Corporate and business law, which includes formation, operation, financing, and mergers & acquisitions of business entities, and providing ongoing advice and contract and document preparation for operations, employment, financing, and regulatory compliance matters. John’s clients range from small businesses to multi-national companies and he has extensive experience working with entrepreneurial start-ups with their unique challenges and issues.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Serves: (a) as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) on its Consumer and Commercial panels, including Large, Complex Commercial Disputes and on the Joint Venture and Mergers & Acquisitions specialty panel; (b) as an arbitrator and mediator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). John served on the FINRA National Arbitration and Mediation Committee (NAMC), which provides advice on dispute resolution topics to the FINRA Board of Governors and has served on various FINRA Task Forces; (c) on mediation panels for the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Teaching
In addition to practicing law, John is an Adjunct Professor at Western State College of Law, where he teaches "Corporate Finance and Accounting for Lawyers" and "Advising Entrepreneurs." He has also taught "Neutral Fact Finding and Investigations" as a Part Time Instructor at the University of California, Irvine.
Media:
John was a guest on the radio show and podcast, Critical Mass for Business Radio Show Series, hosted by Richard Franzi, on March 20, 2018.
As a business owner, it is important to know the ins and outs of corporate and business law. As a business attorney with over 20 years of experience, John Ohashi has the answers to many law-related questions and concerns. Here are three takeaways from our time with John Ohashi on Critical Mass Radio Show:
1. Technical skills are not enough. When it comes to highly-skilled trades such as being an attorney, it is important to consider not only the technical aspects of what you do, but also develop a business mindset to truly grow in your field. Having a strong background and breadth of knowledge is crucial, but it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have the ability to source business, increase your clientele and network; that is where the true value is. If you are not able to harness these skills in addition to the specific skills of your profession, you will be at a competitive disadvantage.
2. Have a multidimensional approach to the work you do. While on the show, John Ohashi explained how, in working with entrepreneurs, he gained many insights about risk. While those in the law profession tend to focus on risk management, entrepreneurs are usually driven by risk and focus on the potential for growth that can come from successfully taking risks. With that, look at business challenges from many different angles to fully understand the people you are working with, and all of the possibilities and perspectives at play.
3. Teaching is an opportunity for reflection. John revealed that engaging with students in any capacity can lead to unintended consequences. While you may enter a teaching situation with the sole intention of sharing information and knowledge with your students, you may end up getting useful feedback in return. Be open to the possibility that teaching will encourage you to challenge your assumptions and question how you reached your own conclusions, and ask yourself whether they are still relevant.
Listen to our full interview with John Ohashi here:
