SEEKING LEGAL POSITION IN JAPAN

[Anonymous]

Just graduated with my law degree & MBA in Florida, U.S., and trying to get back to Japan where I worked as an English teacher in Kagoshima-ken '96-97...any info would be MUCH appreciated. Looking at both legal & financial positions....

[Anonymous]

Do you have much experience working as a lawyer yet?

[Anonymous]

I tried to email direct, but got returned...

I have clerked for a major U.S. insurance defense firm representing a major U.S. based insurance company for about 1 year. Also, I've done some pro-bono family law and criminal law work during law school.

Do you know of anyone or anything that might interest me???

Please, PLEASE advise.

Ken Augen, J.D.
kaugen@yahoo.com

[Anonymous]

Ken,
I met a guy in Japan who was a lawyer from Australia. He worked for Interac for about six months and was so fed up with that company (see http://www.scumbags in japan.com), he started sending out resumes to many law firms in Tokyo. He was invited to about 3 or 4 different interviews. Job interviews in Japan are something of a joke, but that's another subject. At any rate, he did get hired and doubled his ESL-teacher's salary. Although he spoke no Japanese, the law firm needed their token gaijin to do a lot of editing and other related legal crap. He put up with the B.S. of Japanese office politics. After about a year, he managed to get a job with some other Japanese law firm. Again, he double his salary. That's the last I heard from/of him.

Keep in mind that he already had several years of experience working as a lawyer in Australia. My advice to you would be to first get a job working at some US law firm. Stay there at least a year for the experience. Then, you can always get a job teaching ESL in Japan. Use ESL as a stepping stone. After arriving in Japan, send out resumes to all of the law firms and hope for the best.

[Anonymous]

P.S. Do an internet search on "Roppongi Bar Association". Get their newsletter and just contact all the people whose names appear on it asking them for help. That should get you started.

[Anonymous]

Hi Ken,
I live in yer neck of the woods (near St. Petersburg, Fla.) and have a good friend who's a Stetson alum. So since we're practically best friends, I was hoping you could shed some insight on Kagoshima. I just found out that I'll be working there come August, and would like to find out about cost of living, live music venues, arts, department stores, food and anything else you might think important. Oh, and does it really rain volcanic ash as often as it rains water in the rest of the world?
Thanks Ken!
P.S. Sorry, Trip Hop, for bugging you about Tokushima, but I had misunderstood a cell phone conversation and thought that's where I'd be going. Many thanks anyway!

[trip_hop]

It's OK, been there too! Lots of similar names here Hamamatsu/ Takamatsu, Kanagawa/ Kanazawa, etc - sort of get used to it!

Lively place, really friendly people, good trips to the coast towards Miyazaki, and the other side to Satsuma-hanto. Interesting museum for Kamikaze pilots at Chiran, and a good oceanic museum in the city centre.

Lots of history there, Shimazu family and the Satsuma rebellion, Saigo Takamori, etc.

Found lots of bars there, live houses and many restaurants. Head to Tenmonkan - entertainment area. Some of the seedier places are Japanese only, but never mind.

Some hot springs nearby - good for relaxing.

Black rain - never when I was there.

TH

[Anonymous]

Your wealth of knowlege is once again most appreciated, Ms. Trip Hop.

[Anonymous]

I have about a year of experience working as a clerk in an insurance defense firm. I am interested in finance, insurance, banking, maritime law, and trade...

The response from this has been great....please advise if you know of anyone or anywhere else I may look....

thanks,
Ken