The first of my “Next Level” word of the year activities for 2020, was to upgrade my membership with the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) from ”Individual Member” to “Commercial Member”. ACCJ recognised Catherine O’Connell Law in the ACCJ weekly newsletter. I’m a new commercial member, but have been a member of ACCJ first as the Representative Member of a US-subsidiary Corporate from 2014 and thereafter as an individual. Commercial membership is a new category of ACCJ membership and offers more benefits and status recognition to me than as an individual, so it felt like the absolute right thing for me to do as a Next Level action for 2020.

I’m proud to also have been elevated to CHAIR of the Legal Services & IP Committee of the ACCJ with my Co-Chair Scott Warren, as my second “Next Level” action for 2020. Scott and I are keenly planning the year’s exciting networking and speaker activities.

Check back here for more stories about me “next leveling” as Chair and Commercial Member of the ACCJ.