Before entering law, Jason began his career as a journalist at the Gold Coast Bulletin in the late 1980s. While he enjoyed the pace and pressure of reporting, he eventually realised his path was elsewhere.
“I always had a strong sense about fairness and the misuse of power,” Jason said in a recent feature interview with the Gold Coast Bulletin.
That belief later became a driving force behind his legal career and his work with Griffith University’s Innocence Project, which focused on wrongful conviction cases and educating future lawyers about the importance of the rule of law.
One of the most challenging periods of Jason’s career came in 2015, when he and business partner Ron Behlau faced criminal allegations following a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation. The charges were ultimately withdrawn in 2017.
Looking back, Jason says the experience gave him a deeper understanding of what clients and families go through when facing serious investigations and public scrutiny.
“It changes your perspective completely,” he said. “You understand not just the legal process, but the emotional pressure people carry during those moments.”
Jason Murakami arriving at Brisbane Magistrates Court during proceedings in 2015.
Rather than step away from the profession during that period, Jason continued his work in litigation and advocacy, remaining involved in significant legal matters while navigating intense public attention himself.
That experience shaped the way he approaches litigation today, combining legal strategy with a practical understanding of the personal impact legal proceedings can have.
Throughout his career, Jason has been involved in a number of nationally recognised matters, including work connected to the Palm Island class action, major criminal defence proceedings and appeals linked to the Lawyer X scandal, which raised serious concerns about police informant conduct and the integrity of the justice system.
Over the years, he has acted in matters involving high-profile sporting identities, business figures and complex criminal investigations across Queensland and interstate jurisdictions.
Murakami faced a professional downfall in 2015 but fought back and rebuilt his reputation. Picture: Glenn Hampson
Despite the profile of many cases, Jason says the core principle remains the same.
“Regardless of the allegations, someone has to stand beside the rule of law,” he said.
Away from the courtroom, Jason has maintained a strong connection to boxing and rugby league culture on the Gold Coast. He has represented professional and amateur fighters over the years and remains passionate about the discipline and resilience that combat sports teach.
Jason also believes the Gold Coast has produced some of the country’s most capable legal and business professionals.
“The Gold Coast is a tough place to build a successful business,” he said. “If you can succeed here, you can succeed anywhere in Australia.”
“Regardless of the allegations, someone has to stand beside the rule of law.”
Jason Murakami
Jason Murakami at the Behlau Murakami Grant office in Southport. Picture: Glenn Hampson
This article was inspired by and references an original feature published by the Gold Coast Bulletin. Click here to read the original article.