"I consulted with Irene late in my career, reluctantly, as I doubted she could teach an old dog any new practice tricks, but I needn't have worried as each session with Irene produced at least two to three gems I was able to use in my practice right away.
"She was also able to steer me in the right direction when seemingly intractable problems and cases cropped up. Yet, at the same time, she was also quick to point out the right actions, work arounds, and decisions I made on my own between sessions when she was not available.
"Plus, I was able to recently successfully retire, based on her assistance with my retirement plan. I certainly recommend Irene as a professional coach whether you are just starting out in practice, in the middle of your practice, or are in the last ten years or so of your career.
Lowell Dale Young
Seattle, Washington
"Irene painstakingly worked with me to maintain my practice through difficult times. Irene offers the accountability and advice necessary to develop your practice to its potential."
Daniel J. Mol
Barrister & Solicitor
Edmonton, Alberta
"For 34 years I had a successful law practice in Southeastern Washington, and have, relatively recently, retired. For a number of years preceding my retirement, I had the privilege of working with Irene Leonard. If you go on Irene’s website, you can read other testimonials about their experiences with Irene. I would echo many of the observations and sentiments expressed by other clients.
"For me, working with Irene was especially gratifying because she worked with me during some difficult years during which I contemplated and made some difficult decisions about the direction of my practice. The practice of law, as many of you know, is so much more than just being able to recall and apply esoteric principles. It is about dealing with people in difficult situations, balancing the practice with having a healthy family and personal life, and…making money.
"Irene was an invaluable resource to me during those times. She was a careful listener, always prepared for our regular telephone calls, extremely knowledgeable, and asked great questions that, always, got to the heart of the matter. And, in addition to her professionalism and her insightfulness, she is an incredibly compassionate person who cares about the well-being and success of her clients. Making the decision to utilize Irene’s services was one of the best decisions of my legal career.
Robert D. Merriman,
Kennewick, WA
"I worked with Irene Leonard for 3 years, first while working at a small firm, and then transitioning to my solo practice. There have been many benefits to working with Irene to start and build my practice; I would like to point out three in particular. First, Irene has taught me a tremendous amount about networking and marketing my practice. In my book she is an “expert” in these areas; not only does she continually educate herself about current trends and strategies, she has a unique ability to apply such information to the specifics of my circumstances at the time and to communicate them to me in an understandable way that I could immediately apply to my practice. Secondly, Irene is a very good guide in goal setting and accountability, including creating strategic plans to achieve such goals, and measuring progress. Thirdly, Irene provided crucial guidance to me on the business side of my practice; she guided me in understanding the metrics that told me if my practice was reaching the financial and administrative goals that I set for myself, and what adjustments and changes I might want to make to attain future business and financial goals. Maybe most importantly, the result of my work with Irene is that I have grown in confidence from an attorney who never thought she wanted to have her own practice, to today where I have succeeded in opening my practice, I am enjoying it, and it is growing in the ways that I wish; this has been indispensable. Thank you, Irene!"
Valerie O. Ohlstrom
Ohlstrom Law Office
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"Irene, I am truly, truly, glad I won that coaching session gift that you contributed to the KCBA Solo 2010 Holiday Party. It has been a very wonderful year for my business this year thanks to your superb business coaching."
Katrina Zafiro
Seattle Immigration & Family Law Attorney
"Hiring Irene Leonard as my business coach is without a doubt the best decision I have made since starting my practice. I have been working with Irene since 2010 and have come to rely on her weekly advice as an invaluable part of my practice. Her background as a former in-house counsel, her extensive experience with lawyers and the way they think and operate, and her ability to think outside the box all raise my level of thinking about issues every time we talk.
"Irene's approach to coaching is not just about the professional, but takes all of my goals in life into account in helping me make the best decisions and adopt the best approaches for my practice. The best testament to her coaching may be that as issues come up that I want input on, her voice is inside my head telling me the questions to ask, how to approach the issue, and asking me what I want from the outcome. Her coaching style is to constantly ask questions to help me work through the issue -- she listens exceptionally well, and encourages me to talk through the challenges we all face but are afraid to discuss in the practice of law. Then she provides her perspective. I would liken her ability to cut through the noise and to hone in on the real issue to a great trial lawyer's ability to cull an enormous set of facts into an opening statement for a jury. She's that good. Irene is professional, thoughtful, experienced, grounded and real.
"I had no real understanding of how coaching worked when I started looking for a coach, but knew I needed someone to help me guide and focus my practice. I would recommend Irene to any lawyer I know who wants to increase their business in a manner that's consistent with what they want from life -- whether you are in your own practice, or a small or large firm."
Kelly Twigger"I've worked with Irene for close to a year. Since working with her,I've learned how to communicate clearly with clients about money, be realistic about the work I can take on, and most important, learned how to say "no" to clients who won't be a good fit for me. Irene is excellent for helping me maintain constant awareness of the development of my practice. I have better work-life boundaries after working with her, and enjoy my work much more. She is terrific! I highly recommend her."
