M&A, Cyber and Privacy Drive Japan Demand for In-House Attorneys

Japanese companies are employing more in-house lawyers to handle rising legal workloads as governance and compliance requirements grow.

The increasing reliance on in-house teams marks a departure from historical practice. It reflects the need to address complex national and global data privacy and cybersecurity rules, like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, as well as important overseas mergers and acquisitions, like Nippon Steel Corp.'s $14.1 billion June takeover of United States Steel Corp. Legal experts say it’s inevitable that in-house teams’ role will grow, despite resistance to changing traditional practices.

The number of in-house lawyers more than tripled to 3,596 ...