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

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:

• Emi’s culture shock at arriving at Tokyo University from Fuji City and again at Columbia Law School

• Emi’s advice for leading large teams and for making sure you always have time for yourself

• How submitting for law awards as a team can create a great reflection opportunity

• Her favourite book and other fun facts

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

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:

• How Celina won the career race to be a high flying lawyer in New York, and then found that she had in fact been in the wrong “race”

• Common struggles lawyers face when dreaming of new ideas or career pivots

• How coaching works and what you can achieve in working with a coach

• Her favourite saying, book and other fun facts

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

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:

• Tomoka’s experience studying and working as a solicitor in the UK

• How she overcame key challenges during her career

• Her thoughts on AI and why women should be more involved in this area of law

• Her favourite books and other fun facts

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

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:

• Catherine’s time management tips and practices for care of self, including her “Angela Krantz Philosophy” of calendar blocking and Hiring an executive assistant to help her out

• Akiyo and Catherine discuss what is coming up for 2025!

• Catherine’s favourite podcasts, sayings and what she would do with that million yen gift

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

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:

• Catherine’s advice for lawyers at every level of Post Qualification Experience

• Her thoughts on starting your own law firm and the benefit that has for potential future board roles and other activities

• What Catherine’s day looks like and the things she prioritises to be successful

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

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:

• Catherine’s favourite place to meet for a glass of her favourite beverage

• Catherine’s own journey to her various board roles and how long it took

• Step-by-step preparations for aspiring board members

• Practical advice for navigating the selection process and securing board roles

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