and collective responsibility
ikigai, purpose, detail and collective responsibility
JAPAN. DECEMBER 30th 2025
I am in Japan where it is midday but the UK is still sleeping, or, partying. I first started to learn Japanese, badly, in 1992, fascinated by the care in everything Japanese that I saw written or created.
Bowled over by the craft(wo)manship in ceramics, in architecture, in tea-making, in food….it is a long list that stretches much further.
I have woven Japan into my career at certain points – starting a Japan Desk when I was at Rosenblatt Solicitors, working with the now defunct Department of Trade and Industry on trade missions to Japan. I have also started to help at FT Nikkei UK Ekiden.
Tessa Laws
Purpose Law Founding Partner
Tokyo
Overwhelmed by the contrasts
I have looked forward to the moment when I could share Japan with some of my family. Here we are, most of us, after almost two weeks adventuring from Tokyo to Naoshima to Kyoto to Nara to Osaka, and now, in magical Hokkaido to ski into 2026. All ages. All tastes. All overwhelmed by the contrasts, by the fashion, by the conservatism, by the movies, by the architecture, by the ritual, by the wildness, by the tradition.
My admiration for Japan is rooted in ikigai, purpose, detail and collective responsibility, the concept of ‘wa’ representing peace and avoidance of confrontation and conflict. The lack of embarrassment in the public bath or onsen, the idea that nudity creates equality and, some say, the fact that we only borrow our bodies and need to look after them.
2025: A very good year
2025 was a good year for Purpose Law, for Percy & Warren, for izakis and for the newly-born Acuity Law with Purpose. We have wonderful clients across each business. We have wonderful teams at each business.
We attended conferences in Poland, in France, in Wales, in Scotland. We spoke on panels and we moderated sessions. We won new business and, sadly, we lost some too. We care about what we do and we do it well. No passion no point – spot the Gen X person.
We love what we do
We bought companies, we sold companies, we won an injunction, we negotiated big and small contracts for clients, we registered trade marks, we fought intellectual property infringements, we dealt with employment tribunal claims, we worked on employee ownership trusts, we built solar farms, we connected BESS systems, we dealt with National Energy System Operator.
We love what we do and I hope we continue to grow and reduce the ‘wa’ and increase our ikigai.
In conclusion
I explained to my kids, again, that my clients are central to my life. Some of them have been clients for over 30 years. Most are friends. I would wake up in the middle of the night to speak to them and travel to the other side of the world for them, happily. They have enabled me to enjoy every twixmas almost guilt-free.
2026 more of the same please. Peace and prosperity and ikigai to all.
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