June 25, 2012
We would like to share some of the content from the information session for the Keio University Law School, held on Saturday, June 16, 2012.
[Information Session Overview]
Date and Time: Saturday, June 16, 2012, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Venue: Mita Campus, South School Building Hall
Osaka Riverside Campus (simulcast)
[Program]
1. Opening Remarks
2. Greeting from the Dean of the Law School
3. Curriculum Overview
4. Introduction to a Legal Practitioner... Takashi Asai (Professor, Keio University Law School)
5. Introduction to Current Students
6. Introduction to Current Students
7. Q&A Session
Introduction to a Legal Practitioner...
Takashi Asai
(Professor, Keio University Law School)
We present an excerpt from the lecture by Professor Takashi Asai , who is active as both a faculty member and a lawyer, from the Keio University Law School entrance examination information session held on Saturday, June 16, 2012. We hope this will be a helpful reference for everyone aspiring to join the legal profession.
I decided to pursue a career in the legal profession during my third and fourth years of undergraduate studies, right when finding a job became a reality. Rather than joining a company and working as part of an organization, I was drawn to the work of a lawyer, which would allow me to see various companies and worlds by working independently. I passed the bar examination (the old system) at the age of 26, and my time studying for it can be broadly divided into two periods. I believe my experience can serve as a cautionary tale for all of you, so I would like to share it.
The first period was a time of self-study. Although I attended a bar exam prep school, I spent over three years studying on my own. At that time, out of 25,000 examinees for the bar exam, only about 4,000 passed the multiple-choice section, and fewer than 500 passed the essay section. However, I couldn't even pass the multiple-choice exam until I was 24. Alarmed by my inability to pass even that first hurdle, I joined the "Shiho Kenkyushitsu" (Legal Research Office, hereafter referred to as Shihoken) that existed at Keio at the time. The year after I had been there for two years, I passed the multiple-choice exam, and the year after that, I passed the essay exam as well, achieving final success two years after joining Shihoken.
What I can say from my experience studying for the bar exam is this: as you enter law school and aim for the new bar examination, "you must never study alone." On the other hand, as you can probably understand from my two years of experience at Shihoken, having "excellent study partners" and "seniors who can teach you" allows you to learn an incredible amount in a very short time. Keio Law School is an educational institution with the best possible environment, providing these excellent study partners, seniors, and faculty members. This is clearly demonstrated by Keio Law School's high pass rates and the number of successful candidates in the bar examination.
I have been a lawyer for 22 years now, and as I mentioned at the beginning, I wanted to see different worlds through corporations. Although I wasn't good at English, as someone hoping to practice corporate law, I had the choice between commercial matters and labor matters at the time. I chose to join a law firm that handled labor cases and consultations from the corporate side. After nine years, I became a partner (co-owner), and I continue in that role today. Just as I had hoped, I was able to see a variety of companies and worlds. Specifically, I had clients from various industries and got a glimpse into their worlds, including retailers like department stores, supermarkets, and home centers; financial institutions such as non-life and life insurance companies, banks, and securities firms; educational institutions like universities and vocational schools; hospitals; transportation companies like logistics and airline companies; and staffing agencies. About 70–80% of my clients were Japanese companies and 20–30% were foreign-affiliated, which also allowed me to learn about the mindset of foreign companies.
My work can be broadly divided into two types: individual labor cases and consultation matters. When you think of a lawyer's work, you probably imagine litigation involving individual labor cases, but designing corporate HR systems also constitutes a significant part of the job. In designing HR systems, I receive consultations on topics such as transitioning from a seniority-based wage system to a performance-based one and how to do so without causing disputes. In individual cases, I also respond to corporate needs, such as how to prevent disputes in advance when facilitating amicable retirements or how to resolve issues before they escalate into conflicts. This type of work, being involved in a company's HR design, is very creative. While lawyers may have a strong image of handling the aftermath of incidents through litigation, I hope you will be motivated in your studies by the fact that they can also be deeply involved with companies and do creative work with them.
A key point of corporate law work centered on labor is that it deals with the human element of a company: the employees. The subject is not things, but people. In other words, you design HR systems and handle individual HR laws for "people with emotions." A lawyer who takes on labor cases or consultations for the corporate side must always consider the perspective of how to deal with workers, who are human beings with feelings. This is an issue you won't find in any book or textbook; it's something you encounter for the first time in an actual dispute. You will have the opportunity to study such problems in advance in law school workshops and other settings. These issues are extremely important. It is crucial to gain experience in dealing with the specific characteristics of a specialized field and to present solutions to companies that are tailored to those characteristics. It can be said that lawyers who can provide such solutions are highly valued by companies.
