis-antetokounmpo-origin-story-basketball-legend Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 03 Mar 2024 | Bridging Borders: The Diplomatic Lawyer in Japan with Kaori Oka | 01:00:21 | |
From her early days of wanting to be a diplomat and instead becoming a lawyer, Kaori Oka is now the diplomatic founder of Oka Fortuna Law, a law firm based in Tokyo. We follow Kaori’s exciting career path and see how time and time again she created and asked for opportunities to have the experiences she wanted not only in her career but also in her life. Kaori will surprise you with some fantastic insights into starting your own firm and being recommended for board positions. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Kaori Kaori Oka is the founder of OKA FORTUNA LAW, a law firm based in Tokyo, Japan. Kaori graduated from Tokyo University with an LLB and started her career in 2006 at Bingham McCutchen LLP, Tokyo office, being in charge of global M&A and high-impact cartel cases. She then moved to Iwata Godo in 2010, seeing her mission as pushing forward Iwata Godo’s international practice, which was still very small at that time. As part of that, Kaori was seconded to HKIAC, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center, and also seconded to two US law firms, Steptoe & Johnson, and Baker & Miller PLLC, both based in Washington DC to develop relationships with firms and organizations overseas. Becoming a partner, and also satisfied to see the success of Iwata Godo in the international practice arena, she then moved to Deloitte Legal, Japan in 2016. There were only 5 lawyers at that time and Kaori fully enjoyed her role to develop Deloitte Legal Japan’s business and enhance the presence of Japan legal to Deloitte’s network. In July 2023, Kaori opened her solo practice in Tokyo to devote her passion to helping foreign clients succeed in their business in Japan. Her expertise is general corporate, cross-border M&A and reorganization schemes and commercial transactions. She is also a Supervisory Board Member at Maruwn Corporation and is nominated in two other listed companies in 2024 for similar positions.
Kaori enjoys her life by mountaineering, hiking, traveling, jogging, jazz, and 30 minute daily meditation. On top of that, she is a huge fan of dogs and is planning to get one this year, finally! Connect with Kaori LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaorioka/ Links ビストロヌガ Bistro Le Nougat https://www.lenougat.jp/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 06 Oct 2024 | Creating your own path and embracing authenticity in the law and in governance with Ako Shimada | 00:55:30 | |
Ako Shimada is the Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary of Ushio America Inc. Ako also serves as General Counsel for Ushio Europe BV and is an independent director for Fujitech. She shares her story of embracing her Japanese heritage and transforming her career. The discussion covers her journey from growing up in Japan to pursuing law in the U.S., her experiences in litigation and in-house roles, and her strategic approach to seeking board positions. You will hear a story of someone who is brave in speaking up about what they would like to do. Listen as each piece falls into place! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Ako Ako Shimada is Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Ushio America, Inc., in Cypress, California and General Counsel of Ushio Europe B.V. in the Netherlands, leading providers of light sources and solutions for a variety of applications including scientific, medical, semiconductor, entertainment, horticulture, and architectural applications. In her role as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Ako oversees the company’s legal, compliance, risk management, and corporate governance matters. Previously she held Assistant General Counsel positions at Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc., and Apria Healthcare LLC. Ako is also an independent outside director for Fujitec Co., Ltd. (TYO:6406), a publicly traded manufacturer of elevators and escalators headquartered in Japan with global operations and serves on the Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee. She also serves as a board member of KA Imaging Inc. in Kitchener, Canada, a developer of cutting-edge multi-energy X-ray detectors and micro-CT scanners for a wide variety of applications. Ako serves as a board director of the Southern California Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel. She is also a Council Leader for the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC). USJC’s mission is to develop and connect diverse leaders to create a stronger U.S.-Japan relationship. Ako is also a charter member of the Japan Board Diversity Network, an influential global network of female board directors and senior professionals dedicated to improving corporate governance and board diversity in Japan. Ako received her bachelor’s degree in psychology (highest distinction) from Northwestern University and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Connect with Ako LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akoshimada/ Links L’Effervescence https://www.leffervescence.jp/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 19 Mar 2023 | Civil and common law international arbitration in action in Japan with Carlotta Bruessel | 01:06:17 | |
Carlotta Bruessel brings her fascinating experience of qualifying in both civil law and common law to Japan in the area of international arbitration. This is a story of an unusual career path in the law which is so important to hear. Carlotta is also passionate about connections and collaborations so it is exciting to see her idea to form a club to help bring young arbitrators in Japan together to share their expertise and have fun too. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Carlotta Carlotta Bruessel, is an arbitration practitioner working for Nishimura & Asahi as a Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi to represent Japanese and international companies. At Nishimura & Asahi her practice focuses particularly on the pharmaceutical, manufacturing and construction sectors and most recently, she has been interested in the renewable energy space Carlotta completed an LL.B in England & Wales while studying in Scotland, followed by an LL.M in International Law and Trade in Geneva. As a result of this, she has experience in both civil and common law jurisdiction and is very interested in how these two legal frameworks overlap and can be utilized in arbitrations to create the best outcomes for parties. Carlotta has previously worked at HKIAC in Hong Kong and, before moving to Tokyo, was a Senior Associate at Herbert Smith Freehills in Sydney. She has also worked at two UN institutions (the International Law Commission and UNCTAD). She is admitted to practice in Australia and speaks fluent German and English, as well as basic French and Japanese. Connect with Carlotta LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlottamalenabruessel/ Links Arbitration Club link coming soon. Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 23 May 2021 | How to build a truly international career in the law | 01:02:56 | |
My guest today has really carved a niche for herself and a career in the area of compliance and regulatory. Her career is fascinating. It is inspirational to hear how so much can actually happen in your career as a lawyer. You don't have to do just one single thing. There are many ways to lead your life as a lawyer, and the world really is your oyster. Listen and find out how Robyn aced it. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @lawyeronair or find me on LinkedIn or Twitter.
About Robyn Robyn is originally from Australia but has lived in Tokyo for the past 20 years working with international law firms and financial institutions. She started her career in the area of cross-border securities offerings but in recent years has focused on FINTECH regulation. She is married and has two grown children and one dog. Connect with Robyn If you would like to contact Robyn, please connect with Catherine to be introduced. Links Cicada in Minami Aoyama https://www.tysons.jp/cicada/ Casefiles Podcast: https://casefilepodcast.com/ Conning the Con Podcast: https://shows.acast.com/conningthecon Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 19 Sep 2022 | Making partner in a law firm and taking parental leave in Japan with Yuka Teraguchi | 01:04:14 | |
Yuka Teraguchi never dreamed she would make partner in a law firm and also be able to start a family. My Lawyer Extraordinaire guest is now doing both and I’m so glad to share this episode with you so we can bring her story into the spotlight for a moment. You will be inspired as to how you can find that specialty that you can be great at and overcome the uncertainties of being promoted during your career. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Yuka Yuka Teraguchi is Co-Head of Morrison & Foerster’s Tokyo Litigation Department and focuses her practice on representing technology clients in IP and commercial disputes. She is also a member of her firm’s Women’s Strategy Group and Mental Health Steering Committee, promoting a diverse, inclusive, and healthy work environment. Outside of her work, she enjoys riding trains and buses with her two-year-old child who loves anything with wheels. Connect with Yuka LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuka-teraguchi-5b51b1b/ Links PST Pizza Studio Tamaki: http://pst-tk2-ad.com/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 14 Apr 2024 | Small Seasons, Big Impact: Building a legal practice that you love in Japan with Saki Nakahara | 00:59:01 | |
Saki Nakahara joins us to share her story of finding her way to starting her own practice in the perfect area for her. We hear about how she spent a lot of time on the qualification she thought she should achieve because it was more difficult. However that experience then went on to become part of a strong foundation for her true calling. If you are wondering how starting your own firm could be a chance to do the work you want as well as incorporate some of your passions, this is a fantastic episode showing a different way to work in the law in Japan. In this episode you’ll hear:
About Saki Saki Nakahara is the founder and an immigration lawyer at Small Seasons & Co., where she provides clients with assistance for their business set-up, visa applications, and other legal services. Through her legal office, in particular where capacity allows, she loves providing specialized services to artists, creators, and anyone interested in exploring Japan's rich arts and culture scene. Born in the UK, Saki spent her formative years immersed in diverse environments across the globe. Growing up amidst an international community, she developed a profound appreciation for cultural diversity and the interconnectedness of the world. She was educated at the Canadian International School in Singapore from 2004-2005, Shanghai Community International School from 2006-2010 and undertook a summer program at SGH Warsaw School of Economics. She graduated from Keio University obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 2015. Saki started out her working career at Teach For Japan, and after that had a variety of experience in different industries and roles. She was a hospitality intern at Kagaya Ryokan a well-known Japanese Style Hotel established in 1906 and ranked 1st for hospitality for 33 years. After that she had an internship at Wahl & Case, Tech specialist recruiters and joined Rakuten as a Sales Associate in 2015. Her love for the law found her studying for the Shihoshoshi (judicial scrivener) exam while working as a legal assistant at June Advisors Group from 2019 to 2020 and at the same time working for Lumina Learning a visionary learning and development consultancy. Saki shifted from studying for the Shihoshoshi qualification to Gyoseishoshi (Administrative scrivener) and having passed the Gyoseishoshi exam successfully in 2022, she established her own immigration law firm in July 2023. In her spare time, Saki is devoted to shedding light on the Way of Tea and promoting creative ways to bring fulfillment to people's lives through Japanese cultures and heritage. She juggles a full-time digital marketing role at a marketing agency while also dedicating every morning to work for an immigration lawyer's office, in addition to managing her own legal practice. By combining her passion for tea with her expertise in law and marketing, Saki is dedicated to fostering a deeper appreciation for Japanese culture and heritage on her entrepreneurial journey while striving to see the dots connect. Connect with Saki Links Favorite restaurant: KAKIDEN in Shinjuku Book recommendation: The Comfort Zone: Create a Life You Really Love With Less Stress and More Flow by Kristen Butler Japanese perfume company KITOWA Templates from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 20 Oct 2024 | Advocacy and Empowerment: Shining a light on family law and gender violence in Japan with Yumi Itakura | 00:42:59 | |
