What does it take to transform from a technical legal expert into a strategic conductor of organisational change? Keiko Uchida, Head of Legal and Compliance at Roche Diagnostics Japan, shares her journey to leadership from playing the figurative “violin in an orchestra” to becoming “the conductor.”

Discover what it means to move from solving one case with 100 pieces of evidence to solving 100 questions with almost none, and why doubling productivity in Japanese companies has become Keiko Uchida’s driving purpose.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

• The powerful conversation that shifted her entire career trajectory

• Why being a housewife became her greatest strength rather than a setback

• How Keiko is building a regional legal network across APAC

• Her favourite book and other fun facts

About Keiko

Keiko Uchida is the Head of Legal & Compliance at Roche Diagnostics K.K., where she sits on the leadership team as a direct report to the CEO and oversees legal affairs, compliance, data privacy, corporate governance, and risk management across the organisation.

Since joining Roche in 2022, Keiko has played a pivotal regional leadership role, earning the “Change Maker of the Year 2024” award for APAC in recognition of her impact in building a high-performing, collaborative legal network across the region, as well as driving market-focused partnerships between legal, security, and commercial operations teams. One of her team members was also recognised as VIP of the Year 2024 within Roche Diagnostics Japan — a reflection of her strength as a people leader.

Before Roche, Keiko served as Corporate Officer, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and Data Privacy Officer at AXA General Insurance Co., Ltd., where she led legal and compliance transformation initiatives during a period of organisational change. She previously held senior legal and corporate secretary roles within AXA, and earlier in her career practiced as a lawyer in private practice after completing her legal training in Japan.

Keiko’s career is uniquely cross-sector, with earlier professional experience in financial institutions including J.P. Morgan and Shinsei Trust Bank, as well as academic work as an Assistant Professor at a research center of The University of Tokyo. She later returned to the University of Tokyo to complete her J.D., following a Master’s degree in law from Kyoto University.

Recognised on the Legal 500 GC Powerlist Japan 2023, a panelist at GC Summit 2024, and co-author of a practical legal handbook on contract law published in 2023, Keiko is known for blending deep legal expertise with organisational leadership and strategic thinking.

Her professional passion lies in balancing opportunity and risk while building high-performing organizations, and outside of work she enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures.

Connect with Keiko

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keiko-uchida-3bab7a30/

Links

How to Win Friends and Influence People: https://amzn.asia/d/09azrBtm

Connect with Catherine

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair

What do you do when everyone tells you it's impossible? D. Didem Tari is a Turkish lawyer who refused to let jurisdiction, language barriers, or naysayers stop her from building a legal career in Japan. Now working as a legal advisor at Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), Didem shares her remarkable journey from 13 years in an Ankara boutique firm to finding her dream role in Tokyo. This is a story about shaping your own mold when you don't fit the typical template and proving that passion combined with persistence can overcome any barrier.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you will hear:

• How witnessing legal injustices at the age of 8 and 13, shaped Didem's decision to become the lawyer her family needed

• The "after this, after this" trap that kept Didem in one place for 13 years and how she finally broke free to make her dream come true

• Why the doubts of naysayers were the biggest challenge

• The breakthrough moment at a Women in Law Japan event that shifted Didem from thinking "it's possible" to visualising "it's happening"

About Didem

D. Didem Tarı is a Turkiye-registered lawyer and currently serves as a Legal Advisor at TEPCO’s Overseas Business Office, where she contributes to the company’s international expansion and strategic partnerships. She joined TEPCO in April 2024, bringing more than 14 years of legal experience across the energy and aviation industries.

Prior to joining TEPCO, Didem developed a broad and internationally oriented career at a boutique law firm in Ankara, advising a global portfolio of clientele - from emerging enterprises to large multinational holdings - on complex legal matters. Her core areas of expertise include energy law (with a particular focus on renewables), aviation law, corporate and commercial law, and cross-border contracts.

