Legal coaching increasingly popular

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Tiger Woods, Serena Williams and Lance Armstrong all have one.

And so do an increasing number of attorneys in the country.

What do they have? A coach.

With the economy still in a state of flux, legal coaching appears to be growing in popularity as more lawyers and firms seek inspiration, direction and advice.

Legal coaching is a somewhat loosely defined profession, but it generally combines elements of therapy, mentoring and training.

Several lawyers turned coaches have seen their client base expand, in part due to the recession, and say more practitioners at a career crossroads are considering a change and in need of guidance.

“It’s really natural for people in their 40s and 50s to reach a point where they have those meaning of life questions,” said attorney Judith P. Collins, who founded Collins Coaching, LLC nine years ago.

The economy has compounded some of those concerns, especially for experienced attorneys who are out of work.

Collins, who still works part-time as a corporate attorney with Epicentre Technologies Corp. in Madison, coaches a variety of professionals, including lawyers.

“I have a sense that … attorneys who would like to stay in their field don’t know if they want to continue in exactly the same way,” she said.

A legal coach can assist in this situation, providing advice on transitioning out of an old job or finding a new one.

But legal coaches are not job placement professionals so much as they are counselors, said attorney Deborah Katz Solomon, who founded Acuity Legal Consulting LLC, in Washington DC.

“Firms and attorneys are not hiring me to give them all the answers, but to help them efficiently come up with their own solutions,” she said.

She said her business has thrived as firms throughout the country have hired her to help laid-off lawyers adjust both emotionally and professionally.

“Law firms that are conducting layoffs or gently encouraging people to leave are often hiring me to help those lawyers make a smooth transition,” Solomon said.

Legal coaches are also being called on to help with internal changes at firms.

Milwaukee attorney Paula M. Davis-Laack has worked with mid and high-level associates who are evaluating their transition to partner.

Davis-Laack practiced commercial real estate for seven years prior to starting the Marie Elizabeth Company LLC last year.

“I’ve worked with a number of people who want to take a minute and think about what their next step is with a firm before they take it,” she said. “My sense is people are looking for more balance and stability beyond just being an attorney.”

While a legal background is not a prerequisite to becoming a legal coach, it helps in connecting with clients.

Davis-Laack said that her experience in a profession which has suffered during the recession is an asset.

“I think [clients] know that I know what they are going through, so I’m a natural facilitator,” she said.

Coach referrals aren’t hard to find: both local Web sites like MadisonCoaches.com and national ones like CoachFederation.org offer suggestions for attorneys looking for assistance.

Not for everyone

Although Davis-Laack said her transition from attorney to coach on the cusp of the recession was coincidental, she has talked with colleagues who are considering a similar change.

But it is not a profession an attorney can simply fall into, Collins cautioned.

She recommends anyone planning to get into the business become certified as a coach and expect to take two or three years to build a strong client base.

“It isn’t necessarily a career someone just jumps into as a full-time attorney,” Collins said. “As a solo coach you can’t expect to immediately replace that income.”

According to the Coach Federation Web site, legal coaches’ monthly rates range from less than $150 to as much as $1,000, depending on the type of service provided.

Solomon, who was an antitrust lawyer, said she is flexible in terms of her availability to clients. Some hire her to work month-to-month, while others retain her for extended periods.

“If I’m working with a new practice group leader, they might hire me for six months to help them ease into the leadership role,” she explained.