Kobe University Law School Internship Report / 法科大学院インターンシップ報告書

I. Basic information / 基本情報
1.

Name / 名前: Tomoko Nakayama

2.

Enrolled year / 入学年: 2017

3.

Period of internship / インターン期間: 28 August - 15
September 2017

4.

Place of internship / インターン場所: Rajah & Tann
Singapore LLP (R&T)

5.

Person who accepted your internship / インターン受
入担当者: Mr Paul Tan

6.

Content of work in your internship / インターン中の作業内容: International Arbitration

II. Details and impressions / 詳細と感想
1.

Details / 詳細

There were seven activities in which I was engaged during the attachment with R&T.
(i)Sit in on an oral hearing of an international commercial arbitration case where mymentor acted as a sole arbitrator(ii) Observed a telephone conference between my mentor and his client(iii) Drafted materials for preparing an expert report of Japanese law on an internationalcommercial arbitration case(iv) Researched a convention and several countries’ legislations to prepare for a criminalcase(v) Summarized Japanese courts’ decisions regarding natural justice in international
arbitration proceedings(vi) Attended a Young Public International Law Group Debate where lawyers discussedwhether a permanent investment court should be established or not(vii) Joined in a lecture given to Japanese university students who visited R&T to observe
how Japanese companies are operated in Singapore

2.

Impressions / 感想

It was the second time for me to visit Singapore. I visited there for the first time four
years ago for participating in the Lawasia International Moot Competition held at theMaxwell Chambers. At that time, I was deeply impressed that Singaporean lawyers arefamiliar with international arbitration and have the strong will to make the country its leading
venue, which gave me the motivation to jump in its practice and know how it really works
there. The dream came true this time thanks to Mr Paul Tan, Professor James Claxton,Professor Akira Saito, R&T and Kobe University Law School. I would like to express mythanks heartily and be grateful to them all.
The attachment with R&T exposed me to the international arbitration practice in an
intellectually stimulating manner, which was truly beneficial in order to clarify which skill I
did not have yet and to plan my future training.
The most vibrant experience was sitting in on a real oral hearing for the first time,recalling the moment that I had pleaded before an arbitral tribunal in the simulated exercise atmoot competitions. I observed the way in which the arbitrator and the counsels defined theissue, the order of procedures, the pleading styles of the counsels, the logic of their argument
and the use of an expert report of a foreign law.
One of other interesting experience was drafting materials for preparing an expert reportof Japanese law. Strongly influenced by this experience, I started learning foreign legalsystems, for instance, English law, to understand how other countries’ lawyers think, which
would be useful when I work with them in the future.
I also attended a public international law debate held at R&T. There, bright lawyers
studiously discussed what international dispute practice should be in the future. I wasimpressed with them because they tried not just to be users of the current regime but also tobe innovators.
During the attachment with R&T, everyone whom I met there was simply nice, and thatmade my experience wonderful. There were lawyers and attachees from various countries,for instance, Malaysia, France, the United Kingdom and Japan. I enjoyed talking with themover breakfast, lunch, and sometimes drinks. I look forward to seeing them all again and hope
to work together when I become a full-fledged lawyer.
Last but not least, I sincerely appreciate everyone’s support that made my experience atR&T truly fruitful and unforgettable.