最終更新日 2025.12.29

UKの大学法学部に通う大学生のインターンシップを受け入れました。とても実直に研修して頂き、今後のキャリアを検討する良い機会になったと言って頂きました。感想を頂きましたので掲載します。

 

Only three months into a new experience of living in the UK, learning law and being a university student, I have anxiously spent much time exploring questions such as where I might practise (the UK or Japan), whether qualifying as a solicitor is the right path for me, and what it takes to build a meaningful and successful career after graduation. Without having anything determined for the future in my mind, I have rushed through getting an internship just like everyone else around me. However, I am fortunate enough to say that with my internship at Nakamura Law I have taken a big step towards my career. 

 

During my time at Nakamura Law Office, I was given an invaluable opportunity to learn what it truly means to be a lawyer. I was fortunate to receive guidance and support from three lawyers—most notably Mr. Nakamura, Mr. Sasaki, and Mr. Ohki—who assisted me throughout the week with great kindness and passion. 

Cross-Border Legal Practice with Yuki Nakamura

 

I would like to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to Mr. Nakamura for warmly welcoming me as an intern despite my limited experience and knowledge of Japanese law. When he told me that I was the first overseas intern and also the youngest, I felt truly honoured and deeply grateful for the opportunity he so kindly offered me.

 

Throughout his work I have accompanied him, I gained a deeper understanding of how abstract legal principles that I had not expected to appear operate in practice in various areas such as inheritance. I was also exposed to a wide range of cross-border corporate and regulatory matters. Even within a short period of just five days, Mr. Nakamura handled matters closely connected to jurisdictions such as Singapore, India, and the United States, which made me realize that cross-border legal practice is an area I strongly wish to pursue in the future.

 

In addition to reviewing documents and contracts, I was given many opportunities to sit alongside him during legal consultations. Following these sessions, I was able to discuss the issues in depth on a one-to-one basis, which enabled me to engage in highly active and meaningful learning. Through this experience, I came to appreciate how carefully legal advice must be given, particularly in cross-border matters where differences in legal systems, regulations, and cultural contexts must all be taken into account.

 

The conversation with him that struck me the most happened in the very last moment at Nakamura Law Office, when I questioned how to not compare myself with others and keep moving forward– which had become my biggest struggle since the day I began to build my legal career. He told me that in the field of law that is filled with elites, it is a continuing and inevitable experience for everyone, yet he emphasized how privileged one is to be in that environment for both personal and professional growth– which he also connected with how he became a generalist to stand out in this competitive market. I learned that a legal career does not simply end with qualifying as a lawyer, but is instead a continuous process of learning, adaptation, and self-reflection. His positive attitude toward growth and competition inspired me to approach my own legal journey with greater resilience and curiosity, rather than fear of comparison.

 

Developing Legal Judgment with Hisao Sasaki

 

Mr. Sasaki gave me one of the most challenging tasks and the most valuable advice during my term as an intern. He was consulting on a matter regarding payment service providers and holding funds, and he allowed me to read contracts and discuss what is the best way to do so. When I say the task was challenging, it was not only because it was a complex legal issue, but also because I had to start by researching the most basic concepts I was lacking knowledge in– such as how credit cards work and what it means to enforce a judgment. 

 

The task was directly related to legal consultation involving considering multiple enforcement options, carefully weighing their respective advantages and disadvantages, and discussing these strategic choices with the client. Although I was not able to develop what I would consider the best possible approach to the problem myself, the fact that he showed interest in the regulation I pointed out gave me a strong sense of accomplishment, even though it was a small contribution. Through this experience, I realised how lawyers conduct extensive research before proposing the most effective approach to resolving a matter. 

 

Apart from practical experience, his unique career journey from an engineer to an associate lawyer in Nakamura Office was one of the most surprising and the most inspiring stories I have ever heard– and he has taught me that one can never settle and determine the future from the very first start no matter how hard you try. He has encouraged me to take every arising opportunity with an open mind, and not rush through life without careful consideration– a life advice I will cherish for. 

Understanding Professional Responsibility from Shun Ohki 

 

Mr. Ohki was the first lawyer I encountered and conversed with in the office, and he welcomed me with great friendliness. He has provided me with various tasks and allowed me to solidify my understanding of some of the most basic concepts of civil law. In particular, I was taught a great deal about the Act for Eliminating Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities, as well as matters relating to divorce. 

 

In the discrimination case, I was not only required to read the relevant statutory provisions and research case law on reasonable accommodation, but was also encouraged to reflect deeply on the multifaceted nature of the issues involved. Through our discussions, I came to appreciate that such cases require careful consideration beyond the black-letter law, including social context and competing interests. 

 

This learning also connected closely with the professional attitude Mr. Ohki emphasized when I mentioned my university essay on judicial subjectivity. From his guidance, I learned that neutrality is not required only of judges; legal practice itself demands a high degree of objectivity. Being a lawyer is not simply about aligning uncritically with a client’s position, but about finding the most appropriate balance between the client’s interests, legal constraints, and practical realities, and working within that threshold. The objectivity he demonstrated during legal consultations on the discrimination matter was a clear embodiment of this approach. His advice consistently extended beyond the narrow question of illegality, encompassing broader considerations of fairness, proportionality, and practical resolution. I would like to emphasize that Mr. Ohki has greatly influenced my aspiration to pursue a legal career guided by the same principles. 

 

Alongside these three lawyers, I have also enjoyed the company of everyone (literally) in the office– while it goes without saying that they were exceptional professionals, it was their kindness and friendliness that left the deepest impression on me. I must admit that their presence has undoubtedly raised my standards for the people I wish to work with, the leadership I hope to learn from, and the environment I aspire to be part of in the future. 

  

Words are not enough to express how truly grateful I am for this internship experience, and I am confident to say that I have grown a lot not only as an aspiring lawyer but as a single human being. It was my greatest privilege and will remain a lasting memory for me.