Haruhi Abe (Technology, Media and Telecommunications Law LLM, 2022)
Published in the Global Journal of Comparitive Law, the article compares the Japanese Cooperation Agreement System with the American Plea-Bargaining System. Below, he shares his thoughts on the topic.
Hi, there! My name is Haruhi Abe. I am an attorney at the largest law firm in Japan (Nishimura & Asahi) and specialise in Crisis Management, White-Collar Crime, M&A, Intellectual Property Law, and Life Sciences. I also passed the New York State Bar exam. After completing law school in the US, I enrolled in QMUL’s LLM in Technology, Media and Telecommunications Law, from which I successfully graduated in 2022.
My article has been recently published in an international academic journal: the Global Journal of Comparative Law, BRILL. The theme is a comparative study of the plea-bargaining system in the US and Japan. The paper began as a memo I wrote while I was in law school in the United States, and I completed it for publication while studying at QMUL.
The plea-bargaining system is an effective system for detecting masterminds in organised crime, but on the other hand, if used incorrectly, it can hinder the realisation of justice in criminal cases. Japan introduced a similar system (the Japanese cooperation agreement system) in 2018, modelled on the US plea agreement system. My article compares the differences between the two systems to highlight the uniqueness of the Japanese system, as well as addressing issues regarding the state of the Japanese judiciary surrounding this system (i.e., the conservative attitude of the courts). Lawyers supporting corporate activities in Japan and the US are encouraged to read this paper and consider the possibility of using it in cases where their clients are involved in crimes. You can read it here.
Although I did not take any classes at QMUL that were directly linked to this thesis, there is a large collection of databases and references that I found very helpful. I took a number of classes at QMUL on intellectual property, all of which were useful and exposed me to some of the most advanced legal theory in the world. The educators were all helpful, and there was nothing stressful about my studies.
QMUL also has many talented lawyers from all over the world, which gave me international connections; QMUL has a very large number of specialist LLMs, and unlike other law schools, I think I had many opportunities to interact with people with a high level of expertise. I am convinced that perhaps together, QMUL graduates can break through many of the difficult legal situations facing our world. Feel free to contact me anytime if you need help with Japanese or US law. If it is a simple matter, I will be happy to answer you if you are a QMUL graduate. Similarly, I hope that other alumni should, wherever possible, make their contribution to making QMUL a stronger community. In doing so, we can take pride in the school we studied at and pass the value on to future entrants to this excellent educational and academic institution.