Catherine features in first Foreign lawyer on Dai Ni Tokyo Bar Association’s Youtube channel
Recently I had the opportunity to be interviewed by the Tokyo Daini Bar Association (第二東京弁護士会) for their YouTube series “Working with the World.” 🎥 You can watch it here: https://lnkd.in/gXRWzByY
This series focuses on hashtag#foreign hashtag#lawyers hashtag#working hashtag#in hashtag#Japan, and in this conversation we covered quite a wide range of topics, from how I first came to Japan (⛷️ a ski field and restaurant in Nagano!) to building a career as a bilingual lawyer bridging New Zealand and Japan, and what “collaboration” really means in practice.
Some of the themes we touched on:
📺 The difference between civil law vs common law (& why neither is “better,” just different)
📺 Building trust in Japan through consistency & follow-through
📺 The art of silence (and learning not to rush to fill it)
📺 Working with Japanese lawyers as collaborators, not counterparts
📺 Creating pathways for the next generation of lawyers in Japan
I hope it can be useful to those wanting to know more about the lighter side of practicing as a lawyer in Japan.
What was particularly special for me was being on the other side of the mic.
I host Lawyer on Air Podcast | Japan's Top Legal Careers Podcast, so I’m usually the one asking the questions - but this time I experienced firsthand what many of my guests go through. It reminded me how much preparation matters (yes it is 80%), but also how important it is to simply say yes and give it a try.
The team behind this series are lawyers doing something creative alongside their day jobs. There is real effort, care, and courage in putting something like this together and I have a lot of respect for that. It may not be perfect, but it is thoughtful, edited, and out in the world, and that counts for a lot.
What also stands out to me is how forward-thinking this Bar Association is. Having an active and well-maintained YouTube channel like this - featuring interviews with members, leadership, and even glimpses into life beyond the law to hobbies that Japanese lawyers have, is something I don’t often see, not only in Japan but internationally. That sense of openness and creativity is part of what drew me to move to Niben in 2025.
It was also a pleasure to meet the NiBen team in person at the recent Niben 100th anniversary celebration. I’m looking forward to seeing this series grow (and of course, seeing more of their mascot Ninja Nii-Ben にーーべん make appearances!).
A special thank you to Yuko MORITA for interviewing me, as well thanks to Yohei Kijima and Dohi-sensei for their support in connecting me with Niben and making this interview possible.