Junichiro Shibata
LLM for Foreign-Trained Lawyers (U.S. Law)
Motivation for Enrollment
At the time, I was working at a firm specializing in intellectual property, where I handled almost exclusively international matters. My daily work involved analyzing foreign laws and collaborating with overseas attorneys. Through this experience, I began to feel that while I had some familiarity with Anglo-American legal concepts, my understanding was still incomplete. This realization led me to strongly desire a more rigorous and systematic study of U.S. and common law, which became one of my motivations for enrolling.
Another motivating factor was that, through my work at the firm, I had become keenly focused on obtaining professional qualifications. I began to consider how I could best leverage my strength in international legal practice. Through this process, I concluded that acquiring a solid foundation in U.S. law would significantly broaden my professional horizons through its underlying common-law framework, while also allowing me to position myself uniquely as a Japanese legal professional with Anglo-American legal reasoning. On that basis, I decided to pursue enrollment.
Learning Experience at Law School
What left the strongest impression on me at law school was the Socratic method, which emphasized not merely learning legal rules, but engaging in dialogue with professors to explore why such rules are necessary. Through these exchanges, I developed the habit of asking:
- What underlying problems exist?
- How would people behave if left unregulated?
- Are those behaviors desirable?
- If not, how should norms and rules be structured?
This way of thinking has proven to be an invaluable asset, particularly when drafting and reviewing contracts.
Balancing full-time work with the weekly burden of substantial pre-reading assignments was far from easy. However, consistently working through large volumes of English legal materials within limited time helped me develop the ability to quickly grasp key points and the broader context—an efficient “strategic reading” skill that continues to serve as a major professional asset.
Beyond developing technical skills, law school also gave me the opportunity to meet classmates from diverse backgrounds. The network I built has remained valuable not only during my studies, but also long after graduation, and continues to be a significant professional resource.
Bar Exam
When I first enrolled, I never imagined that not having an undergraduate degree from a law faculty would present such a serious obstacle to taking the bar exam. When I initially applied to sit for the Washington, D.C. bar examination, my application was rejected on the grounds that I did not possess a “First Degree in Law.” Subsequently, my application in California was rejected for the same reason, leaving me deeply discouraged by the realization that I could not even qualify to sit for the exam.
Afterward, I obtained the Japanese patent attorney qualification and reapplied in California as an “Attorney Applicant,” only to be informed that, as of that year, Japanese patent attorneys were no longer eligible under that category. After considerable trial and error, I ultimately enrolled in an online J.D. program to satisfy the eligibility requirements. As a result, five years after graduating from Temple, I was finally able to secure eligibility to sit for the California Bar Examination.
Because the struggle to obtain exam eligibility was so grueling, I remember relatively little about the hardship of the actual exam preparation itself. Simply being allowed to sit for the exam felt like a privilege. I passed the California Bar Examination on my second attempt.
Future Outlook
After working at an intellectual property firm, I went on to serve in the legal departments of multiple U.S.-based entertainment companies. I currently serve as General Counsel for another U.S. entertainment company in Japan. I believe that my steady career progression within U.S. corporate legal departments has been made possible by the Anglo-American legal mindset I cultivated at Temple and, above all, by my perseverance in obtaining the California bar qualification.
In addition to my corporate role, I have been fortunate to serve as an adjunct faculty member at TUJ. Engaging with current students has provided me with fresh perspectives while also offering valuable opportunities to reflect on my own legal practice.
With the aim of expanding my professional reach beyond the United States into other common-law jurisdictions, I have also obtained qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales. Going forward, I hope to actively pursue opportunities not only in Japan and the U.S., but across a broader international landscape.
Ending Remarks
In this way, Temple provided me with far more than knowledge of U.S. law or eligibility to sit for the bar exam. It offered a rigorous environment in which I could challenge and refine myself on multiple levels, in a setting far removed from my native language and culture. In international practice, one is often required to assert one’s position persistently and creatively under challenging conditions, and I believe Temple is an ideal place to cultivate that resilience. For those who have even a slight interest in improving their English skills or obtaining bar eligibility, I strongly encourage you to also experience the broader international perspective that lies beyond those goals.