Yumi Itakura is a feminist theorist and practicing lawyer who runs the Sakura International Law Office in Japan. The conversation delves into Yumi's extensive work on addressing gender violence, workplace discrimination, and sexual harassment, especially for foreign women. We are so fortunate to have Yumi working on these issues to support families and women in particular. If you are wondering what it’s like to work in this area or you are in need of legal support for a family matter such as divorce or a gender violence related matter in Japan then this is the episode for you. You can find a full list of Yumi’s recommended legal resources and lawyers on the page for this episode on my website. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Yumi Yumi Itakura, is a feminist theorist and a practicing lawyer admitted in Japan as a bengoshi. She is at the Sakura International Law office and has been based in Tokyo for 20 years. Yumi graduated from Tsuda University with a BA in International Relations (1994) and did her Diploma at the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan (2005). Yumi was a visiting scholar dispatched from the Japan Federation of Bar Associations to the University of California, Berkeley School of Law to research the U.S Labor system for gender equality in the workplace. After working in the Tokyo Public Law Office and in a private law firm in Tokyo she took the step to open her own practice. Yumi specializes in family law and labor law. She has worked in the fields of domestic violence, discrimination in the workplace, sexual assault, and harassment for many years through her legal consultation, representing victims in their legal proceedings as well as advocacy activities as a member of Gender Equality Committee of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations. As there is an increasing number of cases where foreign national women living in Japan are also suffering from gender related violence and discrimination in the family and the workplace. They can find it difficult to locate a capable lawyer to help them in Japan. Yumi Itakura is one such lawyer who can provide legal services to foreign clients in both Japanese and English. Yumi is also an adjunct lecturer of labor and employment law at Hitotsubashi Business School of Law. In her spare time, she likes to do yoga and listen to Jazz fusion music. In particular, Yumi is a big fan of Eliane Elias and Pat Metheny Group. Connect with Yumi Sakura International Law Office: https://skrint-law.com/en/ Links Star Bar Ginza: https://www.starbar.jp/ Bar Lupin Ginza: http://www.lupin.co.jp/ Natsuo Kirino https://www.amazon.com/stores/Natsuo-Kirino/author/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair | |||
| 09 Jan 2022 | Reaching the peak of your legal career through a new way of leadership with Rika Nakajima | 00:52:30 | |
If you are finding that you are letting your current circumstances stagnate your legal career, then this is the episode for you. Rika Nakajima is one of the first Japanese women lawyers to hold the office of Representative Corporate Executive Officer in Japan, and as a single parent to two boys she has definitely not let her circumstances get in the way of her career and taking the leaps that have led her to where she is today. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Rika Born and raised in Japan first attending Sophia University's Comparative Cultural department in 1990 Rika then took herself over to the United States to transfer to Brown University, graduating with a bachelor of arts and honors. In 1992 Rika then went on to take her Juris Doctorate qualification at American university, Washington College of Law in 1997 passing the New Jersey State Bar in 1998 and the New York State Bar in 2001. Rika has had over 20 years experience, having worked in prominent law firms and companies across Japan and the US. Her first law role as a qualified attorney was Ernst & Young, both in New York and in Tokyo as a tax manager. She then transitioned to tax associate at Baker McKenzie and then moved to become the Legal and Compliance Manager at Macquarie Group in 2008. Rika joined Shearman and Sterling, LLP as an associate in March 2012, After Shearman, Rika took on the role of Senior Manager at PWC and the office of General Counsel from October 2014, right through to December 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic Rika changed jobs being hired at Oracle, Japan as the associate general counsel and in fast succession, in July 2021 Rika took up the role of corporate executive officer followed by a second promotion to representative corporate executive officer in August 2021. Connect with Rika LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikanakajima/ Links Happiness Becomes You, by Tina Turner Nitori CEO's book: 運は創るもの ―私の履歴書 Connect with Catherine | |||
| 13 Nov 2022 | From law firm owner to becoming a patent attorney in Japan with Maria Abe | 01:10:27 | |
Maria Abe shows us that anything is possible with a little bit of an adventurous heart and a willingness to try new things even when you are unsure. Maria has navigated the challenges of starting her career during the World Financial Crisis of 2009 and takes us on a fascinating journey of how she came to be a practicing lawyer in Japan. A truly inspirational story for anyone who is feeling like the chips are stacked against you just now. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Maria Maria is an associate at Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo, which was named Employment Law Firm of the Year and Boutique Law Firm of the Year in 2022 at the ALB Japan Law Awards this year. Maria focuses on employment law, disputes and investigations, as well as general corporate matters. Maria uses her knowledge and experience to help clients gain a more nuanced understanding of the Japanese legal landscape. Prior to joining Vanguard, Maria worked at the patent firm, Sakamoto and Partners, gaining experience in the area of patent and trademark law. Maria received her B.S. in physics from Dickinson College and her J.D. from Ohio Northern University. Connect with Maria LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-abe-6a739321/ Links Divino:http://divino-cucina.com/ Episode with Akiko Yamakawa: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/episode-two-akiko-yamakawa Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 15 Dec 2024 | Supercharge Your Lawyer Life for 2025 through Executive Coaching with Celina Lee | 01:05:29 | |
Celina Lee shares insights from her journey as a lawyer, writer, podcast host, and executive coach. She discusses the importance of working with an executive coach to gain clarity, reframe past experiences, shoo away the naysayers and stay accountable. This episode is a great way to see out 2024, take stock of what you have achieved so far, and start dreaming about 2025 and the changes you might make in your career. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Celina Celina Lee is the founder of Live Your Dream Club and a globally recognized executive and career coach. She is also a lawyer, award-winning writer, and the host of Live Your Dream Podcast. She has extensive experience coaching many lawyers and other corporate professionals to achieve success and fulfillment in their careers, and has given speeches and delivered workshops in many countries. Celina started her career as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch and worked as a corporate lawyer at a law firm, Ropes & Gray LLP in New York City. On her Live Your Dream Podcast, which has listeners from over 100 countries around the world, she shares lessons learned in her journey as well as interviews from inspirational leaders from diverse industries about what they have learned in life and career. Celina is the founder of Give One Dream, a global movement that inspires people to pursue and achieve their dreams. She has been invited to deliver keynote speeches and speak at industry-leading events, universities, and organizations including TEDx, MIT, Stanford, Princeton University, and Google. Celina received her undergraduate degree from MIT and law degree from U.C. Berkeley School of Law. She is a certified professional coach and is a graduate of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). Connect with Celina LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celina-lee/ Website: https://celinalee.co/ Links The Hotel Chelsea, NY: https://hotelchelsea.com/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 01 Dec 2024 | AI and the Law: Insights from Tomoka Miho at IBM | 00:56:53 | |
Tomoka Miho is an AI ethics expert and award-winning lawyer at IBM Japan. From her education in the UK to becoming a legal counsel, Tomoka shares her career journey, her thoughts on AI's impact on the legal profession. If you are wondering how you can be at the forefront of the new wave of generative AI or name and claim an area of specialty in this area then this is the episode for you. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Tomoka Tomoka Miho is a multi-award-winning lawyer who is Counsel and Trust & Compliance Officer at IBM in Japan. After graduating from law school in the UK, she qualified as a solicitor in the UK. First working as an associate at a major British law firm, she then returned to Japan and gained many years of experience in financial law as an in-house lawyer in the legal department of a foreign financial institution (UBS, 2005). Tomoka then worked as an Attorney with Deutsche Bank in 2015. She started with IBM at the end of 2021. Tomoka was a founding member of the Japan AI Ethics Team, which was established in the summer of 2022. She provides advice on AI ethics and risks to IBM from a legal perspective - specifically, through the review of cases such as IBM Japan's services and products that use AI, and the review of contracts, etc., based on IBM's “Principles of Trust and Transparency.” In her spare time, Tomoka likes walking, gardening, climbing and cooking. She’s a certified sushi chef and the mother of a pampered dog, Liz. Connect with Tomoka LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomoka-miho-99b55920a/ Links “W” Toranomon Station Tower: https://www.cardenas.co.jp/shop/restaurant/w-toranomon/ Tomoka’s book she co-wrote with her team: AI リスク教本 https://amzn.asia/d/bqPC8AR Swimmy: https://amzn.asia/d/eHYWnqt Who Moved My Cheese: https://amzn.asia/d/7Lr3MJH Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 22 Jan 2023 | From lawyer to legal recruiter in Japan with Mindy Allen | 01:08:19 | |
Mindy Allen is sharing her knowledge of the Japan legal recruitment market with us in this episode. She has made a transition from lawyer to legal recruiter since we last spoke with her. We’ll dive into not only why she chose to move away from legal work for now and what it’s like to be a recruiter. She gives us her up to date insights for lawyers who want to know more about career moves in the near future. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Mindy Mindy Allen works with law firms and companies in Japan to identify candidates who will enhance their practices and legal departments. She also provides guidance to Bengoshi, Gaiben and other foreign-qualified lawyers, as they navigate their legal careers in the Japanese legal market. Originally from New York, Mindy practiced corporate law in both New York and Tokyo for over a decade before joining Major, Lindsey & Africa. She has resided in Tokyo since 2014 and is fluent in Japanese. In addition to serving on the Executive Committee of Women in Law Japan and as a lecturer at Keio University Law School’s LL.M. program, Mindy is an avid baker and loves spending weekends at the beach with her husband and dog. Connect with Mindy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-allen-8391107/ Website: https://www.mlaglobal.com/en/people/mindy-allen Links Mindy’s episode from Season 1 Tetote: http://tetote-apartment.com/ Urn Chai & Tea:https://store.urn-jp.com/ Mindy’s article English Japanese Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 04 Apr 2021 | Creating a platform for the next generation of lawyers with Akiko Yamakawa | 01:04:17 | |
Akiko is our first Japanese female lawyer guest on Lawyer on Air. She knocks it out of the park in this episode giving us a great insight into her life working in Employment Law as a Partner in her own firm which she set up with two co-Partners in 2017. It was especially interesting to hear how she views her own firm, as a platform for the next generation to use to do their best work in the law into the future as well as her advice for good management of employees in a fair and competent way. Excellent advice for anyone working in Japan as well as managers in any industry. I hope you will listen and hear from this fun, savvy and strong Japanese female lawyer! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me, @lawyeronair or find us on LinkedIn or Twitter. In this episode you’ll hear:
About Akiko Akiko specialises in employment law and dispute resolution. She provides day-to-day employment advice to various multinational clients on matters including preparing rules of employment, employment contracts, and wage systems, dealing with a large number of employment-related disputes including dismissals on the grounds of poor performance or misconduct, redundancies, overtime pay, retirement benefits, or harassment issues. She also provides training on matters such as harassment, employee performance management, and time management. She has also led numerous teams as they conduct internal and regulatory investigations. She also has extensive experience in representing clients in court proceedings on employment and labour issues. Akiko’s clients hail from a broad range of sectors including financial services and multi-national corporations. Connect with Akiko Website:https://www.vl-tokyo.co.jp/en.html LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akikoyamakawa/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 21 Mar 2021 | How to be an awesome lawyer in Japan with Angela Krantz | 00:59:47 | |
Have you ever wondered what it looks like to lead a large legal team at a top international company? Today I welcome my good friend who is Associate General Counsel & Legal Director of Amazon Japan, Angela Krantz, to reveal what life is like as a senior foreign lawyer of a large team. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me and Angela, @lawyeronair and @angelakrantz or find us on LinkedIn or Twitter. In this episode you’ll hear:
