Joanna is a certified executive leadership coach, a psychologist, an international scholarly researcher, and a human capital consultant with over two decades of experience in international law firms and professional services firms in 14 countries on 3 continents. She is intimately familiar with the life and needs of practicing lawyers as she has spent her career serving and supporting the legal industry in her leadership and consulting roles and, most recently, also as an academic.

What coaching services do you provide?

I am committed to women lawyers' leadership development and I provide one-on-one coaching
exclusively to women lawyers at all stages of seniority and their career.

What services do you provide in addition to coaching?

I draw on scholarly research to challenge traditional thinking, and to analyze and diagnose organizational impediments to leadership development. As a consultant with significant practical experience working in law firms and with professional services firms, I am able to convert these insights into practical advice and recommendations. I am dedicated to helping the legal industry and linking organizational and leadership development efforts to its growth pursuits through custom-designed interventions.

In addition to my advisory and consulting services, I offer leadership development programs, workshops, and training sessions customized to meet the specific needs, organizational cultures and goals of each law firm and professional services organization. These programs are designed to solidify new habits and equip lawyers with knowledge and skills to achieve their career goals and to step confidently into leadership roles. The curriculum follows a research-based business school model that includes case studies, team problem-solving, and one-on-one exercises. Examples include leadership and leader development, team management, time management, performance management, delegating, mentoring, relationship building, and strategic networking.

What is your coaching philosophy?

My coaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that leadership capacity develops through intentional reflection, increased self-awareness, and purposeful action. I work with women lawyers to help them articulate and develop their leadership identity, navigate complex professional environments, and lead with confidence and authenticity. The coaching process is both supportive and challenging: it creates a structured space to examine assumptions, clarify goals, and experiment with new leadership behaviors. By integrating evidence-based leadership development practices with the realities of legal practice, my aim is to help clients translate insight into sustained professional growth and effective leadership.

What interests or excites you about coaching women lawyers?

Coaching women lawyers is the opportunity to give back and support highly capable professionals as they claim and shape their leader identity in environments that have not been designed with them in mind. Women in law possess exceptional analytical skills, resilience, and professional commitment, yet they frequently navigate complex expectations about authority, confidence, and visibility. My coaching provides a space to reflect, challenge limiting assumptions, and develop strategies that align competence with authentic leadership presence. I find it particularly meaningful to help women lawyers recognize their strengths, expand their influence, and lead in ways that are both effective and personally sustainable.

Tell us about your training and certifications as a coach.

I attained my master coach certification in executive leadership coaching at Harvard University. I earned my doctorate in leadership from the George Washington University. My doctoral dissertation focused on leader identity development of women lawyers in corporate law firms in AmLaw50. I hold a master's degree in Human Resource Development from the George Washington University and a master's degree in social psychology from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw, Poland. The latter's dissertation examined professional burnout and coping with stress among lawyers in a corporate law firm.