2011.06.06
Here is a partial summary of the Keio University Law School information session held on Monday, May 9, 2011. We will be holding another information session for the 2012 entrance examinations on Saturday, June 18, so please attend if you are interested.
[Information Session Outline]
Date and Time: Monday, May 9, 2011, 6:10 PM–7:40 PM
Venue: South School Building Hall (5th Floor, South School Building)
[Information Session Agenda]
1. Introduction
2. Curriculum Overview
3. About the 2012 Entrance Examinations
4. Introduction to a Legal Practitioner... Akiko Nakamura (Professor, Keio University Law School)
5. Introduction to Current Students
6. Q&A Session
Introduction to a Legal Practitioner...
Akiko Nakamura
(Professor, Keio University Law School)
From the Keio University Law School entrance examination information session held on Monday, May 9, 2011, we present an excerpt from the lecture by Professor Akiko Nakamura, who is active as both a faculty member and a lawyer. We hope this will be a helpful reference for everyone aspiring to join the legal profession.
While working as a lawyer, I also teach several civil law-related subjects as a faculty member.
At that time, it was common for women to quit their jobs upon marriage, and it was difficult to work for a long time without a professional qualification. That's why I chose to become a lawyer.
After my legal apprenticeship, I joined a law firm with three young lawyers in their 30s as their first associate lawyer. I was fortunate to gain a wide range of experience, handling civil cases, corporate cases, criminal cases, juvenile cases, and administrative cases. Later, I started my own practice, and I now run a firm as a joint partnership with three other partners.
When you think of a lawyer's work, you might first imagine going to court for trials, but at my (Nakamura's) firm, the proportion of trial work is not that high. I mainly handle civil cases and corporate cases, and occasionally criminal and administrative cases. Before coming to the Law School, I was an instructor at the Legal Training and Research Institute for three years. Outside of the Law School, I serve as a committee member on national and local government review boards and councils, work as a mediator for ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) organizations, and because I'm interested in environmental issues, I am a director of an environmental NGO.
I think you should all choose work that aligns with your own interests. When I talk to current students, many seem to feel they must decide on a career path from the very beginning. However, for those who haven't decided, I think it's fine to discover what interests you by trying various things.
(There are many women attending today's information session), and I imagine many are worried about whether they can balance a career as a lawyer with marriage and childbirth. It's not easy, but it is definitely possible to do both.
(Regarding the current employment situation) The number of positions for judges and prosecutors is fixed and not increasing, so most people become lawyers. Until now, many people would first find a job at a law firm and work as an associate lawyer. However, it is true that the job market has become tougher since the Lehman shock and the recent earthquake. But I feel it's not right to avoid this path just because you're worried about the difficulty of finding a job. The great thing about this profession is that if you have the qualification, you can practice law. If you can find a job, that's great. If not, you can just create your own work. I want you to have the strong conviction that you will create new work for yourselves.
Finally, for those who are about to enter the legal profession, I want you to study a wide range of fields and not focus solely on the law. Law is a social science, and social science is an empirical discipline. You cannot become a good lawyer without knowing what society is like. Various things happen within social phenomena. A lawyer's job is to unravel these and find good solutions. Therefore, I believe that knowing how society works is the first step to becoming a good lawyer.
Your days at the Law School are for studying to become a professional, so it won't be easy. Keio's pass rate is good, but that's because the students study hard. It's not easy, but I look forward to seeing you next April, with the determination to overcome these challenges and become a professional lawyer.
Introduction to Current Students
From the Keio University Law School entrance examination information session held on Monday, May 9, 2011, we introduce the voices of students currently enrolled at this Law School (hereafter, Keio Law School) who are aspiring to join the legal profession. We hope this will be a helpful reference for those aiming to enter Keio Law School.
A : Male, 3rd-year student in the program for students with a legal background.
B : Female, 3rd-year student in the program for students with a legal background.
Q1: Among the many law schools, what was the deciding factor for choosing Keio Law School?
A : The first point was the classes, and the second was the friends. (Regarding the first point, classes) Classes make up a large part of law school life, and I was looking for classes that would be useful for the new bar examination. (Regarding the second point, friends) The school's classes don't offer specific preparation for the new bar examination, so you end up studying with friends. It's important to have compatible and talented friends. I chose Keio LS because of its high pass rate and large number of students.
B : The first point was the number of successful candidates and the pass rate. I heard there were many study groups with friends, and I wanted to study hard with talented peers—peers with whom I could maintain connections even after becoming a legal professional. The second point was the enthusiastic professors. They willingly answer questions during office hours and via email. The opportunity to be taught by highly skilled legal practitioners and to visit law firms dedicated to legal training through externships are also unique attractions of Keio.
Q2: What are your impressions of the classes at Keio Law School?
A : The amount of preparation and review can be overwhelming at times, but if you keep up with it, your skills will gradually improve. As mentioned on the alumni page (*see "Based on the Results of the 2010 New Bar Examination"
at http://www.ls.keio.ac.jp/graduates/2010message.pdf), there is a correlation between school grades and the results of the new bar examination. If you believe that keeping up with classes is worthwhile, you can have an enjoyable and fulfilling study experience.
B : The Socratic method classes are nerve-wracking because you never know when you'll be called on, so you can't skimp on preparation. Also, you have to answer questions immediately and in a way that others can understand, which makes law school classes tough but motivating. In particular, many classes at Keio Law School use original, seminar-style materials, which are designed so that you inevitably encounter important precedents and legal issues during your preparation. This allows for focused learning. Keio has a rich selection of elective courses, but I especially recommend Medical Law. It allows you to learn about actual medical disputes from the perspectives of the plaintiff, defendant, and judge in a seminar format, so it's great for those interested in that field.
Q3: What is your typical daily schedule like? (Regarding time for self-study, such as preparation and review)
A : I generally study from about 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM. When I'm not in class, I'm in the study room preparing or reviewing. Since school grades correlate with the results of the new bar examination, preparation and review are sufficient. The amount of preparation varies from person to person; I do it according to my own lifestyle.
B
: It varies by person, but I prepare for 2–3 hours for each subject. I have one to three classes per day. Ideally, I'd like to spend the same amount of time on review, but I usually do my reviewing in bulk on weekends.
Q4: Finally, what is your advice for everyone taking the Keio Law School entrance examination?
A : In an exam, even if you understand something in your head, it won't translate into points unless you can express it. So, I focused on practicing my output. I also trained myself to instantly identify the legal issues upon seeing a problem. When taking the exam, it's good to set high goals. I think it's better to aim for a top-ranking pass rather than just aiming to pass.
B : When you try to produce output, you often find you don't understand things as well as you thought. I did a lot of answer outlining and sometimes wrote out full essays. Outlining reveals gaps in your knowledge, and writing essays reveals difficulties in expression. First, study with an awareness of the statutory provisions, and then the precedents. The multiple-choice exam for Keio's program for students with a legal background is more difficult in content than those of other law schools, so you should try tackling it early. The essay-style exam has a short time limit, and I think you'll be far from passing if you can't finish writing your answer, so it's best to get a grasp of time management early on.