What do sailing the seven seas for many months, learning Japanese from scratch and working at the top law firm in two different countries have in common? My guest Pavitra Iyer has done them all! If you believe there is only one path to being a top level lawyer, then her story will definitely show you otherwise! Pavitra will show you that truly anything is possible with her fascinating lawyer life as an M&A lawyer in both India and Japan.

Becoming CEO of an international organisation is probably not on young lawyer’s minds as they graduate from law school and find their first law job. Mitsuru Claire Chino shares with us her path from working in a law firm to General Counsel to CEO. Claire has some absolute nuggets of wisdom that you won’t want to miss on how she sees that anyone can be their best, and it might surprise you some of the people she looks up to!

Legal career advice and stories of how to get yourself noticed for positions you can only dream of abound in Season Two Episode One with Lawyer Extraordinaire, Royanne Doi. Royanne has a way of explaining concepts that make you want to grab a pen and paper so you don’t miss anything. Make sure you have some ready for all the gold nuggets she has prepared for you. Royanne is not only a champion planner, and self-named “process queen” but also a master of noticing those moments of serendipity that have led her to land a dream job she didn’t know existed without even interviewing. How did she do it? Listen and find out!

Just when you thought Season One was finished and there would be no more Lawyer on Air until after the summer, we have a surprise bonus episode. Yuka Hongo and I spoke in Episode Seven about her area of the law which is Estate Planning. As more people live international lives, Estate planning also needs to become international. Yuka gives us a window into what she sees in her work and we hope that it will help you on your way to finding out what you need in your own plans too.

Here it is by popular demand! Episode 10 of Lawyer on Air, featuring none other than Catherine herself in the hot seat. Who better to interview Catherine than Lawyer on Air’s very first guest - Angela Krantz. We know you are going to love this episode and make sure you listen to the end for some surprises!!

I know there are so many lawyers who have been waiting to hear from our guest today: Jenifer Rogers. Sit back, buckle up and be prepared to be amazed and dazzled as we traverse her career in the law and hear about how she has found and made opportunities work for her. Jenifer is not only a powerhouse in the legal world but also turns her skills to help non-profits in areas she is passionate about. If you didn’t know Jenifer you might not realise just how big her heart is and how seriously she takes her impact on the world.

In 2012 my lawyer extraordinaire guest became the youngest female mayor ever in Japan. This is no small feat and even more so in Japan where at the time only 3% of mayors were women. Naomi Koshi shares her tenacity to accomplish goals that improve people’s lives. Whether they are the citizens of the city she served as mayor or in the work she now does on Smart Cities as a partner at Miura & Partners. In this episode we also discuss the timely topic of diversity on corporate boards and how Naomi is now turning her skills to increase female managers in businesses and promote more women to be elected to these boards. A value packed episode as well as a chance to get to know the woman who is a catalyst for making real changes in Japan.

There are many ways to lead a lawyer life and today’s guest has found her own niche in a part of the world and an area that suits her perfectly. Yuka Hongo of Hongo Law Office is a US qualified attorney who found her niche in Honolulu. Yuka is a perfect example that you don’t have to be loud and aggressive to be a lawyer, but that empathy and supporting people when they need it is an equally important aspect of the field. I can’t wait to be able to travel freely again and check out some of her recommendations for a trip to Hawaii!

This episode taught me that if there is someone out there you want to get to know more, then you should just reach out to them and book in an e-coffee or meet up if you can! Mindy was one of those people and I’m so glad this episode was a chance for us to get to know each other better. Mindy has done so much in her legal career already and she’s just revving up. If you are someone wanting to find out how to get started working as a lawyer in Japan or how to have a varied legal career then this is definitely a great episode for you.

My guest today has really carved a niche for herself and a career in the area of compliance and regulatory. Her career is fascinating. It is inspirational to hear how so much can actually happen in your career as a lawyer. You don't have to do just one single thing. There are many ways to lead your life as a lawyer, and the world really is your oyster. Listen and find out how Robyn aced it.