In this episode of The Mostly Legal Podcast, hosts Amanda Koplos and Rob Joyner welcome William Washington III, Global CFO at Baker McKenzie, for a deeply personal and inspiring conversation.

William shares his unconventional journey, from being a high school and college dropout, a young father facing eviction, and coping with personal tragedy, to rising to the C-suite of one of the world’s largest law firms. He explains how resilience, mentorship, and relentless focus on improvement propelled him forward.

The discussion covers William’s approach to leadership as an introvert, the importance of professionalizing law firm operations, and his creative strategies for finding and developing talent. He also shares candid thoughts on AI in law firms, how technology will reshape the industry, and why leaders need to create space for every personality type to thrive.

Along the way, you’ll hear stories that are both entertaining and insightful, including a surprise encounter with Brooke Shields and how William once applied Lean Six Sigma principles to shorten a church service.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in leadership, resilience, and the business side of law firms.