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Attorney By Attorney Career Profiles of the Profession Who? Noelani Nitz Foreign Legal Counsel nitz@hiroe.co.jp   What? Primary Practice Area & Subspecialty Fields: Trademarks, unfair competition, anti-counterfeiting, and licensing. When? Years in the Practice Area: Since 1997 Years in the Legal Profession: Since 1996 Where? Employer: Hiroe & Associates www.hiroe.co.jp Size/Sector: Small, Intellectual Property firm City/State: Gifu City, Japan Law School: Santa Clara University School of Law Undergraduate School/Degree: The University of Chicago, A.B. Art History Why? Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area: Flexibility and a willingness to look off the beaten track. Core Skills/Key Knowledge Needed in Your Practice Area: Skills: Able to work without secretarial support. Self-sufficient with computers, computer programs, technology, and foreign languages. The more languages you know, the better off you are in the trademark arena. Knowledge: Intellectual property law generally, business knowledge, understanding of other countries, and U.S. experience. Advice to Lawyers and Law Students Interested in Your Practice Area: Work for several years in the area you are interested in the United States before attempting to come abroad, because the foreign firm depends on your having received a certain level of training in the states. Be open and creative about employment options, develop a broad understanding of law as a business, not just specific areas of law. As a student, read about law and practice, participate in local or national bar associations, and learn how to use computers and common applications. How? Career Path to Current Position: I was willing to take a chance in a potentially unfriendly environment and stick with it. Influences and Mentors: My predecessor, who is now at Bayer, all the wonderful attorneys I've met through the International Trademark Association (INTA), Alisa at White & Case, Bob Godbey & his wife in Hawaii, Father Harry at U of C, my parents, my feminist computer programmer aunt, all the DJ's I have known and grand collectors of music, the great lady attorneys of Japanese trademark law, Hermann Hesse & Kurt Vonnegut, Prof. Seidel at U of C, and Prof. Downey at U of C for a great trademark class. Suggested Reading About Your Practice Area: INTA's Journal. Job Search Techniques Used in Finding Your Position(s): Internet search. Bar Affiliations and Activities: INTA, Asian Pacific Bar Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), Foreign Women's Lawyers Association, MARQUES (The Association of European Trade Mark Owners).