About Angela Angela has more than 25 years' experience working in Tokyo, Japan, in private practice and as a General Counsel. Angela joined Amazon Japan in May 2016 as Associate General Counsel & Japan Legal Director, where she oversees legal, compliance and regulatory matters for the company and serves on the management team for the consumer business. Before joining Amazon, Angela took 2+ years’ off work to surf, renovate a flat and pursue other interests. Angela’s previous legal job was a Managing Director at Accenture Japan for 5 years, and prior to that, her first in-house role was as the Director of Legal Services for Mitsubishi UFJ Merrill Lynch PB Securities Co., Ltd. (Tokyo), formerly Merrill Lynch Japan's private banking business. She started her career in private practice in Tokyo for more than 10 years, working at the Tokyo offices of Morrison & Foerster and Clifford Chance. Angela has served as a member of several Board of Directors and management committees. Angela speaks English and Japanese. Connect with Angela Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-krantz-5938b311 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angela.krantz.9 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelakrantz/?hl=ja Links Angela’s favourite wine bar in Tokyo: Apero https://apero.co.jp/en Her podcast recommendation: https://www.estherperel.com/podcast Law jobs at Amazon Japan: https://www.amazon.jobs/en Women in Law Japan: https://womeninlawjapan.org/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair | |||
| 01 Oct 2023 | The journey of Akiko Kikuchi: From private practice to leading an award-winning legal team | 01:01:59 | |
Akiko Kikuchi is a skilled general counsel with over two decades of experience in the legal industry. In this episode, we delve into the challenges of creating a career at a time when it was unusual to hire university graduate women in Japan. Akiko shares the benefits of building a strong team and how to get through the career challenges that might crop up for a general counsel. Get ready to be inspired and informed in this episode of Lawyer on Air. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Akiko Akiko Kikuchi is the General Counsel, Head of Law, Patents & Compliance, and Senior Operating Officer for Bayer, a global life science company, in Japan. Akiko holds law degrees in both Japan and England and is licensed to practice law in England and Wales as well as Hong Kong SAR of the People’s Republic of China. Akiko has worked in the legal industry for over two decades previously serving as the General Counsel for PwC Japan and General Counsel for GE Plastics Japan. Akiko is a Japanese national born in Yokohama, but she spent her important formative years from age 3 to 8 living in London due to her father’s job. Through this experience, England very much became her second home. For study, she first obtained her BA in law from Keio University in Japan. She was awarded a scholarship by the Jardine Matheson Foundation to study law at the Honour School of Jurisprudence of Exeter College, Oxford University where she obtained an MA in Law. In 2020, Akiko won the ALB Japan Law Awards as the Woman Lawyer of the Year (In-House category), and she led her team to win the Compliance and Risk Management In-House Team of the Year Award. This year in June, Akiko’s team won two awards at ALB Japan Law Awards, Innovative In-house Team of the Year and Healthcare and Pharmaceutical In-house Team of the Year. Akiko is also a very active member of the Japan legal community and serves as the Co-President of Japan In-house Counsel Network and Executive Board Member of the Japan CLO Association. She was listed on the GC Powerlist Japan chapter in July, the Legal 500 list that highlights the most influential in-house lawyers and legal team in the local legal industry. Outside of work, Akiko built a house with her husband 2 years ago and is very much into design and decoration. She lives minutes’ walk away from the ocean in Kamakura and enjoys going on walks to view the sunset. Akiko also enjoys wine, food and spas (hot springs). She is blessed with two sons – one, a 14-year-old teenager and another, a small furry toy poodle. Connect with Akiko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiko-kikuchi-74826b45/ Links Smoke Door: https://hotel-the-knot.jp/yokohama/smoke-door/ Shimon: https://www.seamon.jp/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 24 Nov 2024 | Renew and Reimagine: Setting the Stage for 2025 with Catherine and guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewett (Part 3 of 3) | 00:30:13 | |
This is Part 3 of 3, you can find Part 1 and Part 2 here. In this special session of the Lawyer on Air podcast, guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewett, an attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia, interviews Catherine O'Connell about her path to becoming a successful board member in Japanese corporations. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Akiyo Akiyo Inoko Hewett is the founder and principal of Inoko Law and Consulting, LLC, General Counsel at AI Medical Service America Inc. Akiyo earned her undergraduate degree from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, her J.D. from Keio University Law School, and her LL.M. from Emory University School of Law. While in law school, she attended several United Nations conferences as a legal advocate on international human rights law. Akiyo passed the Japanese bar exam and is eligible to practice law in Japan. She also passed the Georgia bar exam and is admitted to practice law in Georgia, USA. Akiyo loves to meet new people and build friendships. She is a member of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Japan-America Society of Georgia, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia. Connect with Akiyo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiyo-inoko-hewett-3ba626126/ Links Akiyo’s episode: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/season-six-ep-1-akiyo-inoko-hewett Ako Shimada’s episode: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/season-eight-ep9-ako-shimada Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 03 Sep 2023 | Creating a career in cross culture communication and the IP legal industry in Japan | 00:54:37 | |
Catherine interviews Yasuko Tanaka, a patent attorney, IP business consultant and founder of her own firm S-Cube Corporation. Yasuko shares how her own learning through lived experience of cross cultural communication in IP have led her to become a leader in this field in Japan. We explore her advice for people considering starting their own firm and discuss the growing popularity of IP law in Japan. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Yasuko After graduating from Chiba University (Biochemistry, Faculty of Science) in 1990, Yasuko began working in the IP department of Teijin, followed by Pfizer Japan and 3M Japan, dealing with global patent prosecution in both English and Japanese, IP clearance and dispute, IP strategy/consulting, transactions, patent search, and IP education. Working for American multinationals, she was in a position to work closely with English speaking local representatives/counterparts on a daily basis and develop a deep understanding of cross-cultural communication. Yasuko stepped away from her last company, 3M Japan, in March 2013 to launch her own venture “S-Cube Corporation” (IP Business Consultancy) in April of that year. Her mission is to improve the global competitiveness of Japan by leveraging Intellectual Property as a business advantage and the development of human resources. In August 2013, she expanded her business, establishing S-Cube International Patent Firm. In addition to running her business, she was a part-time lecturer at the University of Toyama for a semester in 2016, as well as at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology since 2017. Ms. Tanaka’s expertise and passion lie in developing IP strategies for manufacturing companies to extract greater value from their technologies, in educating IP professionals, and in supporting communication between foreign lawyers and their Japanese clients. Connect with Yasuko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasuko-tanaka-ab0a8640/ Links Mistrale: https://www.mistrale-tokyo.com/ Soba & Co: https://sobaandco-kamiyacho.com/ 新聞は 考える武器になる: https://amzn.asia/d/iOB985L TV show about IP Department: それってパクリッじゃないですか? https://www.ntv.co.jp/sorepaku/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 19 May 2024 | Becoming the heroine of your journey: From assistant's assistant to legal powerhouse - Seizing opportunities and overcoming challenges with Hiroko Miyazaki | 01:03:41 | |
Hiroko Miyazaki is a legal luminary who has made her mark across various prestigious roles in Japan's corporate legal landscape. From her modest beginnings as a part-time law firm assistant to her ascent to Managing Director at 3M Japan, Hiroko's journey is a testament to the power of resilience and growth mindset. She opens up about her strategies for overcoming failure, the value of prioritizing tasks, and the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. Pour yourself a glass of sake - Hiroko’s favourite - and join us for a conversation that promises to enlighten and inspire anyone aiming to master their leadership presence. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Hiroko Hiroko Miyazaki is truly a powerhouse in the legal and corporate scene. She was VP and Managing Director at 3M Japan, leading corporate affairs and making things happen until October 2023, when she broke away and is now on her next quest for brilliance. Before 3M, Hiroko was General Counsel at Alcon Japan, which was a part of the Novartis group at the time. She not only led the legal and compliance department, but also pulled off a major overhaul, turning the team into a bona fide business partner. She was leading counsel at Dell Japan, where she led the legal and contract management teams, earning accolades like the direct to the top award. Hiroko started her career in a part time job at a law firm as a supporting assistant. Then after passing the law exam from such humble beginnings, she became an associate in law firms and then took on her in-house legal roles and managing director work. Hiroko holds an LLM from the University of Washington and she is licensed to practice in both Japan and New York. Connect with Hiroko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiroko-miyazaki-09235b13/ Links： Restaurant Kou: https://www.instagram.com/kou_sakurashinmachi/ Grow the Pie: https://www.amazon.com/Grow-Pie-Companies-Deliver-Purpose/dp/1108494854 Saying: 我以外皆我師なり “Ware igai wagashi nari”. I can learn from everyone. Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 23 Feb 2025 | Breaking Through the Trifecta: Empowering Young, Female, Asian Lawyers in Arbitration with Earl Rivera-Dolera | 00:50:42 | |
Earl Rivera-Dolera is an accomplished arbitrator with extensive experience in Singapore, Vietnam and Japan. Earl shares her transition from a tribunal law clerk to becoming a prominent figure in international arbitration, the valuable lessons from her mentors, and her advice for those aspiring to enter the field. Arbitration is gathering steam in Japan so this episode is a wonderful fountain of knowledge of what it’s like to work in this area of law. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Earl Earl is a Partner at Tokyo International Law Office specializing in dispute resolution (i.e. arbitration, litigation, mediation) and investigations. She represents clients or acts on matters in arbitrations across key hearing jurisdictions such as Japan, Singapore, London, Vietnam, and New York under major arbitral institutions like ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, LCIA, VIAC, KCAB, SCC, ICSID. Her expertise spans a wide spectrum of sectors including but not limited to traditional and renewable energy, commodities, cross-border sale of goods, and construction. Earl has served as arbitrator for cases seated in Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and India. She has served as sole arbitrator, chair of the tribunal, and party-nominated arbitrator. She is impaneled as an arbitrator or mediator at several institutions, including JCAA, KCAB, CAAI, AIAC, THAC, HKIAC, SIAC, and E-bram, and has been appointed under the ICC rules. Her experience includes working as a tribunal law clerk for leading international arbitrators in proceedings held globally, from Nigeria and London to France, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, and the USA, under institutions like ICC, SIAC, LCIA, AIAC, AMTAC, VIAC, KCAB, SCMA, AAA-ICDR and ICSID. With involvement in more than 180 matters, her work in dispute resolution encompasses total claims exceeding US$8 billion. Earl has co-authored two editions of “Halsbury's Laws of Singapore: Arbitration” and authored the definitive guide, “Arbitration in Vietnam”. Her hobbies include: hiking, onsen-hopping (in Japan), reading true crime/ detective stories, piano-playing and singing. Connect with Earl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/earldolera/ Website: https://www.tkilaw.com/en/members/earldolera Links Huberman Lab: https://www.hubermanlab.com/ The Relentless Elimination of Hurry: https://amzn.asia/d/13b1obf Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 01 Aug 2021 | Leading your own unique lawyer life with Catherine O'Connell | 01:04:24 | |
Here it is by popular demand! Episode 10 of Lawyer on Air, featuring none other than Catherine herself in the hot seat. Who better to interview Catherine than Lawyer on Air’s very first guest - Angela Krantz. We know you are going to love this episode and make sure you listen to the end for some surprises!! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Catherine Catherine hails from New Zealand and is founder and principal of her own boutique law firm in Tokyo. She provides flexible legal services to law firms, legal departments and businesses, on a project and needs-specific basis, delivered by bilingual in-house experienced lawyers. This is a pioneering unique legal solutions model in Japan. Her areas of focus include: foreign lawyer support for Japanese and international law firms in Japan, determining how, when and where a full-time, in-country legal counsel might best contribute to an in-house legal department; setting up systems and workflows, localising global templates, introducing general commercial contract governance to business, she combines her bilingual capability and deep in-house counsel experience, to act as the lead on all the in-person and written contract negotiations for client’s “business as usual” and project work. Catherine also Professional Mentorship coaching lawyers 1:1 and in Masterminds (by invitation or referral), supporting CEOs with risk and legal training, and coaching in-house legal staff and law firm associates through the her Associates Accelerator Academy. Catherine is a multiple award winner in entrepreneurship, excellence and being a trailblazer. Links Tokyo Toranomon Edition Hotel: https://www.editionhotels.com/tokyo-toranomon Counsel to Counsel Podcast:https://counseltocounsel.libsyn.com/ Be that Lawyer: https://fretzin.com/podcast/ The Thought Leadership Podcast: https://thoughtleadershipleverage.com/thought-leadership-podcasts/ The View from Breast Pocket Mountain: https://www.karenhillanton.com/ More than Enough https://www.elainewelteroth.com/book Lead from the Outside https://www.amazon.co.jp/Lead-Outside-Build-Future-Change/dp/1250214807 Connect with Guest Host Angela Krantz Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/angela-krantz-5938b311 Connect with Catherine | |||