In terms of my duties, when dealing with cases that occur in regional areas for companies with a nationwide presence, they often request their legal counsel in Tokyo, so I travel to different regions almost every week. I also receive requests to speak at seminars for corporate representatives and Labor and Social Security Attorneys, as well as requests to write for magazines and books. Being a lawyer is a freelance profession, so you can decide your own days off. However, practitioners who receive many requests from clients can become extremely busy, sometimes working through weekends.
I hope that my story will be a useful reference for you as you enter Keio Law School, become legal practitioners, and consider what kind of vision to have for your future careers.
Introduction to Current Students
From the Keio University Law School entrance examination information session held on Saturday, June 16, 2012, we would like to share the voices of students currently enrolled in our 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, 1st year (three-year program).
B : Male, 3rd year (two-year program).
C : Female, 3rd year (three-year program).
Q1: Among the many law schools, what was the deciding factor in choosing Keio Law School?
A : I had been attending Keio University since my undergraduate years and liked the atmosphere. Other factors included the high pass rate for the new bar examination, the well-developed curriculum and facilities, and the many excellent professors.
B : Firstly, the pass rate was particularly good. I had heard from senior students that the instruction was more dedicated compared to other law schools. I was also interested in corporate law during my undergraduate studies, and the fact that Keio emphasized its Corporate Law Workshop Program was a big factor.
C : Since I was working, I planned to decide which school to attend after seeing where I was accepted. But among my options, I chose Keio Law School primarily because of its good pass rate. I also felt that the atmosphere among the professors during the information session and entrance exam was very positive.
Q2: When did you start thinking about the law school entrance exam and begin preparing for it?
A : I started preparing during the spring break after my second year of university.
B
: Since I had mainly been studying through my university classes, I started studying specifically for the entrance exam during the spring break after my third year. However, starting in the spring of my third year, I had decided on the basic textbooks I would rely on and set a daily quota of pages to study.
C
: I started preparing two months before taking the aptitude test.
Q3: What are your impressions of the classes at Keio Law School?
A : Before entering law school, I thought memorization was the most important thing. While memorization is of course important, I now feel that thinking logically is crucial. In the Civil Code seminar that started last month, we are made to thoroughly think through the logical process to reach a conclusion. The 90-minute classes fly by, and I feel a great sense of fulfillment.
B
: In the two-year program, classes are based on the premise of advance preparation, where we are given case law to review beforehand. In my undergraduate studies, I didn't often look at cases from the perspective of the parties involved, but since entering law school, I've been trained to view disputes dynamically, which makes the classes interesting.
C
: The curriculum is well-designed for students without a law background to catch up in three years. The instruction is very helpful, and the classes are dense with content.
Q4: What is your typical daily schedule like? (Regarding time for self-study, preparation, and review)
A : I have two 90-minute classes every day, and they usually finish by 1:00 p.m. Since I live close to campus, I mainly study at home. The time for preparation and review varies by class, but it's generally about two hours for each.
B : As a third-year student, many of my classes start at 9:00 a.m., so I arrive at school at 7:30 a.m. and go home around 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. I have about two classes a day, and in between, I either prepare and review or study in a voluntary study group. I only study at school.
C : I get to school at 7:00 a.m. and go home at 9:00 p.m. I have a lot of things to carry (books), so I focus on studying at school.
Q5: What kind of legal professional do you aspire to be in the future?
A : I've loved soccer since I was a child and have always wanted a job related to it. In a university seminar, I heard about being an agent for soccer players, which sparked my interest in the connection between sports and law. Once I become a legal professional, I hope to become a soccer player's agent.
B : I'm also interested in legal research (public law), and I entered law school with the prospect of research in mind, so I still haven't decided between becoming a lawyer, a judge, or a researcher. If I do become a practitioner, I would like to bridge the gap between research and practice.
C : Since I used to work at a financial institution, I think it's highly likely I will be involved in legal affairs within a financial institution again. I've also talked with my former colleagues about potentially doing something interesting together.
Q6: Finally, what advice do you have for everyone applying to Keio Law School?
A : For those entering the two-year program next year, we might have the chance to study in the same class. Good luck with your law school exams, and I hope we can study together next year.
B : Although there are only three months left until the exam, I feel the most important thing for the law school entrance exam is to study all subjects and fields evenly. After entering law school, I've come to realize the importance of reading court judgments directly, and I think this is important at the application stage as well, so I recommend paying attention to this.
C : I recommend starting your legal studies as much as possible before you enroll. The three-year program teaches you from the basics, but the classes move at a fast pace. Also, it would be a shame if you were so overwhelmed with required courses that you couldn't take the interesting electives available from the second year, so starting your studies early is key.