[Legal] Director, Country Lawyer, Japan, Korea [Orthopaedics]
HybridChiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Job Summary
Serve as the primary legal advisor for DePuy Synthes businesses in Japan and South Korea, providing strategic counsel on regulatory, compliance, corporate governance, and dispute matters. Review, draft, and negotiate complex commercial agreements while ensuring adherence to local laws and healthcare compliance requirements. Support investigations, litigation, and government inquiries, partnering with in-house and external counsel as needed. Advise leadership on risk mitigation strategies and collaborate with regional and global teams to align policies for organizational changes and strategic initiatives. Fluency in Japanese is required, with up to 20% domestic and international travel. This role supports the planned separation of the Orthopedics business to establish a standalone company, operating as DePuy Synthes.
Required Qualifications
- Law degree (LLB, JD, or equivalent)
- Appropriate professional qualifications and certifications to practice law in Japan
- 10+ years of progressive legal experience
- Significant time advising businesses in regulated industries
- Strong knowledge of commercial, regulatory, and compliance law relevant to medical devices or healthcare
- Demonstrated ability to provide clear, practical legal advice to senior business leaders
- Experience managing external counsel and complex legal matters
- Proven judgment, integrity, and ability to operate effectively in a matrixed, global organization
- Fluency in Japanese
- Business-level English
- Up to ~20% domestic and international travel
Desired Qualifications
- Prior experience in the medical device, pharmaceutical, or life sciences industry
- Experience supporting multi‐country or regional legal responsibilities
- Direct or indirect experience advising on South Korean legal issues
- Familiarity with corporate transactions, restructurings, or business separations
- Leadership experience mentoring or informally guiding other legal professionals
- Additional fluency in South Korean
- Business Agility
- Collaboration
- Commercial Laws
- Compliance Management
- Corporate Governance
- Dispute Resolution
- Lawyering
- Legal Documents Preparation
- Legal Services
- Negotiation
- Process Improvements
- Representing
- Risk Management
- Strategic Thinking
- Tactical Planning
- Technical Credibility
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