Lawyers are supposed to be ethical. They’re whole life revolves around upholding the law and ensuring that their customers are protected within the limits of legal constraints. One lawyer in 
Japan must have skipped the ethics portion of his training, though, and it has cost Universal Entertainment Corp. a substantial amount of money. The gaming operator says that it has overpaid a legal representative as and is willing to go to court to retrieve the funds.
Yuki Arai, an auditor for the company from 2014 to 2015, received a substantial overpayment for his services and is refusing to pay it back. Universal said on its website that Arai is in violation of a number of legal provisions in the Attorney Act, as well as the Federation of Bar Associations’ Basic Rules on the Duties of Practicing Attorneys. It added, “Moreover, as a result of a company-conducted internal investigation prompted by Mr. Arai billing the company for an enormous sum based on an illegal and invalid contract … hence the reason why the company filed the formal demand for disciplinary measures in question.”
Universal alleged that Arai changed his contract with the company to list a corporation in the British Virgin Islands where he acted as a representative. However, that company was not authorized to provide legal services in Japan. The falsifying of the information was done in an effort to receive compensation, according to Universal.
The company further asserts that Aria misinterpreted an “economic benefit” stipulation in his contract in March 2018 and sent the company a bill for $100 million. The bill was sent under the name of Director Yuki Arai and “was accompanied with a threatening notice.” That threat, they say, violates Article 24 of the Basic Rules, which reads, “An attorney shall present appropriate and reasonable fees, considering the economic benefit, difficulty of the case, time and labor and other circumstances.”
Universal is looking to recuperate just under $80,000 in wages that were inadvertently given to Arai after his contract had terminated. The company stated in its announcement that Arai has not responded to Universal’s requests to be repaid.