| 15 Jul 2024 | Breaking Boundaries: Miyako Ikuta on Patience, Perseverance, and Becoming a Global Lawyer | 00:52:57 | |
Miyako Ikuta is a partner at Kitahama Partners in Tokyo registered to practice in France, New York, and Japan. Miyako shares her journey across multiple countries and legal systems and discusses her diverse roles, including serving as an auditor and outside director. and shares valuable tips for preparing for board roles. Additionally, she delves into her passion for privacy and data law, her experiences with the EU Court of Justice, and her advocacy for human rights. Miyako is truely making a big impact on the legal landscape in Japan, listen to hear the full story. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Miyako Miyako is a Partner in the Tokyo office of Kitahama Partners. As a qualified lawyer in Paris, New York, and Tokyo, her main practice areas are corporate law, IP law, and data privacy law. She has extensive experience in court proceedings in France and Japan, so she is very able to handle litigation matters including cross-border arbitrations when requested. Most recently, she has been advising on and handling various cross-border matters in Europe, especially in regard to the EU regulations including the GDPR. From the start of her career she has always been active in cross-border transactions between Japan and France. Miyako studied an LL.B. in Japan (at Ritsumeikan University) and furthered her study of law in France (at Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Tours and the University of Paris II). She started her career as a French attorney at Baker & McKenzie, Paris, then moved to Mandel, Ngo, and Partners in the nineties. She lived in France for about 10 years including 1.5 years of living in Vietnam. Miyako then moved to the US in 1999, went to Columbia Law School where she studied for an LL.M. and then spent half a year at the EU Court of Justice (TFI) in Luxembourg. She moved to New York and joined Hughes Hubbard and Reed LLP and then returned to practice in Japan. Outside of the firm she is an auditor of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency (a Japanese public agency under the governance of the Ministry of Environment) and is a corporate auditor of PCA Corporation (also listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange). She was previously a corporate auditor at Renaissance Inc. (listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange), Miyako is also an outside director of kaonavi, inc. (listed on the Growth Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange). Outside of work, Miyako is active, serving on the Data Issues Committee and the Working Group regarding Attorney-Client Confidential Communication at the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA), and on the Attorney Mediation Committee at the Daini Tokyo Bar Association. In the spring of 2024, Miyako restarted doing “Kokyo runs”, jogging with her colleagues around the Imperial Palace. She also completed a full marathon at the Tokyo Marathon in 2019. Miyako’s favorite pastimes are listening to the radio, watching sumo and kabuki, and going to operas. Connect with Miyako Website: https://www.kitahama.or.jp/english/professionals/miyako-ikuta/ Links Namamugi Fish Market: https://www.kanagawa-kankou.or.jp/spot/369 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 28 Nov 2023 | Behind the scenes of mergers and acquisitions: Perspectives of an M&A Lawyer in Japan with Kotoe Oshima | 00:52:42 | |
Kotoe Oshima is an M&A associate at Shearman and Sterling's Tokyo office. Kotoe shares her international background and passion for advising Japanese companies on complex global transactions. Join us as Kotoe discusses the positive nature of Japanese companies, the importance of women in business, and her own journey of finding purpose in her work. Kotoe also turns the microphone on Catherine to find out more about what it’s like to go through a law firm merger on the other side of the table. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Kotoe As a senior M&A Associate in Shearman & Sterling LLP’s Tokyo office, Kotoe specializes in cross-border M&A and particularly enjoys advising Japanese companies to achieve complex global transactions. As a Japanese citizen, she was born in Singapore, raised in Hong Kong and the U.K, before moving to the U.S. to pursue her undergraduate degree at Duke University and J.D. at Cornell Law School. Having started her career at Shearman’s New York office for 4 years, she relocated to Singapore to advise clients in SE Asia and India for 4 years before joining the firm’s Tokyo office where she is also experiencing living in Japan for her first time. Kotoe is passionate about promoting the benefits of international experiences and collaborates with various institutions in Japan and the U.S. to organize events influencing cross-cultural diversity both at the student and professional levels. In her spare time, she loves to play tennis and the piano, ski, wake surf, cook and hike. Inspired by her grandparents, she also designs luxury elderly wear in her free time and hopes to dress the elderly population in beautiful clothes one day! Connect with Kotoe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kotoe-oshima/ Links Mixology Heritage: https://www.jrtk.jp/hibiya-okuroji/shop/detail_00013/ Sapiens: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/dp/0062316095 Esther Perel, Where should we begin podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-should-we-begin-with-esther-perel/id1237931798 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 19 Jan 2025 | Engineering Serendipity: Shinsuke Kaneko on Technology and Law | 00:39:28 | |
Catherine speaks with special guest, Shinsuke Kaneko, about his diverse career path from working as an associate at Morrison & Foerster, experiencing the start-up world and becoming a solo practitioner at his own firm, Verse. Shinsuke shares a pivotal early career challenge and how a moment of courage helped him unlock opportunities. If you are feeling like technology is getting away from you and you can’t keep up with it, please listen to Shinsuke’s explanation of why getting out of your office is so important! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear: Shinsuke’s misunderstanding as a first year associate and how he overcame his situation Creating your own fans and why your weakness is your greatest strength you haven’t harnessed yet The importance of understanding technology in the market where your clients are Shinsuke’s advice for aspiring lawyers, particularly those who are good at worrying and overthinking About Shinsuke Shinsuke Kaneko is a sole practitioner lawyer at his law firm, Verse. He has worked at Morrison & Foerster, Accenture, and a Japanese startup, dely (de-li). As a tech lawyer, he has consistently followed technology trends, such as IT, DX, UX, and AI. He is always expanding his business scope from legal through corporate and HR to become a better advisor to entrepreneurs and managers. Recently he started learning ping pong again for the first time in 30 years. He loves talking about the benefits of being bad at something. He also believes that the joy of playing something is the key to enjoying his life fully in this aging society. Connect with Shinsuke LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shinsuke-kaneko-00425895/ Links Botan: https://www.facebook.com/sakababotan Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/ GenSpark: https://www.genspark.ai/ Fellow: https://fellow.app/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 06 Feb 2022 | Career leave and building client relationships as a leading law firm Partner with Xue Wang | 01:11:59 | |
The first woman partner at a major international law firm in Tokyo is my guest in the finale of Season Two of Lawyer on Air. Not only is she a Partner but she is about to take her second maternity leave, so this is an episode not to be missed for anyone considering taking leave to spend more time with their family or considering a sabbatical and wondering how it might affect your career. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Xue Xue is a Partner in Allen & Overy’s Tokyo office, one of the leading international law firms globally, and specializes in the development and financing of energy and infrastructure projects, and on energy transition projects and initiatives. Xue’s clients include leading international energy companies, financial institutions and government or multilateral agencies involved in these projects across the world, and she regularly works on a wide range of energy and infrastructure projects in Africa, the Middle East, Europe APAC and LatAm. Xue’s practice also covers Japan and China, and prior to the pandemic she also used to spend a significant amount of time in China on a fly in fly out basis. Xue was born in China, but spent most of her formative years in Germany before moving to the UK for university. Since university, she has also lived in Paris, London, Brussels, Hong Kong and spent about 6 months travelling the world before starting her legal career. She joined A&O as a trainee in London in 2017 and has been with A&O ever since. In 2011, she had the opportunity to come to Japan for a client secondment with Mitsui bussan, where she spent 18 months on secondment, working as part of the infrastructure business unit. She rejoined A&O’s Tokyo office in 2013 and has been building her practice and career here ever since, and was promoted as the first female partner in the Tokyo office in 2020. Xue is a mother of one (about to be two) and lives in Tokyo with her husband. She’s passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and would love to see more women and diversity in leadership positions. In her spare time, she likes to cook, snowboard, cycle, run and travel the world. Connect with Xue Links Mama Luisa’s Restaurant: http://www.luisa-table.com/ How to avoid a climate change disaster by Bill Gates Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair | |||
| 07 Aug 2022 | Creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable law firm in Tokyo with Matthias Voss | 00:52:45 | |
You may have been listening with envy to the women lawyers from Allen & Overy (A&O) who have been featured on the show so far. Well in this episode we bring you the Managing Partner of the Tokyo A&O office, Matthias Voss. You’ll hear what their hiring process looks like and the motivations that guide the way that the firm is run. It is a must listen for anyone wanting to enter a law firm in Tokyo in the near future. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Matthias Matthias is the Managing Partner of the Tokyo and Seoul offices of Allen & Overy. Matthias has a strong track record advising international project companies, sponsors and financiers on their investments and their commercial and financial arrangements for a wide range of often complex energy, oil and gas, petrochemical, natural resource/mining, power and infrastructure investments in around the globe. He also frequently assists clients in developing corporate structures and contracting strategies, including bidding, construction and supply and offtake arrangements. He has extensive experience working on complex financings involving multiple ECAs and MLAs. Matthias speaks English, Mandarin, French, German and some Japanese. Connect with Matthias LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allenoverymatthiasvoss/ Links Bunon: http://www.bunon.jp/ Cellar and Grill: https://www.cardenas.co.jp/shop/restaurant/w-aoyama/ Tokyo Whiskey Library: https://tokyo-whisky-library.com/index.html Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 02 Feb 2025 | From sales to a legal career at Amazon Japan with Michiko Hirai | 00:54:12 | |
Do you really need law firm experience to have a great legal career in Japan? Let’s hear another diverse story, this time from Michiko Hirai, senior corporate counsel at Amazon Web Services Japan. Discover her untraditional journey from sales in the semiconductor industry to law and how she uses her experience in building business relationships to be a stand out member of her team. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Michiko Michiko Hirai is a Senior Corporate Counsel at Amazon Web Services Japan G.K. She graduated from Keio University and began her professional journey in sales, focusing on semiconductor products for the Asian market. Recognising her true calling, Michiko transitioned to the legal field, joining Toshiba Corporation's legal team. There, she specialized in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and global antitrust matters. In 2011, Toshiba sponsored Michiko's pursuit of an L.L.M. at the University of Chicago Law School. Upon completing her degree and obtaining admission to the NY Bar, she returned to Toshiba, where she provided legal support for their semiconductor business. Seeking new challenges, Michiko joined Amazon Japan's legal team as a contract manager in 2014. After seven years with Amazon Japan and becoming a counsel, she transitioned to Amazon Web Services Japan G.K. in 2021. She is now a Senior Corporate Counsel supporting sales and marketing business in AWSJ. Outside of her professional life, Michiko is a mother to a six-year-old son. She enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her family and friends. Connect with Michiko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michiko-hirai-1a07702b/ Links Smoke and Mirrors Bar: https://www.smokeandmirrors.com.sg/ The Cultural Map: https://amzn.asia/d/7bUYdbB Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 30 Oct 2022 | Finding your sweet spot at the top of legal at Google Japan with Yuko Noguchi | 01:33:52 | |
