How Belief, Mentorship, and Self-Discovery Fuel Great Leadership

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Porpoise Evans is the Miami Office Managing Shareholder at Littler Mendelson, where he leads a team of attorneys and staff while actively practicing labor and employment law. He joins Access Your Leadership for a thoughtful, honest conversation about navigating nonlinear career paths, stepping into leadership before you may even feel ready, and shaping workplace cultures in ways that truly support people.

Porpoise shares how he went from a challenging childhood in Louisville, Kentucky, to becoming a collegiate athlete and Ivy League student, to spending years in the Miami film industry before ultimately choosing law school at age 30. He opens up about the mentors who changed the trajectory of his life, the belief his parents instilled in him despite difficult circumstances, and why he now sees leadership as both a privilege and a responsibility.

From waiting tables to running a small film-services business to becoming the newest partner (and then office leader) at the world’s largest employment law firm, Porpoise offers a grounded, transparent look at what growth actually looks like. He talks about leading a multigenerational team through an office relocation, why over-communication is one of his core leadership philosophies, and how empathy, listening, and clarity shape the cultures leaders create.

What does it mean to influence thousands of employees through the policies you help shape? How do you guide Gen Z attorneys on the value of in-person mentorship? What shifts when you realize leadership is as much about developing others as it is about doing your own work well? Where does self-belief come from when perhaps circumstances in your early life didn’t provide it? And how can you use your lived experiences to become a more compassionate and effective leader today?

Porpoise’s story is a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t linear, predictable, or polished. It’s shaped by adversity, by mentors who see something in you, by the courage to step into new roles, and by the willingness to grow alongside the people you serve. Whether you’re leading a team, navigating career transitions, or reflecting on your own journey, this episode is full of grounded wisdom about purpose, possibility, and becoming the kind of leader others trust.

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You can connect with Porpoise Evans on LinkedIn.

Click here to learn more about the work that Porpoise and his colleagues are doing at Littler Mendelson P.C..

Did this podcast spark something in you or get you to take action in some way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our conversation. You can hit me up on Instagram @lakhdar_coaching, LinkedIn: /hakimlakhdar, Twitter @LakhdarCoaching, and Facebook LakhdarCoaching.

I’m always looking to connect with people who are passionate about leadership as well as companies who value and support strong leaders in their own organization. If that’s you or you know someone, then drop me a line at [e-mail].

Check out previous episodes of Access Your Leadership on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.