From Japan to Jakarta: How the SMU LLM programme nurtured a global legal eagle
Despite widespread travel restrictions around the world and efforts by countries to preserve their economic sovereignty, the current wave of Globalisation 4.0 is showing no signs of abating. The global economy was projected to grow 6.0 per cent in 2021, and 4.9 per cent in 2022 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) 's April 2021 World Economic Outlook forecast.
Characterised by global changes driven by technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and the Internet of Things, Globalisation 4.0 requires governance reforms and dramatic innovations in regulations to thrive. As such, legal frameworks have been disrupted by the current economic flux, leading to the growing demand for legal professionals who possess the relevant skillsets to understand and shape the path forward.
Currently based in Indonesia, corporate lawyer Koji Umai graduated from Soka University in Japan with a Juris Doctor degree and was a Partner Attorney at a law firm in Japan before deciding to broaden his horizons at SMU.
"After I was promoted to the position of a partner attorney in 2017, I advised on international contracts in relation to overseas expansion projects," shares Koji.
"In these projects, I communicated with related parties to discuss not only legal issues but also tax, accounting, finance, and other related business practices. I became aware that what clients wanted are practical legal solutions that informed their business decisions. These experiences encouraged me to learn more about Asian laws, especially when adopting common laws, which is the standard among international commercial transactions."
Before working in Indonesia, Koji spent seven years at a law firm in Japan. He was involved in various corporate affairs and had experience in international matters in civil, estate, insolvency, and criminal cases. In 2018, he furthered his study at the Singapore Management University, where he obtained his Master of Laws (LLM) degree in Cross-Border Business and Finance Law in Asia.
With its state-of-the-art infrastructure, strong traditions in common law, attractive regulatory environment and bustling business ecosystem, Singapore is a global legal hub. Its dynamic network of world-class firms provides key services such as deal-making, compliance, arbitration and cross-border financing, making the city-state a premier destination for the world's top legal professionals.
Situated at the heart of the central business district where leading law firms and banks are located, SMU is at the forefront of legal education. The LLM programme is designed to expand graduates' knowledge in classic and novel areas of the law while equipping them with essential skillsets to advise on cross-border transactions or deliver high-quality adjudication and judicial administration results.
"Keeping up with the course content was harder than I had expected," admits Koji, who specialised in Cross-Border Business and Finance Law in Asia. "Many of the classes such as International Business Law or Insolvency Law required prerequisite practical knowledge, so I read a lot of materials before classes each day."
Koji also admits that it is not common for working professionals to return to college after entering the workforce in Japan. In contrast, he noted that his LLM classmates in SMU mostly possessed professional experience and displayed a different passion for lifelong learning. They hailed from diverse backgrounds — some of whom graduated from the National University of Singapore, Hanoi University, King's College London, Thammasat University, University of Delhi, University of Tokyo, and Wuhan University. Everyone could engage with one another in the small-sized, interactive class environment to share their experience as lawyers, in-house counsels or legal academics.
"The classes were made up of motivated students from all around the world, many with a substantial legal background," recalls Koji, who graduated in 2019 and spent some time at a major law firm in Singapore before finally working at a law firm in Indonesia.
"I was glad to be around excellent classmates and teammates, without whom I would not have completed all the tasks that we were required to work on."
The recent surge in economic development within ASEAN has also brought about rapid growth in Japanese companies around the region. However, the legal diversity of Southeast Asia poses multiple complexities surrounding taxation, immigration or labour regulations. Legal professionals navigating these laws require a global mindset and deep knowledge of regional regulations to advise on their clients' expansion strategies effectively.
Currently, Koji works with multinational Japanese companies and advises clients on the latest regulations and laws, from contracts, labour law, various compliance issues. He also helps his clients overcome the conflicts in laws after entry into South East Asian jurisdictions, especially the Indonesian market. His employer, One Asia Lawyers, is a network of independent law firms created expressly to provide legal advice for Japanese clients.
"I belong to a law firm that has offices throughout ASEAN and other Asian countries, and I currently work at its Jakarta office to support Japanese companies entering Indonesia," says Koji. "Many Japanese companies invest in Indonesia via Singapore, and the experience at SMU has been beneficial."
The SMU Yong Pung How School of Law faculty are equipped with vast industry experience that helps to bridge theory and practice. Built on SMU's world-class business and finance research, the LLM programme's holistic curriculum, as well as professional study tours and networking opportunities, further advance students' legal expertise and prospective careers.
"Singapore is the centre of the Asian economy and plays a significant role in legal matters. In addition, the living environment is by far the best in ASEAN, making it an easy place to live," reveals Koji.
"As long as I am involved in the businesses in ASEAN countries, I will be returning to Singapore in some capacity."