Yuko Noguchi shares how she narrowed down the many options she wanted to pursue with the help and advice from respected colleagues and lecturers. Yuko has done an amazing job of achieving the kind of career that many would envy, culminating in her current role as Head of Legal at Google, Japan. Listen as she takes us on an unbelievable journey through the bold choices she made to be where she is today. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Yuko Yuko is Director and Head of Legal at Google Japan Inc. Yuko’s responsibilities include overseeing many Google-related legal issues for the territory of Japan. She is the legal representative on the Japan management team, managing a legal team of 15 members. Her team covers a wide range of matters, including product counseling, commercial negotiations, dispute resolutions and advice on regulatory compliance. Connect with Yuko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuko-noguchi-99556710/ Links Book: 心の盲点 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 15 Aug 2021 | Bonus Episode: Planning your estate when you live an international life | 00:20:43 | |
Just when you thought Season One was finished and there would be no more Lawyer on Air until after the summer, we have a surprise bonus episode. Yuka Hongo and I spoke in Episode Seven about her area of the law which is Estate Planning. As more people live international lives, Estate planning also needs to become international. Yuka gives us a window into what she sees in her work and we hope that it will help you on your way to finding out what you need in your own plans too. You can hear Yuka in more detail in Episode 7 of Lawyer on Air. In this episode you’ll hear:
** Please note that the content of this recording is not legal advice but for educational and informational purposes. We hope these will be prompts to guide you as to the next steps you need to take. About Yuka A graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, Yuka Hongo is a licensed attorney in Hawaii, California, New York and the District of Columbia. Born in Japan, she came to the United States as a young child and was raised in a bilingual setting. Professionally, she has extensive experience working in both languages, including complicated legal transactions. Spending time in both Japan and the United States, Yuka saw what can happen when a loved one dies without an estate plan in place. Assets can be tied up in court for months. She guides families through the probate process in Hawaii and helps people create appropriate and effective estate plans to make sure their wishes are followed. Yuka typically travels to Japan twice a year, where she meets with clients and gives seminars on effective estate planning. She uses her knowledge of estate law, her bilingual skills and her understanding of both cultures to help residents and non-residents of the U.S. plan ahead to avoid future problems. Connect with Yuka Website: http://www.hongolaw.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuka-hongo-68ab58123/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 03 Apr 2022 | Returning to Big Law after In-house with Mariko Mimura | 01:18:18 | |
Welcome to the first episode of Season 3! You will love the Lawyer Extraordinaire for Episode One: Mariko Mimura. Mariko is a great example that stepping upwards and outwards is entirely possible at any stage of your career. She is also living proof that you can go from working in-house and return to a law firm role as an attractive value add to a firm having excelled on the inside of business at the coal face. She is an inspiration for how we can continue to reinvent ourselves on our own terms. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Mariko Mariko graduated with an LLB from Waseda University in 1980, graduated with an M.A. from the Chuo University Graduate School of Law and graduated from the Ph.D. course in 1989. Mariko was admitted to the Bar in Japan in 1992 and joined the firm of Braun, Moriya, Hoashi & Kubota from 1992-1993, followed by Takaishi Law Office from 1993-1995. In 1995 Mariko joined Nishimura and Partners, now renamed Nishimura and Asahi During the first phase – from 1995 to 2004, Mariko gained overseas experience in law practice in the United States on secondment to the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (1999-2000) and was secondment in-house to a startup battery company as Vice President and General Counsel of Quallion LLC from 2000-2001. Upon returning to Japan Mariko took up a senior role in-house as ExecutiveOfficer and Legal Executive Manager of GE Healthcare Japan Corporation (2005-2009). Mariko has held outside role Part-time Statutory Auditor of GE Healthcare affiliate company Nihon Medi-Physics Co., Ltd in 2008. From 2018 she became Outside Director, of childrens’ toy-maker Takara TOMY Company, Ltd and is also an Outside Director at precious metal company, Tanaka Holdings (Tanaka Kinzoku) She has further in-house experience as Director of Legal and Intellectual Property Executive Manager of Novartis Holding Japan K.K. from 2010-2015, was concurrently Corporate Officer and General Counsel at Novartis (2010-2015), and then became Director of Glaxo Smith Kline KK from 2015-2018. In her 60’s Mariko returned to Nishimura & Asahi as Of Counsel where she focuses on the area of life science. Connect with Mariko via Catherine Links Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo Station: http://www.shangri-la.com/tokyo/shangrila/about/ | |||
| 21 Aug 2022 | Top tips for banishing perfectionism and mastering speaking up | 00:36:27 | |
Striving for perfectionism and how that prevents people from speaking up is one of the key things that has been coming through from season three on the Lawyer on Air Podcast. This prevents people from speaking up or asking questions for fear of embarrassment or showing oneself as lacking in knowledge or understanding. Let’s hear from three of our lawyer extraordinaire guests on these topics and make sure you listen to the end for my top tips, too! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
Links Olivia Nomura’s Episode: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/season-three-ep2-olivia-nomura Lexi Takamatsu’s episode: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/season-three-ep6-lexi-takamatsu Hiromi Shiraishi’s Episode: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/season-three-ep9-hiromi-shiraishi Connect with Catherine Website: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/contact Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 06 Jun 2021 | Leveraging serendipity with work ethic for success in the Japanese legal industry with Mindy Allen | 01:12:41 | |
This episode taught me that if there is someone out there you want to get to know more, then you should just reach out to them and book in an e-coffee or meet up if you can! Mindy was one of those people and I’m so glad this episode was a chance for us to get to know each other better. Mindy has done so much in her legal career already and she’s just revving up. If you are someone wanting to find out how to get started working as a lawyer in Japan or how to have a varied legal career then this is definitely a great episode for you. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to LinkedIn, and tag me and Mindy. Or leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Mindy Mindy is originally from New York. She graduated with a JD from Stanford University in 2010. She also completed a BA in East Asian Languages and Cultures, and an MA in East Asian Regional Studies from Columbia University in New York. Through her father’s encouragement to learn more languages, she started to learn Japanese and arrived in Japan in 2001 for a homestay in Tokushima. That culture shock did not deter her from interning in Japan for six consecutive summers and she was able to move to her New York firm’s Tokyo office in 2014. In 2019 she joined the boutique law firm southgate where she practices today whilst also teaching a legal writing class at Keio University. Connect with Mindy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-allen-8391107/ Links Mindy’s local restaurant: Tetote Apartment: http://tetote-apartment.com/ Working as a Sole Practitioner in Tokyo - Panel discussion hosted by Women in Law Japan (WILJ): https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/blog/working-as-a-sole-practitioner-in-tokyo-panel-discussion-hosted-by-women-in-law-japan-wilj Full Release with Samantha B Podcast: https://www.earwolf.com/show/full-release-with-samantha-bee/ Contract Teardown Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contract-teardown-show/id1552795073 Smitten Kitchen Blog: https://smittenkitchen.com/ Life after Law Book: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Life-After-Law-Finding-Work/dp/1138469955 The Pastry Chef’s Guide Book: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Pastry-Chefs-Guide-Secret-Successful/dp/1911641514 | |||
| 09 Jun 2024 | Leading with Empathy: Toshimi Itakura's vision for a thriving legal team | 00:51:57 | |
If you are at a crossroads and wondering if you should give up on that dream that hasn’t come true yet, then this is the episode for you. Toshimi Itakura is the General Manager of the Legal Department at Sojitz Corporation. Toshimi shares her inspiring career journey over more than 20 years and her professional experiences in the United States and London. Toshimi discusses her approach to career growth, emphasizing the importance of focusing on achievements rather than specific job titles and shares valuable tips on time management, leadership, and mentoring. You are going to love hearing from this ground breaker in the Tokyo legal world! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Toshimi Toshimi Itakura is the General Manager of the Legal Department of Sojitz Corporation. She graduated from Keio University and joined Sojitz Corporation in 2005. Sojitz is one of Japan’s sogo shosha, or general trading company, covering various industries globally including automotive, aerospace & transportation, infrastructure, energy, healthcare, metals & minerals, chemicals, agriculture, retail etc. After a few years at the Tokyo headquarters of Sojitz she studied abroad at Duke University Law School in the United States (LL.M.) and worked in the legal department of Sojitz Corporation of America as a qualified attorney-at-law (admitted in NY). Later in her career, she also spent 2 ~ 3 years, working in the legal department of Sojitz Corporation in London and seconded to the Herbert Smith Freehills London Office. In 2022, she was appointed as the General Manager of the Legal Department. Throughout her career, she has engaged in corporate legal practice in Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom, and has been involved in M&A, project finance, disposal of bad assets, collateral management, corporate restructuring, litigation and dispute resolution and other various matters and transactions. Apart from her work, Toshimi enjoys her life being an artist in the world of ballroom Latin dancing and playing the flute. Connect with Toshimi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toshimi-itakura-31b081152/ Links Gentle Dining Omotesando https://www.gentle-base.com/ Book: そうか、君は課長になったのか。https://amzn.asia/d/aDHyTEJ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 12 Sep 2021 | Top law career advice for Corporate Governance specialist lawyers and Outside Board Directors with Royanne Doi | 01:20:56 | |
Legal career advice and stories of how to get yourself noticed for positions you can only dream of abound in Season Two Episode One with Lawyer Extraordinaire, Royanne Doi. Royanne has a way of explaining concepts that make you want to grab a pen and paper so you don’t miss anything. Make sure you have some ready for all the gold nuggets she has prepared for you. Royanne is not only a champion planner, and self-named “process queen” but also a master of noticing those moments of serendipity that have led her to land a dream job she didn’t know existed without even interviewing. How did she do it? Listen and find out! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Royanne Royanne Doi is currently an Outside Director to Gojo & company, a social impact start-up company investing in micro-finance banks in emerging markets. She also teaches an executive MBA course at Hitotsubashi University Business School, School of International Corporate Strategy. Her course is called “Leading Across Culture and Diversity.” Royanne most recently served as Advisor for Global Legal, Ethics & Compliance for Yamaha Corporation. Prior to her experience with a global Japan-based manufacturing music company, Royanne held senior legal positions with major financial institutions including Prudential Financial, Inc., State Street Bank and Trust Company and CIGNA/ACE Insurance. In addition to her current role as Representative Director of the US-Japan Council (Japan board), Royanne has served on various volunteer boards including the Japan In-house Counsel Network, the Association for Women in Finance in Japan, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and was the treasurer/director of the Japan-United States Education Commission (“Fulbright Japan”). Royanne has an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, from Washington University in St. Louis, graduating Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her Juris Doctorate from UCLA School of Law. She is a member of the California bar. She has lived in Japan since 1994, married for 30+ years to her law school sweetheart. She has three passions: economic empowerment for women, Asia with an emphasis on Japan, and the intersection between neuroscience and behavioral ethics. Connect with Royanne To connect with Royanne, please contact Catherine O'Connell Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair | |||
