Leveraging serendipity with work ethic for success in the Japanese legal industry with Mindy Allen

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.
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to LinkedIn, and tag me and Mindy. Or leave us a message here!
In this episode you’ll hear:

How a mix of serendipity x hard work led Mindy to find herself interning over several summers in Japan.
What happened when she graduated from law school in 2010 during the World Financial Crisis
What is the Japanese term of “ringi”
How her experience in law school has spun off to other opportunities in the legal world as a university lecturer
Her advice for up and coming lawyers who want to do varied work in Japan
Her favourite podcasts and other fun facts

About Mindy
Mindy is originally from New York. She graduated with a JD from Stanford University in 2010. She also completed a BA in East Asian Languages and Cultures, and an MA in East Asian Regional Studies from Columbia University in New York. Through her father’s encouragement to learn more languages, she started to learn Japanese and arrived in Japan in 2001 for a homestay in Tokushima. That culture shock did not deter her from interning in Japan for six consecutive summers and she was able to move to her New York firm’s Tokyo office in 2014.  In 2019 she joined the boutique law firm southgate where she practices today whilst also teaching a legal writing class at Keio University.
Connect with Mindy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-allen-8391107/
Links
Mindy’s local restaurant: Tetote Apartment: http://tetote-apartment.com/
Working as a Sole Practitioner in Tokyo - Panel discussion hosted by Women in Law Japan (WILJ): https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/blog/working-as-a-sole-practitioner-in-tokyo-panel-discussion-hosted-by-women-in-law-japan-wilj
Full Release with Samantha B  Podcast: https://www.earwolf.com/show/full-release-with-samantha-bee/
Contract Teardown Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contract-teardown-show/id1552795073
Smitten Kitchen Blog: https://smittenkitchen.com/
Life after Law Book: https://www.amazon.co.jp/Life-After-Law-Finding-Work/dp/1138469955
The Pastry Chef’s Guide Book:  https://www.amazon.co.jp/Pastry-Chefs-Guide-Secret-Successful/dp/1911641514