Turning Blind Spots Into Advantages: How K. Lesli Ligorner Built Her Two Decade Legal Career in Japan and across Asia
Welcome to the premier of Season 12! K. Lesli Ligorner is a partner with Morgan Lewis and shares what it takes to build a successful legal career spanning two decades across China and Japan. We hear how Lesli has mastered the art of finding flexibility within rigid statutory frameworks while leading diverse teams across cultures. If you are wondering how you will lead a team in Japan in the future, this is the episode for you.
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In this episode you’ll hear:
The high school homestay in Japan that sparked a lifelong love for Asia
How blind spots others created in their minds became Lesli's competitive advantage
The nuanced dance of giving instructions across China and Japan teams
Her favourite podcast, book and other fun facts
About K. Lesli Ligorner
Lesli Ligorner is a partner with Morgan Lewis and is based in Tokyo, but splits her time between Japan and China. She relocated to Tokyo 2 years ago after spending 18 years on the ground in Beijing and Shanghai. She first came to Japan in high school and lived with host families. She then returned for her junior year of university to study at Kansai Gaidai and graduated from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec with a major in East Asian Studies. Lesli went on to work at Japanese banks in New York City before heading to law school at American University, Washington College of Law. She then worked 3 years as a litigator for the Law Department of the City of New York and then moved to private practice. In fall 2005 the opportunity came up to move to China with her law firm at the time, and her husband raised her hand for her. Six months later they were on a plane to Shanghai and never looked back.
Lesli has developed a practice representing western companies in Asia in some of their most sensitive employment matters and investigations and Asian companies with employment and compliance issues in the US and Europe.
Connect with Lesli
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-lesli-ligorner-asia-employment-investigations/
Links
Marzac 7: https://www.marzac7-nakameguro.com/
1dL: https://ordinary-inc.com/1dl/
The Loudest Duck by Laura Liswood https://amzn.asia/d/0dSpo08S
How to Fail with Elizabeth Day: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/how-to-fail-with-elizabeth-day/id1407451189
Connect with Catherine
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair
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Lawyer on Air was the winner of the Bronze Award in the “Best Podcast by a Kiwi Abroad Category” in the New Zealand Podcast Awards 2021.
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