Clare Weaver

Clare Weaver is a qualified English solicitor who has spent almost all her adult life dedicated to Japan, most recently providing legal consulting services to Japanese megabanks MUFG, SMBC and Nomura Securities. Clare is also advising start up companies on Cryptoassets and Blockchain developments, having set up Nomura’s digital set company, Laser Digital.

After reading Oriental Studies (Japanese) at Oxford, which included a research year at Hiroshima University on the Japanese Government scholarship scheme, Clare started her legal career in Linklaters’ Tokyo office prior to joining the Legal Division of Mitsui & Co, serving almost 13 years in both London and Tokyo as Deputy General Manager. of the EMEA Legal Department. 

As part of a decision to shift her career focus to consulting, Clare undertook her Executive MBA at Henley Business School specialising on strategic innovation, in particular legal innovation, and undertook research in Japan on the adoption of legal technology by Japanese law departments. Clare currently advises a legal tech start up on Japanese client development and also supports the activities of the Legal Hackers (Tokyo), albeit remotely!

Away from work, Clare is a keen sportswoman, undertaking endurance cycling sportives and (full and half) marathons and plays tennis when time permits. She has also undertaken a professional sake sommelier’s course and is a very enthusiastic ambassador for Japanese Nihonshu in London! She is also a passionate supporter of social mobility and has mentored sixth formers who are interested to work in the law and provides skills training to school children looking for legal internships.

Clare splits her time between London and Cornwall, where she and her partner are the proud “parents” of a cockapoo puppy.