Biographical Information

James W. Taylor graduated from the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California in 1980. Later, he received a Master of Laws degree from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts from Ohio's Miami University and a Master of Arts from the George Washington University.   Prior employment has included: Taylor Law Offices, IBM Global Services, Washington Mutual, Parker, Milliken, Clark, O'Hara & Samuelian and UNISYS Corporation. Taylor's legal experience is diverse and includes negotiating, drafting and managing high-dollar technology and government contracts, representing employers in handling employment-related disputes and representing film producers and writers in handling a wide variety of entertainment law matters.

A retired Air Force Reserve Lt. Colonel, with over 27 years of active and reserve service, he spent a major portion of his active and reserve time in government contracting including the drafting of national procurement policy. He also has taught government contract law courses and lectured at national legal conferences including those sponsored by the American Bar Association.

Additionally, in 2000, Taylor formed an independent film production company - Circle Rock Productions - and continues to produce artistic short videos, documentaries and assist screenwriters in improving their writing skills. Please visit Circle Rock Productions HERE.

Taylor is admitted to practice law in Washington, the District of Columbia, California and before the U.S. Supreme Court. He has held leadership positions with the American Bar Association and the National Contract Management Association. He also has been a board member of two Seattle-based nonprofit arts organizations: the Northwest Screenwriters Guild and 911 Media Arts Center. As an author, he is widely published on topics relating to employment, technology and government contract law. He formerly taught contract law at the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento in the late 1990's.

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Prior Life In Japan

A Post-War Year Note: I lived in Japan from 1958 to 1959 with my family. My father, a professor at Ohio's Miami University, took a sabbatical to teach at the International Christian University, near Mitaka, Japan, outside Tokyo. During our year there, my mother kept a daily journal, typing it on a manual Royal typewriter. Later in her life, she created a privately published book based on these diaries: "Japan Days." This web site is dedicated to her efforts.

If you would like to obtain a copy of her book, Japan Days, please send your request here.

Life at the University - From "Japan Days"

Excerpts from "Japan Days": coming soon.

Legal Business in Japan

Early in my career as a lawyer, when I worked at UNISYS corporation, I was asked to travel to Japan with the President of one of the company's divisions to be the lead negotiator of a large dollar technology contract with an agency of the Japanese Government.

This was a 10-day negotiation, the first day of which was basically a 'get-to-know-you' time. I was there with the President of a UNISYS Division, a translator and the President of the company's Japanese subsidiary. Across from us were at least a dozen very serious men from the Japan Patent Office. Every night, we'd go out for these lovely dinners, some Japanese and some western, and alternate payment. By the weekend, we all looked forward to being good friends at night. During the day, however, it was totally just business and taken very seriously by everyone.

We only got hung up once: on the Kanji word "Han-Mei" - a word that can have two meanings: proven or found. Since this word was used in the Liquidated Damages provision of the contract, its meaning was critical. If it meant "found" - and the government noticed in an audit some discrepancy, they would have been entitled to liquidated damages; if it meant "proven" then not the case; they would have to 'prove' that the discrepancy really existed before damages could be paid. We finally, after discussing it literally all day, decided on the following solution: the Japanese language contract would just use the word as written in Kanji; the English translation of the contract would use the word 'proven'; the minutes of the meeting for that day would indicate that we defined it as meaning 'proven' and we had a side agreement that said the same thing. According to a Japanese lawyer who worked with us, if there was ever a dispute of this, the Japanese Courts would look at all the documents in rendering a decision. In the US, collateral documents could not be considered, so I learned something about Japanese law. More to come.

Vacations in Japan (or, having fun with a poor exchange rate):

Here are some practical tips on surviving a visit to Japan:

1. Get the Pass. If you intend to travel while on vacation in Japan, get a Japan Rail ("JR") Rail Pass. You can travel almost at will on any JR train or bus. The only trains you can't travel on are those of private rail companies and the Nozomi Shinkansen Bullet Train. This is the most advanced, and fastest, Bullet Train and, hence, the most expensive. The cost of a rail pass equals about one round trip from Tokyo to Osaka, so get the pass. If you are just coming to Okinawa and won't be visiting mainland Japan, you don't need the rail pass since Okinawa does not have a rail system. There is a monorail that travels from the airport to downtown Naha, the main city, but no rail system like on the mainland.

2. Eat a Little Pasta. If the exchange rate is a problem, eat pasta. It fills you up, is nourishing and has lots of carbs so you'll have enough energy to do a lot of walking. Also eat only twice a day and drink beer with your dinner meal.

3. Reacquaint. Should you have friends, even distant friends of friends in Japan, get to know them so you'll have a place to stay. Remember, at least in Japan, it is probably impolite to ask someone you don't know very well if you can stay with them. But, if you aren't from Japan, you can always ask the question. If the answer is "no" then you're right where you are now - looking for low cost lodging; if the answer is "yes" then you just saved a lot of money. Please don't contact me unless you're family or close friends as I'm living in a small house.

4. Exchange. Before you go, watch the exchange rate to see how much it fluctuates. If it does so dramatically, buy some Yen or Yen Travelers Checks. If not, keep your dollars. When you are in Japan, using your debit, credit or check card probably gets you the best exchange rate.

5. Read. Buy at least one guide to Japan. I like Fodor's since it seems to be pretty complete and has lots of maps. Come over prepared about what you'd like to see and do and where you want to go. In other words, have a plan and these travel books are a great source of information.

6. Ask. You can email me with specific questions and I will respond if I know the answer.

In short, a visit to Japan is worth it even if the exchange rate results in a costly trip.

Decision:

I had a law practice in Seattle, was fairly independent and the practice was growing, even if slowly. I applied for an got a job offer to live and work in Japan. After much discussion with friends and family, I decided to take it. This meant closing my Seattle practice, leaving friends, moving to a land I had not visited - Okinawa - and starting a new job very far away.

At the time, I couldn't imagine being there. Fortunately, I had this experience once before when I moved from the Washington, D.C. area to Sacramento, California. Prior to moving, I remember looking at a map of the United States and feeling like Sacramento was literally "3000 miles from civilization." After moving there and spending more than 17 years in northern California, I realized that nowhere is really “3000 miles from civilization.” Life is what you make it and I was going to make it to Okinawa -- and did.

So, after bidding farewell to family and friends, I left for Japan on May 5, 2004.

Please click on "Journal" -- the next section -- to read the journal of my time in Japan. Thanks for visiting.

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