Welcome to the Black Lawyers Matter Podcast, brought to you by The Stephen James Partnership and Black Lawyers Matter.   In the fourth episode, your host Samuel Clague, CEO and Founder of The Stephen James Partnership, speaks to Leslie Zmugg, General Counsel and Secretary of the global advisory, restructuring and insolvency firm, Gordon Brothers.   In this conversation with Sam, Leslie discusses how she went from wanting to work in the nonprofit sector to becoming a leading lawyer within the bankruptcy and restructuring space.   Taking a deep dive into mentoring and how change within the industry can be accelerated, Leslie shares with Sam her personal journey of progression and the insights gained from progressing others too.   Whether it's overcoming personal challenges or spearheading change, Leslie has certainly paved a path through the legal landscape that others can follow. Thank you to Leslie for sharing her story in this episode.   Time-stamped Agenda -    01:09 – What was it that attracted you to the legal profession? 03:03 - How did you juggle the two dynamics of your personal and professional life? 04:23 – What did you legal training look like? 09:01 – Lowlights are often the making of very successful people - how did you change a career challenge into a positive? 16:45 – On the flipside, what is a career highlight from the last 10 years? 19:12 – Where does your want to be a part of a programme like Black Lawyers Matter come from and why is this important to you? 27:47 – When do you think is the best time to receive mentorship during a legal career? 44:07 – Do you think that the people who aren't Black, but are in decision making positions, can make change around Black representation within law quicker than Black people who aren't necessarily in the highest ranking positions? 51:19 – What is the one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self and why?   Connect with your host, Samuel Clague: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-clague-32911723/  Connect with your guest, Leslie Zmugg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-zmugg-general-counsel/   If you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to subscribe for more and share with others in your network!   Explore more about The Stephen James Partnership here: https://thesjp.co.uk/ Learn about the Black Lawyers Matter mission here: https://blacklawyersmatter.co.uk/ And discover SJP's Search and Advisory arm here: https://stephenandjames.co.uk/