I coach ambitious partners, associates, and in-house counsel who enjoy being a lawyer but find themselves at the wrong firm,  the wrong company, or doing the wrong work. Some are looking for a better platform to grow their practice. Some are looking for better opportunities for professional development. Some want better partnership prospects. Others are looking for a different firm culture or need support in leaving private practice or in transitioning into a different practice group.

As a lawyer and career coach who spent over 25 years in the legal search business, I understand that lateral moves are sometimes necessary to advance your career, build your practice, or simply achieve more career satisfaction.

I also know that legal recruiters may not be able to help you.  While recruiters provide a valuable service to employers, you may not have the skills or experience for the roles they are trying to fill.  Your practice may not be large enough for the firms that the recruiter represents.

Recruiters do provide career advice on a regular basis. But recruiters are paid by employers to find talent, not to work with that talent over a period of time.

I certainly gave out lots of career advice when I was recruiting. Coaching is different.  A coach helps you figure out what are the roadblocks you face, helps you come up with a plan, and holds you accountable to your stated goals.  (See What is Coaching?)

If you decide to pursue a lateral move or try to go in-house, I work with you to evaluate your options and  help you market yourself to potential employers. I leverage my 30 years of contacts in the legal industry. I help you to prepare cover letters and resumes and guide you through the interviewing process so that you can have the best choices and make the best career decisions.

If a recruiter is part of your search, I am there as a sounding board to help you through the hiring process.

Sometimes, making adjustments at your existing job can  be a better solution.

If there are adjustments you can make at your existing job, I work with you to identify those opportunities and execute a plan.  Sometimes it is easier to reinvent yourself at a firm or a company where you are already known and respected.

I have worked with many clients who conclude that it makes more sense in the short run to make an internal shift.

If you choose this route, I help you navigate the internal politics at your firm or corporate law department.

Launching your own law practice can be both exhilarating and terrifying. Hanging a shingle means saying goodbye to security and a steady paycheck. You need to develop your own systems for managing your cases and you need to be prepared to advise clients without having partners down the hall who you can rely on for advice.

At the same time, starting your own firm is a chance to have more control over your time, work with the clients you choose, and build something of your own. With the dramatic changes in technology over the last 20 years, this has never been easier.

I have worked with many lawyers who want to go out on their own and establish a successful law practice. Most of my clients begin their planning while they are still working in their current jobs; but some have already separated from their firms and have concluded that solo practice is the best path after exploring other options.

I work with my clients to identify action steps necessary to set up the infrastructure of the firm so that it is ready to go on day one.

An important part of building a practice is having a marketing plan and executing on that plan. As your coach, I work actively with you to define the business you want and the best way to get the referrals that will ensure that your business is a success.

Some attorneys come to me looking to leave the practice of law, but they are not sure where to begin their exploration.  I work with these clients to help assess why they want to make this change and help them determine what else they can do with their law degree.

I guide lawyers who are looking for an alternative career path and help them to assess how they can build a more satisfying career that makes good use of their strengths and builds off of their prior experiences.

By leveraging my broad professional network, I help dissatisfied lawyers to become more self-aware, and to execute a plan for making a transition out of the law.  I have had three non-traditional legal careers and I use that knowledge to help and support my clients in making the transition.

Are you’re thinking of going in-house? Despite the strong job market, the competition for good in-house jobs remains high. Searching for the right corporate job requires a proactive approach that is very different from the interviewing you did when you were in law school. With my in-depth knowledge of the legal profession and as a career coach, I help act as a sounding board for you to systematically think through your options and provide support in finding the best solutions and executing an effective search. Once you’ve found the best path, I can help you create a sustainable action plan and provide support throughout the implementation process while addressing both internal and external obstacles