| 14 May 2023 | Looking for a board role? Lifting the lid on the black box of board roles in Japan with Catherine O’Connell | 00:40:16 | |
Catherine O’Connell has the microphone spotlight switched on her in this episode. Hear more about what it has been like for Catherine has taken to get herself to where she is today on the Independent Audit & Statutory Board of Fujitsu and nominated as Independent Audit and Supervisory Board Member at Toyota Motor Corporation. Catherine shares how her “unglamourous” work experience as a lawyer at the coalface in manufacturing companies has now become a shining diamond that has led her to these exciting positions. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
Links Apero: https://apero.co.jp/ja The National Art Center Tokyo: https://www.nact.jp/shop/restaurant_cafe.html Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 10 Oct 2021 | Boost your law career through adventure and seizing opportunities to become a top level M&A lawyer with Pavitra Iyer | 01:07:54 | |
What do sailing the seven seas for many months, learning Japanese from scratch and working at the top law firm in two different countries have in common? My guest Pavitra Iyer has done them all! If you believe there is only one path to being a top level lawyer, then her story will definitely show you otherwise! Pavitra will show you that truly anything is possible with her fascinating lawyer life as an M&A lawyer in both India and Japan. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Pavitra Pavitra is a multi-jurisdictional transactions lawyer with over ten years of experience in leading law firms in India and Japan. Eight of these years were spent with one of the top Japanese firms, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto. Before relocating to Japan in 2010, Pavitra worked for the Mumbai office of AZB & Partners, one of India’s premier law firms. Her practice areas are M&A, Private Equity, Corporate Compliance and General Corporate Advisory. Pavitra is admitted in India and as a Solicitor of England & Wales, in addition to being a registered foreign lawyer in Japan. Her core work involves advising clients on various aspects of cross-border investments. In Japan, this has largely taken the form of advising Japanese clients investing in India and overseas, and advising on local compliance matters and other queries that arise in the context of doing business in India. Pavitra uses not just her legal skills and expertise, but also her first-hand knowledge of Indian culture and the related nuances that come necessarily bundled with doing cross-border business, to help her clients successfully implement their business needs. Pavitra completed her undergraduate degree in law from the University of Pune and developed a love for corporate law during her post-graduate days at the London School of Economics & Political Science, where she graduated with a Masters degree in Corporate and Commercial laws. Being a mother to a very active 4-year old, she says spare time is mostly a fond memory, but on the occasions that she can lose herself in a book, or her music, she is content. Connect with Pavitra Links Bagus Bar https://www.bagus-bar.jp/english.html Hannah Ken, Burial Rights: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Burial-Rites-Hannah-Kent/dp/0316243922 Khalil Gibran, The Prophet https://www.amazon.co.jp/Prophet-Kahlil-Gibran/dp/0394404289 | |||
| 29 May 2022 | From art curator to construction law with Hojung Jun | 01:05:28 | |
How do you become an art curator but then become a lawyer working in construction law? Hojung Jun shows us how you can take time to discover your niche and come to love the law by finding exactly where it suits you to work in this incredibly vast industry. She shows us a fascinating side of the construction industry and how it can be complex, exciting and international. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Hojung Educated at Ewha Womans University in Korea and the University of Illinois College of Law, Hojung obtained her JD in 2009 and was admitted to the New York bar in the same year. As a New York qualified lawyer and experienced all around the globe, Hojung regularly advises on and negotiates complex construction agreements, subcontracts, concession agreements, joint venture agreements and partnership agreements in relation to infrastructure, power and mine development projects. She does this for major Japanese and Korean companies - both on the investor and contractor side. Her recent focus also includes renewable energy (such as solar, wind power and battery storage) and digital transformation. After finishing her undergrad, Hojung started her career as an art curator in Washington DC organizing exhibitions for museums and galleries and working with During law school, Hojung had the unique experience of summer interning at the Permanent Mission of Korea to the United Nations in New York in 2007. She’s also had in-house experience from 2010-2014 working for a major construction company in Korea. She moved to Japan in 2014 and joined another international law firm before Baker & McKenzie. She has been seconded to Tokyo Gas and is now currently seconded to Toyota Tsusho Corporation. Connect with Hojung LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hojungjun/ Website: https://www.bakermckenzie.com/en/people/j/jun-hojung Links Clubhouse: https://clubhousedb.com/club/396908948-legal-bento-box Le Pain Quotidien: https://www.lepainquotidien.com/jp/ja/#.W1kgoGD7SM8 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 23 Mar 2025 | Infusing the Art of Tea, Languages and Law for a Successful Career in Japan with Naoko Tahara | 00:58:05 | |
Naoko Tahara is Senior Manager of Legal Japan at Olympus Corporation. As a new recruit to a law firm, she took the chance to study Chinese intensively when some of her cohort said she shouldn’t. Listen to hear what happened next in this fascinating career dive with Naoko. If you are wondering if the challenging opportunity that has landed at your feet is really for you, then this is the episode for you! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Naoko Naoko Tahara is a Senior Manager of Legal Japan at Olympus Corporation. She graduated from Keio University Law School and became a Bengoshi (Attorney-at-law admitted in Japan) in 2009. Since then, she has 15 years of experience in Cross-border Business, specialising in Global Compliance and General Corporate Matters. She started her career at Uryu & Itoga, a corporate law firm with offices in several Asian countries, and had a chance to work and study in China (2010-2011) and Singapore (2017-2018). After she finished the LLM program at the National University of Singapore, she joined the legal department of Recruit Co., Ltd. in 2018. At Recruit, she developed existing expertise and also became involved with Data Privacy issues and Capital Markets matters. After spending about six years at Recruit, she joined Olympus Corporation in 2024. As a senior manager of Legal Japan, she is now in charge of the Business Support Group, which proactively supports Olympus's business through legal assistance for strategic projects and daily legal support for business divisions. Regarding her personal life, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 9-year-old son. Her hobbies are Chinese Language and Chinese Tea. She learned them in Beijing when she worked for her first law firm back in 2011. Connect with Naoko LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/naoko-tahara-82b2361b6 Links Shisen Restaurant: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/tyomy-sheraton-miyako-hotel-tokyo/dining/ Book: なぜ働いていると本が読めなくなるのか https://amzn.asia/d/fShhknh Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 15 May 2022 | Exceeding other people’s limitations on you with Junko Mukoyama | 00:51:53 | |
Overcoming glass ceilings, cultural differences and English language challenges, Junko Mukoyama is my next inspirational guest on Lawyer on Air. She explains how Japan has changed so much in just one generation but also the barriers she came up against in her career and how she took control of her career and ended up smashing through them. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Junko Junko is a board member and senior corporate counsel of Avaya Japan Ltd. Avaya provides products and services to enhance and simplify communications and collaborations. She is in charge of all legal matters for the Japan operations including contract negotiation, compliance, personal data protection and dispute resolution. Before she joined Avaya in 2004, she worked for Yuasa and Hara as a trademark attorney and for Nihon Unisys Ltd. She is a member of the Japan Patent Attorney Association and New York State Bar. She received LLB from Chuo University, and Master of Laws from University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign and Waseda University. She has been studying bankruptcy and IP at a graduate school of law and published articles in bankruptcy and IP fields. She is a member of AIPPI, INTA, JTA, ABI and INSOL. Connect with Junko To connect with Junko, please contact Catherine O’Connell Links Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 30 Jun 2024 | Navigating Maritime Law: A Journey around the world to Japan with Gillian Musgrave | 00:51:02 | |
Gillian Musgrave is a seasoned lawyer with a rich background in maritime law and marine insurance. Gillian shares her journey from qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales to working internationally in London, Italy, New York, Singapore, and now as an in-house consultant in Tokyo. We go on a voyage of discovery into the depths of a truly fascinating and not so well known area of the law. Grab your sea legs, let’s get into it! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Gillian Gillian Musgrave is a lawyer who qualified as a solicitor in England & Wales in 1990. Her specialist area of law is shipping and marine insurance. Initially she worked in maritime law firms in London and Italy. She then moved in-house and worked for many years as a Director of Claims with a P&I Club, (a specialist insurer of shipowners’ liabilities) managing teams of claims executives in various company offices worldwide. For two years she also acted as the Head of Claims of a Lloyd’s Syndicate in the London insurance market. She is now working in Tokyo as an in-house Consultant to a Japanese insurance company giving advice on English law maritime matters. To this end she has become a Japanese registered foreign lawyer. Connect with Gillian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-musgrave-33834741/ Links Bar Trench in Ebisu: https://small-axe.net/bar-trench/ Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky https://amzn.asia/d/0gSnSQXD Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 05 Dec 2021 | Leading the way in legal tech adoption with Angela Yuen | 01:10:48 | |
If you have wondered how to make use of more legal tech for the benefit of the people and the organisation you work for, my guest Angela Yuen opens a door for us into the world of one of the biggest energy companies in Japan. Angela, a powerhouse herself, is a tireless supporter of women in law and championing young professionals to be the best they can be. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Angela Angela Yuen is Deputy General Counsel of JERA Co., Inc., the largest power generation company in Japan and one of the largest power producers in the world. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Angela studied and trained in Australia before qualifying as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia in 2000. She moved to Japan out of a sense of adventure and professional curiosity, which took her to the legal departments of two major Japanese trading companies, Sojitz Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation. Her career then led her to a global gold mining major headquartered in Melbourne and a brief stint in Seoul before returning to Tokyo in 2015 and joining Allen & Overy. Angela oversees JERA’s Legal Group which advises the Board of Directors and leadership team and provides strategic legal support to JERA’s domestic and international businesses spanning the entire energy value chain. She is passionate about supporting bold young professional females to maximize their leadership potential and attain their highest professional goals. She has 3 young children and believes that women can have it all – a fulfilling career and a healthy family. Connect with Angela LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hoyanyuen Links Star of Greece: https://starofgreece.com.au/ The Truths We Hold, Kamala Harris: https://www.amazon.co.jp/TRUTHS-WE-HOLD-KAMALA-HARRIS/dp/0525560718 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 09 Mar 2025 | Bridging Cultures in Insurance Law between Australia and Japan with Shiho Kagasaki | 00:47:20 | |
Shiho Kagasaki is an Associate at MinterEllison based in Australia. We hear from Shiho why she loves working in the law so much and how her recent passion for ballet contributes to her pursuit of grace and poise in her work life, too. If you are also an up and coming associate wanting to hear from a sempai (more experienced co-worker) then this is the episode for you. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Shiho Shiho Kagasaki is an Associate at MinterEllison, presently based in Australia. After obtaining her Bachelor of Laws at Griffith University and completing her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at The Australian National University, she was admitted as a lawyer in Australia in 2017. She has since practiced in various areas of law, including Plaintiff Personal Injury, General Insurance and Class Actions in her previous roles. Corporate Risk & Insurance is her current area of focus at MinterEllison. Shiho currently specialises in the management of non litigated and litigated matters and works for both Australian, Japanese and International Insurers as well as Australian and International Corporations. Connect with Shiho LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiho-kagasaki-4072a4118/ Links Nyorosuke Ungai restaurant: https://kiwa-group.co.jp/nyorosuke_ginza/ Legal High: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_High_(Japanese_TV_series) The Balanced Ballerinas podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3vPmGkYbpsvo8JAaytJf1s?si=481f054555724b27 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 17 Mar 2024 | Making Partner in a Big Four Japanese Law Firm with Madoka Shimada | 00:51:11 | |
