Board Member

Naoko Inoue Shatz is a Co-Founder and the Board Chair of IFJC. After years of practice in the areas of business and employment law, Naoko was approached by a Japanese woman who sought help with her divorce case about 10 years ago. Because Naoko at the time was not comfortable taking a divorce case, she declined to help her. Within a week, this Japanese woman committed suicide by jumping off the West Seattle Bridge. This incident distressed Naoko and caused her to decide to do something. Naoko started taking family law matters. Within 3-4 years of her decision to take family law cases, Naoko noticed an increasing demand for legal services not only for Japanese community but also for other immigrant communities, namely international families. Naoko along with Anthony Gipe, a business partner at the time, founded IFJC in March 2017. Naoko is the Managing Attorney of Shatz Law Group PLLC, remains to focus her practice in the areas of business and employment law, but she also takes on select Family Law matters particularly relating to the Hague Convention and international family law issues between Japan and the U.S. Naoko acts as outside General Counsel to several large Japanese organizations including Consulate General of Japan in Seattle and Japanese companies located in the U.S. Prior to founding the Shatz Law Group, Naoko practiced law at K&L Gates LLP and Perkins Coie LLP.