Below are some questions and answers that may help you to decide whether Catherine’s services are right for your needs.

Who are Catherine's clients?

As a career coach for lawyers, Catherine works with attorneys who work in-house or in law firms, or who want to get back into the legal world following a period away from the law. Most of Catherine’s clients have years of legal experience and are fairly senior in their firm or legal department.

Many clients also seek coaching to help them decide on what is next after they leave the law. As Catherine has experience working on issues in both the for-profit and nonprofit worlds, she is unusually well-equipped to coach or consult on nonprofit opportunities for lawyers at all stages of their careers.

Catherine works with newly-hired general counsel, whether promoted from within or hired from outside the organization, to assist them with challenges during the onboarding process.

Catherine works with up-and-coming in-house lawyers in corporations, nonprofits and government to help them resolve challenges and realize their potential to move up to the general counsel position.

Catherine works with partners of law firms who seek advice and counsel on how to position themselves for potential in-house or nonprofit opportunities.

Catherine works with lawyers nearing the end of their careers who seek to continue working in a fulfilling position.

To learn more about attorney coaching, or to find out if working with Catherine is a good fit for your needs or those of your organization, contact Catherine Nathan to schedule a consultation.

What can I expect?

Catherine offers prospective clients a complimentary introductory executive coaching session that lasts between a half-hour and an hour. During this session, the client presents the issues to be resolved and has the opportunity to ask questions. If the client decides to move forward, the client and Catherine agree on the parameters of the working relationship and schedule the first hour-long session.

Following the introductory call, Catherine sends the client a one-page agreement, together with an introductory package that details her background and the confidentiality and ethics rules of the International Coaching Federation, to which she adheres.

While Catherine does not ask clients to commit to a set number of sessions, most engagements are a minimum of three sessions and usually five or six. Sessions can be virtual, by phone, or in-person, whichever best suits the client’s needs. Catherine is also available between sessions for phone calls, and, if needed, can extend sessions beyond the scheduled hour if time permits.

To learn more about Catherine’s experience and approach, and how her services can benefit you or your organization, please contact Catherine Nathan to schedule a complimentary consultation.

I am a senior in-house lawyer but want to become a general counsel. What experience do I need?

Every situation is different, but the one experience that is most often of critical importance is gaining experience working with a board of directors. Catherine can work with you on how to position yourself to gain this experience.

I’m doing well at my company but have no exposure to senior management. What can I do?

Working directly with senior management depends on your level within a corporate legal department. Catherine can help you manage your expectations and address any problems or challenges that may be keeping you from getting to the right level.

I’m already a general counsel. Can you help me with my relationship with my CEO and other members of senior management?

Catherine can help you identify issues that may be causing friction in these relationships and help you develop new skills to improve them.

I am an associate or partner in a law firm. Can you coach me?

Many of Catherine’s clients work in law firms. While the issues, problems and opportunities they face may differ from those of in-house lawyers, the coaching process is the same. Having worked in two large law firms, Catherine understands the law firm environment well. In addition, she spent eight years early in her legal search career making lateral partner placements for major New York firms.

Can you connect me to recruiters who will help me get a new job?

With Catherine’s extensive background as the country’s foremost general counsel recruiter, she knows many of the executive recruiters who specialize in corporate legal recruiting. She also began her search career doing lateral partner recruiting for law firms, and has maintained contacts with recruiters who specialize in moving partners between firms.

Can you help me with my resume and interviewing skills?

Catherine often spends a session or two working with a client to improve their resume if a job search is the reason for the coaching relationship. Improving a client’s presence is a major part of Catherine’s practice and can include working on interviewing skills as well.

How many sessions will I need?

That really depends on your goals. Catherine may do one or two sessions to deal with an immediate, clearly-defined problem or issue. She has also had coaching relationships that went on for well over a dozen sessions. The norm is probably around six one-hour sessions, but the number of sessions is ultimately up to each client.

Do I need to commit to a certain number of sessions?

Catherine does not ask clients to commit to a certain number of sessions; she believes that clients know best what they want and need. There is typically a point at which it feels natural for the coaching relationship to end. That said, Catherine has had several clients who scheduled follow-up sessions with her as needed following the conclusion of the initial coaching relationship.

What is your commitment to confidentiality?

Many coaches today are hired by companies to coach members of their legal departments; that is also part of Catherine’s practice. Some coaches have a preexisting contract with the company, and thus have a level of responsibility to the company that complicates their duty of confidentiality to the lawyer being coached.

Unlike those coaches, Catherine does not maintain an ongoing relationship with an organization that could compromise her ability to maintain the confidentiality required by the individual she is coaching. Catherine is also often retained by individuals who may want to keep their coaching private from their current employers.

Clients hire Catherine in part because of her commitment to total confidentiality. Whether working for an individual or hired to coach members of a legal department, she follows the stringent ethics and confidentiality requirements set forth by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

What is the International Coaching Federation?

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is “the leading global organization for coaches and coaching." ICF is dedicated to “advancing the coaching profession” by setting high standards and building a worldwide network of trained coaching professionals.

To learn more about attorney coaching, or to find out if working with Catherine is a good fit for your needs, contact Catherine Nathan to schedule a consultation.