Brandon Williams initially thought the life of a general counsel could be monotonous, which is why he worked at Alston & Bird for much of his career. However, when his client Steve Harvey asked if he wanted to work directly for the television star, Williams saw an opportunity to act as both a lawyer and a business partner.

Based in Atlanta, Williams, the GC and COO of Los Angeles-based Steve Harvey Global, spoke to Corporate Counsel on the challenges of working as both a COO and general counsel, and the importance of continuing to move the needle in diversity and inclusion. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.