Actually, my parents are also lawyers, and I was inspired by seeing their work. I was also attracted to the idea of not necessarily working freelance, but having a large degree of discretion and freedom in my work schedule.

I joined in 2017 and mainly handled clients from publicly traded companies, dealing with M&A and large-scale litigation cases. It was quite hectic during periods with overlapping major litigations and M&A deals (laughs).

Certainly, I learned a lot at the law firm, but I found that clients often viewed us as external experts, and there wasn't much demand to deeply commit to their business and performance when providing legal advice. As I handled numerous cases, I wanted to deepen my understanding of business and internal company matters more. Also, seeing acquaintances among lawyers transition to corporate law, study abroad, or move to government agencies and broaden their careers, I began to feel the desire to work in a different field with a new perspective. At that time, a university peer who was already working at Reazon, Murakawa-san, approached me with, "I want your help to strengthen Reazon's legal organization!" Hearing that, along with the fact that two other university peers were also working at Leazon, I had already heard various things about the company's culture and business content, so I thought, "At Reazon, I can work with a new perspective, which seems interesting!" and decided to join.

The strong appeal of being able to work with a sense of urgency, having significant personal discretion, and being close to the executives were decisive factors for me. Also, even though it's a venture company, I felt that the management functions were well established and the company had a high awareness of management, so I felt that I could work here with peace of mind and made up my mind to join.

Yes. At Reazon, there are various businesses such as gaming, food tech, advertising, and media, so the scope of legal work is very broad, and I am given a larger degree of discretion than I imagined, which I find pleasantly surprising. Also, new businesses are constantly being launched, so I get to work in fields I've never been involved in before, which is fun.

A significant difference is that at a law firm, you may sometimes be seen strictly as an external advisor to clients, whereas at a business company, you can experience a sense of unity in creating businesses, services, and products together with internal team members. Even in providing legal advice, the perspectives differ between a law firm and within a corporate law team. At a law firm, advice often stops at pointing out risks, whereas at a business, it goes deeper into advising on what should be done considering the risks. I find this aspect very intriguing.

Exactly. To be honest, I still have much to learn, so I won't speak too arrogantly, but since I'll be advising on matters that can affect the establishment and growth of businesses, I always strive to understand the business thoroughly. Understanding business well and providing advice that is clear and meaningful to the business unit is crucial for demonstrating the value of legal counsel.

In fact, I actively gather information by exploring Reazon's products, using competitors' products for industry analysis, going out for drinks with members of the business unit for information gathering, and participating in communities where legal professionals gather to exchange information frequently.

As for the current main roles of the legal department, we handle legal, compliance, and intellectual property matters related to various businesses such as gaming, advertising, delivery platforms, and media operations, as well as other new businesses, and provide legal advice on an ongoing basis as consulted by the business units.

For example, when starting a new business, we first conduct a hearing to understand the overall picture of what kind of business the business unit wants to pursue, break down the business legally, consider which laws might be relevant, and organize the issues in areas where legal hurdles may exist. Based on the results, we discuss whether there are legal issues and how they can be addressed.

For instance, in cases where a license is necessary for conducting business, we move toward obtaining the license, or if the case does not require a license, there may still be some legal implications, so it is necessary to thoroughly interview the details of the case. Especially at Reazon, where many unprecedented businesses are created, there are cases where the law has not caught up with these new businesses. There are various other cases as well, and for each case, we clear legal challenges by discussing them internally or lobbying the government.

That's right. That's why I feel a great sense of accomplishment in handling them. With regular communication, I handle issues as they arise with a sense of urgency, which is a unique charm of Reazon. Also, it's enjoyable to work with members from other departments who have various backgrounds as a team, and it's exciting to talk to people who are knowledgeable about fields I'm unfamiliar with, which stimulates my curiosity.

Currently, our Legal Department consists of 6 members, with 5 of them being lawyers. Typically, we designate a member as the point of contact for each business unit, and for larger projects such as M&A and fundraising, we work as a team. The high ratio of lawyers is a strength as it ensures very high legal expertise among our members. Even if litigation arises, we can handle it by appearing in court ourselves (laughs).

However, due to the inherent nature of being lawyers, there is a tendency to become specialized, so I always emphasize to our members, "Let's maintain a sense of being part of the company." Despite many members having a professional disposition, including younger ones, the atmosphere is actually quite friendly and relaxed (laughs).

I believe having a proactive attitude with speed and flexibility in responses is crucial. Simply saying "it's legally not possible" could halt business progress, so it's important to approach challenging legal issues with ideas like "what if we try this?" or "if we modify this, could we clear it?" Flexibility and understanding of business and industry are essential, along with keeping track of competitors' movements. Engaging with each business unit to deepen understanding of products and actively communicating internally are also necessary.

Currently, our organization has a high proportion of lawyers, but we welcome anyone interested in business, regardless of qualifications, to join Reazon's Legal Department!

I aim for the Legal Department to be invited to participate in business launches by business units. When there are product launches in business units, I envision an organization where they say, "Let's go together because Legal also contributed." I want to provide value and work recognized not just as specialists but as collaborators in creating business. This approach would make it easier for business units to consult us, and gathering information within Legal could positively impact business risk management and growth.

Indeed. Since I became department head about a year ago, I've been actively strengthening the Legal Department's organizational structure, identifying necessary skills and profiles, and focusing on recruitment efforts.

When I first joined, the team only had three members, but now we're expanding to seven, including upcoming hires. We're steadily growing the organization's capabilities as the Legal Department, aiming to enhance our organizational strength as a base and deliver even greater value.

I see Reazon as a company that values speed in business decisions and encourages challenges without fear of failure. When new business initiatives are discussed internally, the attitude is often, "We have nothing to lose, so let's try." The environment makes it possible for new businesses to launch one after another, and I believe this fosters an interesting organizational culture. As part of the Legal Department, I appreciate the opportunities to be involved in numerous new projects.

I believe so. Because that culture permeates throughout the company, it enables us to maintain a sense of urgency and allows existing businesses to further grow while new ventures emerge. I constantly feel the need to match that pace and level up to support Reazon's "Tech First" theme. My goal is for the Legal Department to continue contributing impactful influence to business growth and management.