Legal Specialist / Legal Counsel

Our client is seeking a bilingual Legal Specialist / Legal Counsel to support legal, compliance, contract management, and corporate governance matters for their U.S. group companies. This role will work closely with U.S. management, Japan headquarters, and external counsel to provide practical legal support for cross-border business operations. Japanese language skill is a must.

Job Details

Position: Legal Specialist / Legal Counsel

Location: Santa Clara, CA. New Jersey office may also be considered depending on business needs.

Employment type: Full-time

Salary: From USD 120,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial and corporate agreements, including NDAs, distributor agreements, license agreements, development agreements, and intercompany agreements.

• Support U.S. legal and regulatory compliance, including export controls, sanctions, employment matters, data protection, and anti-bribery / anti-corruption requirements.

• Coordinate with Japan headquarters, U.S. management, and external counsel on cross-border legal matters.

• Manage legal matters such as disputes, claims, internal policies, corporate governance, and document management.

• Provide legal support for M&A, business restructuring, post-merger integration, and intellectual property matters.

Requirements

• Business-level proficiency in both English and Japanese.

• At least three years of experience in corporate legal affairs, either in-house or at a law firm.

Preferred Qualifications

• Admission to practice law in the United States or Japan, or completion of a JD or LL.M. program.

• Experience in manufacturing, technology, optics, photonics, healthcare, or another operating company environment.

• Experience with cross-border operations, M&A, export controls, sanctions, employment matters, or IP management.

Ideal Candidate

• Practical, business-oriented, and able to translate legal issues into clear recommendations.

• Able to work independently, take ownership, and communicate effectively with U.S. and Japan stakeholders.