Norman Solberg, American Lawyer In Japan

Why choose a personal and business international lawyer like me?

Today there are many excellent, high quality professional resources, but how do you find one that is right for you? Because I have been a client myself, I can advise you on some of the most important things to look for when you need to hire a lawyer.

A Continuing Relationship

While there are clients who like to use lawyers on a case-by-case basis, or who prefer different law firms for different specialities, there can be a real advantage in having a continuing relationship with someone who knows your history, business and goals and who is in a position to work in your best interests most efficiently.

Other Firms

You could go to one of the very fine international or domestic law firms, which have between 100 and 4,000 lawyers, and those can provide excellent services. I was trained and have worked in top-tier firms -- and I know their quality. I also have hired and managed the work of many of the very best firms all over the world when I ran law functions for large companies. While sometimes there are bargains, these firms typically can be very costly unless managed properly. After all, large firms can have many mouths to feed and aggressive profit goals. Inevitably, their main focus has to be on very large corporate clients.

Virtually all large law firms bill by the hour, with an increasing number reaching $1000 per hour for top performers. Most use billable hours as a basis for partner compensation and almost all base junior lawyer compensation and bonuses on hours billed. In contrast, while there are rare cases where I bill on an hourly basis, I prefer to charge fixed fees based on the value of a project. This avoids any incentive to charge for extra hours and clients can feel free to inquire about status or to provide extra input without fear of additional cost. That results in efficiency and predictability for both of us.

Another feature that differentiates my practice is that I am not a “sales representative,” who forwards projects to junior lawyers or to teams of lawyers in other countries, where there may be less attention to your concerns and budget. You know who is doing your work before you get the bill.

Japanese firms tend to be smaller. Many Japanese lawyers offer high quality services, but it may be difficult to assure that they have the skills to deal with your specific facts if there is an international dimension. Typically, such firms bill on value, but they tend to have fixed schedules of fees over which you have no say. In recent years, the larger Japanese firms have been shifting to hourly billing, since they are subject to the same pressures to maximize profits as their foreign counterparts.

I should also note that there are some foreign and Japanese lawyers who have foreign law licenses, but who are not based here, or not licensed to act in Japan, and thus not subject to professional standards. It can be hard to tell how much actual experience they have or how good they are.

One way or another, it is easy to get less than you are entitled.

A Different, More Useful Business Model

What differentiates me is that I have the same level of in-depth quality and experience as the very large firms, but in a much more lean practice, striving for efficiency and results that are focused on your concerns, not those of the firm. I do not charge based on their overhead expenses or profit pressures, and I provide value without running up the meter on my clients. While I will not handle every possible issue that you may encounter, my work in a wide range of quality-intensive areas makes me familiar with most that people face. I can also apply that experience to offer solutions to reach the best outcomes for you.

In Japan, like many countries, it can be awfully hard to find persons who have both the right skills and an international, results-oriented perspective. Since I have that perspective, and I have actually hired and trained many professionals myself, I can assure that you get the right results.

As a personal attorney and counselor, I work as an advisor to families and their businesses on a completely confidential basis, with the privacy, individual attention and other advantages that a small firm affords. Most companies in Japan are family businesses and they need and expect this.

Note that I am happy to work with your bankers, investment advisors, financial planners, trust companies and accountants to achieve what is right for you.