Madoka Shimada is Partner at Nishimura and Asahi, one of the “Big Four” law firms in Japan. You might have heard some things about what it’s like to work there but Madoka shares some of the innovations and how she has carved out a unique career for herself with her interesting combination of qualifications. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Madoka Madoka is a Partner in the Tokyo office of Nishimura & Asahi. She focuses on the antitrust and competition law area, providing a broad range of advice in the field of competition law, with a wealth of experience in, among other things, cross-border transactions. Madoka also has strength in trade secret cases. Madoka advises clients on various matters of competition law, including domestic and international cartels, bid-rigging, M&A transactions, investigations by the JFTC, leniency applications and general antitrust law compliance. She is especially active in cross-border transactions. Prior to N&A, from 1999 – 2004 Madoka was with Mitsui, Yasuda, Wani & Maeda. Madoka graduated in 2005 from Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (M.P.A.) 2003, Harvard Law School (LL.M.), in 1997, and The University of Tokyo (LL.B.) Madoka serves as a member of one of the committees in the firm which has the role of planning various measures of training associates, coordinating their working environment, etc. D&I perspective, such as the introduction of paid childcare leave, is included in this function. She also serves as the head of the Editorial Board of N&A “Thought Leadership,” which is a new style of newsletters of the firm. Outside of the firm she serves on the Children’s’ Rights Committee at Daini Bar Association, as a consultee for kids at SNS consultation (once a month, using LINE). Madoka is a mom of two teenage boys, joining a PTA activity for younger son, as an editor of the newsletter of the school. In her spare time, she goes to the theatre regularly and is a fan of musicals following from her passion at junior and senior high school where she was a member of the music club. Connect with Madoka LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madoka-shimada-8151382/ Website: https://www.nishimura.com/en/people/madoka-shimada Links Toraya: https://www.toraya-group.co.jp/shops/shop-5 Seven Women Lawyers 7人の女弁護士：Amazon Prime Invisible Women: https://amzn.asia/d/eaOxoyl Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 17 Sep 2023 | The power of listening: Insights from Sayaka Ohashi, Lawyer and Advocate | 00:59:47 | |
Sayaka Ohashi, a legal counsel specialising in employment law, shares how her experience of raising three children and listening to what they have to say, has greatly improved her practice in employment law. She also encourages male lawyers to embrace child-rearing as it can make them better professionals. Her reasons are a little different from what you might be thinking (you will need to listen in!) Sayaka has had a varied career with big law firms and now running her own practice also makes time for new hobbies and even a side business! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Sayaka Sayaka Ohashi is a lawyer who has been practicing almost 20 years. Her focus is on employment, as well as supporting foreigners living in Japan on legal issues. She is also active as a translator/interpreter. Quite recently, she also started a business as a florist and enjoys creating container gardens. Connect with Sayaka LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sayaka-ohashi-46292131/ Links Artizon Museum restaurant https://www.artizon.museum/user-guide/museum-cafe/ How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk: https://amzn.asia/d/8C5GKVk Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 24 Jul 2022 | Overcoming perfectionism to help others with Hiromi Shiraishi | 01:00:43 | |
Hiromi Shiraishi is my guest today and she shows us how when people put up their own barriers that stop you from advancing in your career, you can choose to step around them and find your own path. If you are working as in-house counsel and want to know how you can be more visible and help others more effectively in the organisation, then this is the episode for you. We would love to see more of our legal eagles helping with organisations such as Kids Door because we know the power of language to open up opportunities. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Hiromi Hiromi is Country Counsel for HP and has worked as in-house counsel for Renova Inc, Nokia Solutions and Networks Japan. She also has a solid Law firm background having worked at Nishimura and Asahi in Japan, and two law firms in the US. Hiromi also had the unique experience of working for the Japanese government in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs International Legal Affairs Bureau in Tokyo advising other government ministries and agencies. Hiromi is a member of the Japan Federal Bar Association and Dai-Ni Tokyo Bar Association and is also admitted in the State Bar of California. Educated at Tsuda College in Tokyo and attaining a BA, she then went on to do her legal qualification, at the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan and LLM at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law in Los Angeles. Hiromi has also authored several publications such as “Cloud Computing and Protection of Personal Information in Chapter Three of “Legal Practices and Cloud Computing”, and she also wrote the chapter called Movement to Reduce Barriers to Access to Information, in the publication entitled “Commentary on Revised Copyright Act”. Hiromi is a super contributor to the community through volunteering by way of English tutoring for underprivileged high school students with “Kids Door”. Connect with Hiromi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiromi-shiraishi-9b380b161/ Links Kids Door: https://kidsdoor.net/ La Maree de Chaya https://chaya.co.jp/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||
| 19 Nov 2024 | A Pathway to Board Success: Catherine's insights on leadership with guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewett (Part 1 of 3) | 00:47:00 | |
In this special session of the Lawyer on Air podcast, guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewitt, an attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia, interviews Catherine O'Connell about her path to becoming a successful board member in Japanese corporations. This is Part 1 of 3 where Akiyo asks all the questions you have been wanting to know. Akiyo bravely reached out to Catherine to ask her for this opportunity that would benefit all listeners of Lawyer on Air. In Part 1, Catherine generously shares all the steps and timelines for board readiness. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Akiyo Akiyo Inoko Hewett is the founder and principal of Inoko Law and Consulting, LLC, General Counsel at AI Medical Service America Inc, and member of “Next on Board”. Akiyo earned her undergraduate degree from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, her J.D. from Keio University Law School, and her LL.M. from Emory University School of Law. While in law school, she attended several United Nations conferences as a legal advocate on international human rights law. Akiyo passed the Japanese bar exam and is eligible to practice law in Japan. She also passed the Georgia bar exam and is admitted to practice law in Georgia, USA. Akiyo loves to meet new people and build friendships. She is a member of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Japan-America Society of Georgia, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia. Connect with Akiyo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiyo-inoko-hewett-3ba626126/ Links Akiyo’s episode: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/podcast/season-six-ep-1-akiyo-inoko-hewett Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya Gallery 11: https://gallery11.jp/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 06 Apr 2025 | Unpausable: The Impact of 100 Episodes of Lawyer on Air | 00:13:51 | |
In this solo episode marking the final installment of Season 9, Catherine reflects on the growth and significant impact of 'The Lawyer on Air Podcast' over nearly 100 episodes. Catherine shares heartfelt stories about how the podcast has positively influenced her life and the lives of listeners and guests worldwide. To celebrate this milestone, Catherine unveils a special surprise at the end. Join us as we toast to the journey so far and look forward to an even more exciting Season 10. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
Links Unpausable playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3aCekQmbR0CYMxzdkhzFqN Unpausable playlist explanation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/168bSEfOFJQK5TaGD2Pa_HalepmuPt9Kd/view?usp=sharing Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 04 Sep 2022 | Inspiring the next generation of lawyers with Keiko and Junko Ohara | 01:02:04 | |
Keiko Ohara and Junko Ohara are mother and daughter lawyers and my guests in Episode One of Season Four! If you are wondering what the journey of being a lawyer and a parent might be like and what your own kids might be thinking as you try to navigate your career, this episode will give you insights that might surprise you. It’s a really heartwarming episode that goes to show that parents and children don’t always have the full picture of a situation but that even years later you can come to an appreciation of what your parents went through. In this episode you’ll hear:
About Keiko Ohara Keiko Ohara is founder and partner at Kamiyacho International Law Office. Keiko has worked in the Tokyo office of Komatsu, Koma & Nishikawa and at Weil Gotshal & Manges in New York. Her firm focuses on representing foreign companies investing and doing business in Japan. She also assists Japanese companies doing business with foreign companies. She helps clients with general corporate matters, M&A commercial contracts, employment matters, dispute resolution, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance. Keiko is outside independent director at Financial Products Group Co., Ltd. and Fujikyuko Co., Ltd. She is an Independent Statutory Auditor at Taisei Corporation and Auditor at the NGO Save the Children Japan. Keiko sits on the Committee of foreign lawyers and international legal practice at the Japan Federation of Bar associations. Keiko is on the committee on foreign special members and international legal practice at the Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association. Keiko qualified as a Bengoshi in Japan in 1988 and as a New York state attorney at law in 1993. She has a BA in economics and an LLB in law from Keio University and achieved her LLM from Harvard law school. About Junko Ohara Junko Ohara is a Japanese lawyer. After qualifying as a lawyer, she joined Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s Tokyo office and is working as an associate to date. She is a member of the Global Transaction team and specializes in general corporate work, in particular cross-border public and private M&A. She also advises on various commercial and real estate transactions and helps international clients navigate and understand the Japanese market. She also assists clients on equity-based compensation schemes and compliance issues, including anti-bribery, sanctions and data protection laws. She has a strong interest in pro bono work as well and has been an active member of activities to protect children and LGBTQ rights in Japan. She is a mother of a daughter and a dog (both 1 year old). Junko Ohara | Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Links | |||
| 05 Mar 2023 | Pivot to unlock your career potential with Andrea Sanada Ng | 00:59:21 | |
We are thrilled to bring you Andrea Sanada Ng to share her unique story of becoming a lawyer and finding her own way to a happy career after pivots and turns. We don’t always have the perfect conditions or information when making choices about our careers but Andrea shows us that things can work out, even when you think they won’t. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Andrea Andrea Sanada Ng is an associate in K&L Gates’ Mergers and Acquisitions practice group. While born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Andrea has spent most of her adult life outside of Canada. She studied and worked in three different cities in the United States before being admitted to the New York bar in 2017. Soon after that, Andrea decided to move back to Tokyo, Japan, as she had spent some time in Tokyo as a youth and always had a desire to return. After some twists and turns, Andrea eventually found her way to an in-house position for one of Japan’s entertainment and gaming companies: Sega Sammy Holdings. After four years as an in-house counsel, concentrating on commercial contracts and intellectual property, Andrea decided to make the jump to BigLaw and joined K&L Gates in February 2022. Andrea has always been passionate about supporting and engaging those who may have experienced discrimination or exclusion because of lack of access to resources. This stemmed from her time volunteering with the Riverdale Immigrant Women’s Centre in Toronto, and is reflected in her past involvement with the Lori E. Talsky Center for Human Rights of Women and Children and in her continued pro bono services through the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts New York. Andrea completed her Bachelor of Arts, Honours, in political science from the University of Western Ontario and earned her Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University College of Law. She lives in Tokyo with her husband and their criminally pampered cat. Connect with Andrea LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-sanada-ng-704504b3/ Andrea Ng | People | K&L Gates (klgates.com) Links Yamazato | Restaurants, bars, and room service | Dining | The Okura Tokyo Indiana Jones movie list - IMDb Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis - IGN Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 28 Apr 2024 | A blue ocean journey as in-house counsel and legal pioneer in Japan with Akiko Kawaguchi | 01:07:25 | |