Admitted to the Ankara Bar in 2009, she holds an LL.M. in Public International Law from Ankara University Faculty of Law. She is also the author of The Legal Status of the Southern Kurile Islands, a work reflecting her longstanding interest in international legal issues. To further strengthen her decade-long specialisation in aviation, she completed a BB.A. in Aviation Management, integrating legal, technical, and operational perspectives within the field.

Didem proudly represented Turkiye in the prestigious Ship for World Youth (SWY) program, and has remained active in international volunteer initiatives, taking on leadership and coordination responsibilities in collaboration with IYEO, the Cabinet Office of Japan, and JICA.

In her spare time, she is passionate about scuba diving, Ashtanga yoga, and traveling.

Connect with Didem

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-didem-tari/

Links

The Mosque Cafe, Shimokitazawa : http://mosquecoffee.com

In the Name of Identity: https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Name-Identity-Violence-Need-Belong/dp/1611453240

European Journal of International Law Podcast: https://www.ejiltalk.org/ejil-the-podcast-page/

Yuyuの日本語のポッドキャストhttps://www.youtube.com/@yuyunihongopodcast

Women in Law Japan: https://womeninlawjapan.org /

Connect with Catherine

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair

Aida Wang is a top-billing legal recruiter at Just Legal who specialises in private practice placements for bengoshi (Japan-qualified lawyers). With a unique background as a professional translator and interpreter between English and Mandarin Chinese, Aida brings a fresh perspective on bridging communication gaps - not just between languages, but between lawyers and law firms.

Aida shares practical advice on deal sheets, career planning, and why speaking to a recruiter from day one of your legal career journey in Japan can change your career trajectory.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

• The critical importance of creating and maintaining a deal sheet from day one of your career

• Why you should speak to a recruiter early in your career, not just when you're actively looking

• The biggest misconception about Japanese bengoshi lawyers

• How Aida helps candidates and clients create compelling stories to help find a perfect match

About Aida

Aida Wang is a Tokyo-based legal recruiter specialising in Bengoshi (Japan-qualified lawyer) searches for private practice, with a particular focus on supporting associates and counsels as they navigate the critical transition points in their legal careers.

Currently a Principal Consultant at Just Legal, Aida works with both Japanese and international law firms, recruiting Japanese Bengoshi and foreign-qualified attorneys across a wide range of practice areas. She is known for her thoughtful, relationship-driven approach and for offering market insight that goes well beyond simply filling roles. In her first quarter at Just Legal, Aida quickly made her mark as a top biller which is a reflection of her proactive mindset, deep preparation, and ability to truly understand both candidates and clients.

Before moving into legal recruitment, Aida spent over a decade working as a Chinese–English freelance translator and interpreter, including roles in media, film, and news translation. This earlier career laid the foundation for what has become a defining theme of her professional life: bridging gaps - between languages, cultures, expectations, and ultimately, legal careers. Her background in interpreting gives her a rare ability to listen carefully, read between the lines, and translate what lawyers want into what the market is really asking for.

Aida holds a Bachelor’s degree from National Chengchi University in Taiwan, along with a Master’s degree in Interpreting and Translation from the University of Bath in the UK. She has also completed Japanese language studies at Keio University. Having lived and worked in Taiwan, the Bahamas, the United States, the UK, and Japan, she brings a genuinely global perspective to her work. She is a native speaker of Mandarin and English, with business-level Japanese, and regularly supports cross-border legal careers in the Japanese market.

Through her conversations with Bengoshi across multiple practice areas, Aida frequently hears one recurring challenge: how to develop clients and bring in work before holding a partner title. This insight shapes much of her advisory work with senior associates who are thinking carefully about long-term career sustainability, visibility, and progression within private practice.

Outside of work, Aida enjoys cooking and crafting with her eight-year-old son, a creative counterbalance to her professional life that reflects the same curiosity and care she brings to her career.

Connect with Aida

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hsinyuaidawang/

Just Legal: https://www.justsearchgroup.com/justlegal/consultants/aida-wang

Links

Afternoon Tea: https://www.afternoon-tea.net/

Connect with Catherine

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair