What exactly is a #Fractional #General #Counsel and why is this model gaining traction globally, yet still relatively new in Japan? In this article, Catherine O’Connell shares:

✅ how she built her Fractional GC law practice in Japan, from the ground up

✅ what the role actually looks like in practice, and

✅ why "Fractional General Counsel" offers a powerful alternative to both traditional law firms and full-time in-house hires.

If you are a business navigating legal complexity - or a lawyer rethinking your career path - this may open up a new way of thinking about legal support.

 This piece is also inspired by a recent feature in #Attorney’s #Magazine, where Catherine was honoured to be included in their “Pioneers (新開拓者たち)” section. Catherine is the first foreign registered lawyer in Japan to be featured in this series since the magazine’s inception in 2007.

It us Catherine’s wish for this article helps open up new ways of thinking, both about as a client - how you decide the method of receiving your legal support from outside lawyers, and for lawyers, about the possibilities for what your legal career can be look like.

Wrap up from April 2026 from Catherine O’Connell Law.

On 7 April 2026, I was inducted to the Tokyo North Rotary Club as their first foreign female member. I hope to not be the last and look forward to putting efforts into increasing the membership of males and females. Read more about how this came about for me, and how it is actually a full circle moment in 23 years of being in Japan.

Catherine was first foreign lawyer to be interviewed on the Tokyo DaiNi Bar Association’s YouTube channel.

Read more about her takeaways and what you can expect if you watch!

Catherine has completed Criticaleye’s Chair Ready Programme, designed to inspire, empower and develop new and aspiring Chairs. The Programme covers the dynamics of Chairing global Boards across different ownership structures, including Plcs, family-owned, private equity and the third sector. It offers invaluable access to seasoned Chairs who share their insights and wealth of experiences on how to build high performance in the Boardroom.

Wrap up from March 2026 from Catherine O’Connell Law.

🗣 "My younger self would NEVER have imagined one day sitting at a table chatting with women leaders in law. If you had told me 10 years ago that one day I would be inviting such a remarkable group of women to join my table, and up on stage reflecting on the 10-year leadership journey of Women In Law Japan (WILJ), I would have found that hard to imagine too.

And yet here we are. (read on ….)

Wrap up from February 2026 from Catherine O’Connell Law.

Wrap up from December 2025 & January 2026 from Catherine O’Connell Law.

Wrap up from November 2025 from Catherine O’Connell Law.

Wrap up from October 2025 from Catherine O’Connell Law.