30 Years in Law: From Courtrooms to Boardrooms - Still journeying through the unexpected: September 20, 2025
There's a photo*** of me gathering dust, literally, where I am in the curly white horsehair wig worn at my bar admission ceremony in 1995 - proof that even the most serious journeys in law can begin with a little costume drama.
From courtrooms in Christchurch to in-house roles in Tokyo, from founding my own boutique law firm to serving on the boards of some of Japan’s most iconic companies, the journey has been anything but linear. And yet, it is in that unpredictability that the true joy has always been found.
Looking back - and looking forward
When I started out, I pictured a conventional path: long hours, steady progression, the traditional milestones. Instead, life had other plans. I became a bilingual foreign lawyer in Japan, built a law business from scratch, stepped into governance at the highest level, and discovered my voice through podcasting and mentoring.
Through it all, one constant has been my superpower: a deep understanding of the Japanese language and culture. It has been my bridge - not only between New Zealand and Japan, but between two ways of thinking, two sets of expectations, and two systems of law and governance.
Looking back, I see now that connecting languages, cultures, and countries has been the hallmark of my 30 years in law.
Today, that same bridge-building continues in the boardroom, helping to connect the perspectives of inside executives and outside board members so that governance can truly thrive.
This past year itself has been a chapter of transition. I completed my term as an outside board member at Toyota, an incredibly extraordinary experience that very few ever get to do, that taught me what I call “Toyota-like” trust, ownership, and challenge that you can't describe but you know it when you feel it. I continue to serve on Fujitsu’s Audit & Supervisory Board, significant in marking its 90th anniversary chapter this year.
Meanwhile, the Lawyer on Air Podcast entered its 10th season, and the Jandals in Japan Podcast grew into an even stronger bridge for New Zealand–Japan relations nearly 4 years in the making, in law, business, and even rugby diplomacy. And in the background, let me share the town's most open secret, I’ve been writing my first book … this book, shaped by 100+ podcast interviews and my own path, is the book I wish I’d had when starting out in Japan.
A treasure map in my front pocket
Careers are rarely straight lines. They are more like obstacle courses - fences to climb, pools to wade through and gullies to crawl out of (sometimes less gracefully than I’d like - thank goodness there were no GoPros back then!).
For years I thought I didn’t have a map. Looking back, I see it was there all along — tucked in my front pocket, waiting to be unfolded one journey at a time.
Changes in Japan’s Legal & Governance Landscape (2025)
Japan’s legal and governance landscape continues to shift, sometimes in leaps, sometimes in careful increments.
🌟 AI adoption: still cautious, still behind. Globally, lawyers are experimenting with AI to accelerate research, simplify contracts, and enhance decision-making. In Japan, however, adoption remains slow. Only around 24% of companies report having introduced AI, with over 40% having no plans at all. Generative AI use among the public is just 9%, compared to nearly 50% in the U.S. (Yes, Japan is still more likely to fax than to ChatGPT, but change is coming.)
🌟 Women on boards: a steady, genuine rise. Representation of women on boards is climbing. In the Nikkei 225, women now hold around 20% of external director seats, a significant shift from the single digits not long ago. What feels different in 2025 is the quality of appointments.
In September 2024, we saw a rush of placements as companies scrambled to meet the government-mandated "diversity targets". This year, the pace is steady, methodical, and intentional. Women are increasingly being appointed not as “checkbox” hires but for their genuine expertise, whether in law, governance, finance, academia, or international business.
This evolution, from compliance-driven governance to capability-driven governance, may prove the most powerful step yet.
🌟 Women lawyers in boardrooms: a pipeline in motion. More women lawyers are being tapped for board seats, valued for their ability to balance detail with governance, navigate risk, and bring international perspectives. I love mentoring and coaching lawyer clients to get board-ready for Japan specific board roles. While challenges remain, it is no longer unusual to see female private practice partners, in-house legal counsel, or governance specialists shortlisted for serious roles. The pipeline is real, and it is strengthening.
🌟 A mosaic still forming. As Japan navigates slow AI uptake, gender progress, and global pressures, I see parallels with my own work. Writing my book (title still under wraps), I have been weaving together stories of lawyers and leaders in Japan as well as governance Their journeys mirror these shifts: gradual progress, breakthrough moments, and the courage to still take a step where the map is unfinished or the lie of the land unchartered.
What 30 years teaches you
Across all of this, some lessons endure:
Embrace your unique path: different is not less. Your uniqueness is not your weakness - it is your strength
Stay curious: law, business, governance, and culture never stop evolving.
Seek mentors and be one: guidance is a two-way street.
Balance detail with adaptability: know when precision matters and when to pivot.
Care for your well-being: vitality is your greatest asset.
Open minds open doors: the door to opportunity is always marked "push" you just have to push it
Ignore the naysayers: scarcity is their story, not yours. They hold a mirror up to their fears rather than reflect yours (never gorget this!)
Invest in language and cultural literacy: in Japan, reading between the lines is as vital as reading the law or understanding the Corporate Governance Code.
Keep hope alive: it is the fuel for reinvention.
No role model around you? be your OWN role model and others will follow you as theirs.
A Call to Action
As I celebrate this 30th anniversary, I encourage anyone reading this who is contemplating a legal career, especially in Japan, to embrace your path, however winding it may be.
Network strategically.
Seek mentors.
Advocate for yourself.
Stay open to reinvention.
And remember: your career is not a straight line, it is a mosaic, and every shiny, dull, cracked and rough-textured tile has value.
And if you ever doubt that, just remember: even a lawyer in a bar-admission wig can end up in a Japanese boardroom.
✨ 30 years. Still building. Still bridging. Still believing in what’s next.
***Thanks for reading this far - the dusty photo of me is posted in the comments on this Linkedin Post: here!