Kaoru is a Partner in Finance, Projects & Restructuring at DLA Piper and, in early 2020, launched DLA Piper’s LGBT+ and allies network, Iris, in Japan and mentored her Tokyo colleagues to lead Iris activities. The following year her mentee became the APAC Iris Co-Chair through her sponsorship and oversight, and together they held the first APAC Iris Summit. In 2022, Kaoru secured DLA Piper’s sponsorship for Tokyo Pride and amplified the event across the firm. She also joined DLA Piper’s Asia Diversity and Inclusion Committee advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion, benefits, employee support, budget, and resources to key stakeholders in leadership. In 2020, she joined the board of Lawyers for LGBT & Allies Network (LLAN) in a voluntary capacity and has been driving pro-bono projects supporting LLAN’s efforts to promote LGBT+ rights in Japan, such as the 2021 International Survey on Marriage Equality.
