ABOUT
OUR OFFICE
GARY O. HAASE
Attorney at GOH Foreign Law Office
Gary was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Prior to attending law school, Gary was a member of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), a full-time, team-based residential service program. Additionally, Gary lived in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture for three years as a member of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program.
After passing the California Bar Exam in 2004, Gary practiced for five years as a law firm associate and as an in-house counsel for a biotechnology company. His California legal experience includes business transactions, healthcare law, and public entity representation.
From 2012 to 2015, Gary directed Kansai Legal Documents (KLD), a Kyoto-based legal English and translation company. He also worked as a foreign associate at a Japanese law firm in Osaka from 2013 to 2015.
Gary enjoys practicing U.S. immigration and nationality law because it gives him the chance to use his U.S. legal background to assist people in Kansai. Helping clients understand U.S. law also aligns with his passion for teaching and international relations. Moreover, Gary’s experience studying Japanese and living as a minority in Japan enables him to be attentive to the needs of clients who are trying to use a foreign language or wish to achieve their goals in a foreign culture.
When he's not practicing law or working part-time as a university instructor, Gary has taught English for a Kyoto-based nonprofit organization that fosters multicultural communities. Gary and his wife have also hosted sports camps where locals can participate in athletic activities in an English-speaking environment.
QUALIFICATIONS
Bars & Courts
Osaka Bar Association (Registered Foreign Attorney in Japan), 2014 – Present
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 2005 – Present
State Bar of California, 2004 – Present
Academic Positions
Osaka University, Adjunct Lecturer, Law Faculty, 2017 – 2020
Konan University, Adjunct Lecturer, Law Faculty, 2016 – Present
Education
Santa Clara University School of Law – JD 2003
University of Cambridge – CELTA 1996
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – BA 1993
Languages
English (native speaker)
Japanese (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Level N3, July 2013)
Publications & Speaking Engagements
“Member Spotlight: A Foreign Lawyer’s View of the OBA and the Legal Community,” OBA Monthly Journal, Osaka Bar Association (Japan), June 2015
“Surrogate Pregnancies and International Fertility,” Eigo Jiyuu Jizai Language Circle, Kyoto Research Park, Japan, March 2015
“Child Custody and the Hague Convention,” Eigo Jiyuu Jizai Language Circle, Kyoto Research Park, Japan, December 2014
“Pursuing that Work-Life Balance: A California Lawyer in Japan,” Valley Lawyer, San Fernando Valley Bar Association (Los Angeles), June 2014
“The Influence of Culture on Laws in California and Japan,” Global Session, Galleria Kameoka, Japan, August 2013
“International Business Relations: Lawyers’ Guide to Japanese Culture, History and the Law,” Valley Lawyer, San Fernando Valley Bar Association (Los Angeles), April 2011
Groups & Associations
Japanese American Bar Association (JABA), 2015 – Present
International Committee, Osaka Bar Association, 2014 – Present
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), 2010 – Present
San Fernando Valley Bar Association, 2010 – 2016
UCLA Bruin Varsity Club, 2009 – Present
American Bar Association (ABA), 2004 – 2020
Phi Delta Phi International Legal Honor Society, 2002 – Present
Click here to view Gary's profile on Avvo, a review and directory site dedicated to helping people find quality attorneys.
You can also view Gary's Osaka Bar Association profile here.
MUTSUMI HIRAI, M.A.
Assistant at GOH Foreign Law Office
Mutsumi was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.
She lived in the United States for eight years, including two years as a graduate student. After completing her master’s degree in California, Mutsumi taught Japanese in the U.S. as a graduate school instructor, a junior college instructor, and a high school teacher. Mutsumi enjoys using her language skills and overseas experience to help our clients accomplish their objectives.
Education
Master of Arts (Teaching a Foreign Language - Japanese), Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly the Monterey Institute of International Studies), USA, May 2004
Bachelor of Arts (Japanese Language), Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, Japan, March 1998
Languages
Japanese (native speaker)
English (advanced reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills)
