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:

• How Yuko left Iwate for Tokyo and found her way to a legal career

• Her tips for lawyers transitioning from private practice to in-house

• How she spends her time and makes exercising a priority even with a family

• Her favourite saying and other fun facts

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

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:

• What industries and role levels are hot in the legal market in Japan right now

• The most asked for skills by hiring managers

• How best to maintain a great relationship with a recruiter and the benefits for both sides

• Her favourite restaurant, quote and other fun facts

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

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:

• Why nothing is wasted when you learn continuously in your law career

• What it’s like to take on the leadership role of partner in a firm

• Inspiration from tennis star Roger Federer on effortlessness

• Her favourite restaurant and other fun facts

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