Dive into the inspiring journey of Akiko Kawaguchi, a true pioneer in the Japanese legal world. Akiko shares her groundbreaking path of becoming the first Japanese qualified lawyer at Mitsubishi Corporation. In this episode, Akiko reflects on the historical events that shaped her pursuit of justice and logic, her courageous leap into the blue ocean of in-house counsel, and her belief in the transformative power of young minds. Tune in to discover how Akiko's passion for curiosity, continuous learning and embracing new challenges is shaping the future of law. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Akiko Akiko Kawaguchi is Assistant Division Director, Legal & Corporate Affairs Division for Chiyoda Corporation, a global engineering company headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. Akiko holds an LL.B. from Hitotsubashi University (1996) and an LL.M. from Columbia Law School (2005), with Harlan Fiske Stone Scholars. She is a licensed attorney admitted to practice in Japan (since 1999) and in New York, USA (since 2006). Akiko began her professional career in 1999 as the first Japanese qualified in-house counsel at Mitsubishi Corporation, so-called sogo shosha, unique corporate model in Japan to cover broader business “from ramen to rocket,” where she supported local and international business transactions and disputes. In 2019 while working at Mitsubishi Corporation, Akiko was heavily involved in negotiation and implementation of Chiyoda Corporation’s revival plan and then she was seconded to Chiyoda Corporation to directly support them. While the work is tough, she enjoys new challenge covering legal, compliance, corporate governance, IR, PR and sustainability, among others. Akiko has been actively involved in the Japan Legal community and has engaged in numerous activities to develop the capabilities of those who have legal background for them to break the silo to fly to higher sky. As one of the first penguins as Japanese in-house counsel, she was the founding member of the Japan In-house Lawyers Association (JILA). In 2021, she co-launched the Japanese Legal Operations Study Group to release legal operations framework “CORE8.” She is also the founding member of CLOC Japan Shared Interest Group. In 2023, she co-launched the Strategic Legal Governance Study Group with reputable Japanese companies’ GCs and chairs its subcommittee to explore the corporate function necessary to operate the company in the view of the management and to take necessary action. Outside of work, Akiko enjoys visiting various libraries and bookstores, strolling around the neighborhood (“wonder wander” according to Stanford school) and listening to rock music. Connect with Akiko LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiko-kawaguchi-b24b8b100/ Links Bar Jiro: https://r.gnavi.co.jp/7fa704yu0000/ JILA: https://jila.jp/eng/ CLOC Japan interest group https://cloc.org/ Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Cho-Nam-Joo/dp/1471184285 Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 09 May 2021 | Managing your career in law for business success with Hitomi Komachi | 01:13:31 | |
As a woman in the law, have you ever pondered if you are managing your career as well as you could be? I heard Hitomi Komachi speaking on finding a niche and her own strategic career management at an online presentation for FEW Japan, and I just knew that her ideas had to be shared with far more than just the 20 or so people who attended. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me and Hitomi, @lawyeronair and @hitsnaps or find us on LinkedIn. Or leave us a message here! Haven’t left a review yet? We’d love you to! Go to Apple Podcasts and thanks for your support of this show! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Hitomi Hitomi specialises in development and financing transactions in the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sector. She regularly advises government agencies, multilateral institutions, financial institutions, developers and sponsors on large-scale, cutting edge and first-of-a-kind projects in emerging markets, including in Asia, Middle East and Africa. She started her career at Allen & Overy’s London office, and after qualifying in the UK, spent 4 years in Allen & Overy’s Paris office, working primarily on power, renewable energy and natural resources projects. She came back to Japan in 2014 and spent time on client secondment at Japan Bank for International Cooperation. From 2016, she is part of Allen & Overy’s Tokyo banking team working closely with Japanese investors on outbound transactions in this field. She is part of the firm’s renewable and sustainable energy efforts and is a leading member of the hydrogen interest group. Hitomi is recognised as a “Rising Star：Gaiben” by Legal 500 (2020). She speaks English, Japanese and French. Connect with Hitomi LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/hitomi-komachi-03144333 Allen & Overy: https://www.allenovery.com/en-gb/global/people/Hitomi_Komachi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitsnaps/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 | |||
| 23 Sep 2024 | Continuous Learning and Adaptability: Keys to Success in the law in Japan with Yuko Kaneko | 00:54:47 | |
Yuko Kaneko is Director and Corporate Counsel of the Business Legal Department at Renesas Electronic Corporation. Yuko discusses her career journey, starting as an attorney at Nishimura Asahi before transitioning to in-house roles. A career can span many years and so we discuss career longevity, the importance of continuous learning, and balancing professional and personal life. If you are looking for a role model of how to do a legal career in Japan then please listen to Yuko’s story. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Yuko Yuko Kaneko is Director & Corporate Counsel, Business Legal Department of Renesas Electronic Corporation. She graduated from Tokyo University, and after attending the Legal Training Research Institute of the Supreme Court as a Legal Trainee, she started her career as an attorney-at-law at Nishimura & Asahi in 2000. In June 2010, Yuko changed her career path and switched to become an in-house legal counsel. She served as the Manager of Legal Affairs Office at Nippon Otis Elevator Company for over five and a half years. Thereafter, she moved to Alconix Corporation, where she served as the General Manager of the Legal and Compliance Department for just under 6 years. Yuko obtained an L.L.M. from the Florida Coastal School of Law through e-learning while raising three daughters. Yuko is also a Certified Fraud Examiner and volunteers for the Executive Board of Women in Law Japan. In her spare time she loves to get involved in her hobbies, which are golf, running, skiing and playing the koto. Connect with Yuko LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuko-kaneko-019188132/ Links Hakone Pola Art Museum: https://www.polamuseum.or.jp/en/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 11 Dec 2022 | Create your dream solo firm that supports your passions with Monika Oyama | 00:49:28 | |
Monika Oyama never thought she would set up her own law practice, especially when she made partner at a firm at a young age. Listen as we hear how Monika was able to start her own firm that incorporates her “dream firm” aspects that she wrote down in a journal years ago while also contributing to causes that mean a lot to her. Thanks to Mangyo Kinoshita at southgate for introducing Monika to us! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Monika Monika graduated from Keio University with an LLB in 2010 and Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law, attaining her JD in 2013. She is licensed in Illinois, California, and New York. Monika started her career in 2013 at a Chicago based firm after being promoted at the fastest possible track to become the youngest partner, shareholder, and board member at her firm. In March, 2022, Monika opened her solo practice which focuses mainly on general corporate, domestic, and cross-border M&A commercial transactions and intellectual property matters. Monika has many leadership roles including the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association International Law Committee previously as their vice-chair and now chair. She's also vice chair of the Chicago Mita-kai, which is the Keio University Alumni Group, and she has been giving her time to Global Kids Judo Network as their board member since 2020 and was also part of the US Japan Council Emerging Leaguers Program 2020 to 2021. Monika has a wide variety of interests including traveling, cooking, wine, tasting, gardening, Spanish, Latin music, dancing, culture, as well as scuba diving, tennis and golf. Connect with Monika LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikaoyama/ Website: https://www.oceana.law/ Links Podcast: https://hubermanlab.com/category/podcast-episodes/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer YouTube: https://youtube.com/@lawyeronair | |||
| 21 Nov 2021 | The power of reflection and paying attention in building your law career in M&A with Jessika Colthurst | 00:57:54 | |
Jessika Colthurst did not start out her university career thinking she would be a lawyer, in fact she was studying accounting and psychology when an introduction to law lecturer piqued her interest. That was a catalyst for a series of decisions which has led Jessika to become an M&A rising star here in Tokyo. If you are feeling behind in your law studies or career or out of alignment with what you are doing, then this episode is for you. In this episode you’ll hear:
About Jessika Jessika is Japanese-Australian-American and has spent formative years in all three countries. She was born in Australia to American and Japanese parents, lived in Texas for over 5 years, Japan for the next 4, and then Australia again where she finished her schooling and attended university. Jessika began her legal career at a national law firm in Australia. Through great luck and good timing, she was given the opportunity be seconded from the firm to the legal department of a trading house in Tokyo. Jessika had always wanted to return to Japan at some point as an adult and test what she could do with her career in Tokyo. She never expected an opportunity to arise this early in her career (at least without more effort and intentional planning) so she jumped at the opportunity. Jessika was on secondment for nearly 2.5 years and loved her Tokyo life. She was joined 6 months after she arrived by her then-boyfriend who is now her husband. They both love living and working in Tokyo and have made many great friends over the years, so as her secondment was coming to an end, they felt they weren't ready to leave. Jessika looked for opportunities to join a law firm with an office in Tokyo as she was itching to get back into private practice. A good friend (and now colleague) introduced her to a Partner heading up Ashurst's Japan Corporate Transactions practice. Jessika knew immediately that she could learn so much from the Partner, and since then, has been really inspired by her passion and drive. Jessika joined Ashurst in September 2019 and has been beavering away in their busy Japan Corporate Transactions practice ever since. Connect with Jessika LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessika-colthurst-1971a264/ Links Foundation by Isaac Imanov https://www.amazon.co.jp/Foundation-Isaac-Asimov/dp/0553293354 Curb your enthusiasm: https://www.hbo.com/curb-your-enthusiasm Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair | |||
| 20 Jun 2021 | Finding your niche in the law with Yuka Hongo | 00:53:04 | |
There are many ways to lead a lawyer life and today’s guest has found her own niche in a part of the world and an area that suits her perfectly. Yuka Hongo of Hongo Law Office is a US qualified attorney who found her niche in Honolulu. Yuka is a perfect example that you don’t have to be loud and aggressive to be a lawyer, but that empathy and supporting people when they need it is an equally important aspect of the field. I can’t wait to be able to travel freely again and check out some of her recommendations for a trip to Hawaii! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to LinkedIn, and tag me and Yuka. Or leave us a message here! In this episode you’ll hear:
About Yuka A graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, Yuka Hongo is a licensed attorney in Hawaii, California, New York and the District of Columbia. Born in Japan, she came to the United States as a young child and was raised in a bilingual setting. Professionally, she has extensive experience working in both languages, including complicated legal transactions. Spending time in both Japan and the United States, Yuka saw what can happen when a loved one dies without an estate plan in place. Assets can be tied up in court for months. She guides families through the probate process in Hawaii and helps people create appropriate and effective estate plans to make sure their wishes are followed. Yuka typically travels to Japan twice a year, where she meets with clients and gives seminars on effective estate planning. She uses her knowledge of estate law, her bilingual skills and her understanding of both cultures to help residents and non-residents of the U.S. plan ahead to avoid future problems. Connect with Yuka Website: http://www.hongolaw.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuka-hongo-68ab58123/ Links Halekulani Hotel: https://www.halekulani.com/ How to manage a small law firm: https://howtomanageasmalllawfirm.com/ Be that lawyer podcast hosted by Steve Fretzin: https://fretzin.com/podcast/ Connect with Catherine Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherine.oconnell.148 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oconnelllawyer | |||