Amy Muth, Seattle Attorney"Although Irene has many clients, she always takes the time to stay current and focused on the specifics of what is happening in my life and practice. She not only gives me strategies for changing old habits, but constructively challenges my preconceptions so that I see the value and productiveness of new approaches to practice management, client relations and marketing. Irene is just as open to change as she expects me to be, and if certain strategies do not fit my circumstances or personal strengths, she works with me to develop ones that do fit. Irene stays in my corner, but never tells me only what I want to hear. She always makes the effort to accommodate my ever-changing schedule. I value her insight and personal attention."
Justin, Litigation Lawyer, Vancouver BC"I came to Irene with specific areas of my practice that I wanted to improve. She listened, came up with ideas and new ways of looking at the issues, and helped me to make rapid, measurable, positive changes. Thank you Irene!"
Matt Levin"I was skeptical about professional coaching until I tried it and it worked! When I started coaching with Irene Leonard, my law practice depended on work referred by senior partners in my firm. I wanted to develop into a cornerstone partner of my law firm, while at the same time balancing my family life with a husband and two children under the age of seven. I exceeded my goals through Irene's coaching, growing my annual client “source” fees from $130,000 to almost $500,000.
"I could not have done this without Irene's help. She pushed me to take actions outside my comfort zone. Some examples include sending birthday cards to clients, calling up other lawyers and asking for referrals, and asking existing clients for more business. Irene coached me through my resistance to engage in business marketing activities. Working with Irene made me think "wider" and develop a more successful law practice.
"I can recommend Irene without hesitation."
Camille Taylor Ralston"Irene took a risk with me — I'm a writer, not a lawyer. I found that her coaching experience and techniques are just what I needed! Writing a book is hard work and can take a long time. So I had to find, inside myself, the motivation and persistence and determination to keep going, week after week, chapter after chapter. When I was down, distracted, convinced I could never finish this project, Irene helped me think through my values and plan my time. Her most lasting influence came when she introduced me to the idea of gremlins, those nasty voices inside your head that hold you back. She showed me how to tame my gremlins. For that, and all her other help, I am very grateful! Thanks to her, I finished my novel, and it was chosen by Random House for publication in January 2011. Happy ending!"
Dori Jones Yang, author of Daughter of Xanadu"Irene Leonard's coaching resulted in my challenging assumptions I had no idea I had — assumptions about what success was supposed to look like, and what I needed to do to achieve that success. Our coaching sessions resulted in my having a more authentic life, both at work and outside of work. Irene garnered an accurate understanding of my situation through intense listening and intuition, asked questions where I needed to be challenged, and provided valuable suggestions when I needed practical advice. I would recommend Irene's coaching for any lawyer or other professional seeking focus and clarity for their professional life."
Julie O'Brien"Irene is incredibly easy to work with. She approaches each client and their business individually. There is no one-size-fits-all approach with Irene. She listens and then tailors recommendations for each client. Her knowledgeable, creative encouragement is a must for new and experienced business owners alike."
Catherine Needles-Sharpley"Irene's coaching is insightful, incisive, and extremely helpful. She quickly gets to the heart of the matter in a manner that is energizing and productive."
Amy Stephson"Your coaching has made a massive difference in the way I see my worth to clients. Thanks to you and our work together, I've hit professional and financial goals that once seemed out of reach. Imagine - paying off one's student loans in two years rather than in the nine left on my payment plan. A real achievement!"
Michelle"Irene's expertise with simple yet powerful questions always brings clarity and focus to my thinking. It may be unusual for others, but I consistently have an "ah ha" moment in my calls with Irene. Just as important, she truly believes in my best self and helps me bring that forth even more. I am addicted to the effectiveness of this process. All lawyers should be so lucky as to have a coach as excellent as Irene."
Elizabeth Jolliffe, J.D."What I liked most about Irene is her passion for her work and the obvious care she has for her clients. She listens and pays attention to who you are as an individual and caters her coaching to fit your specific needs. Her skills in coaching helped keep me on track and focused on my goals. She also helped me face realities that I sometimes wanted to ignore, and I was clearly better off for facing them straight on. Her consistent 'can do' attitude and encouragement were invaluable to my success. I wholeheartedly recommend Irene to anyone in transition, considering making a transition or just trying to grow or improve any situation, personally or professionally."
Siri Quigley"Irene, I just want to thank you for all your help, guidance and encouragement that you give me week after week. Today I had a big federal court oral argument and for the first time ever I walked into a federal courthouse wearing a size 6 suit!! My admission to the federal court was just after my daughter was born and that suit was a size 14. Thank you for your role in helping me to achieve this goal. It has made a big difference to me in the big picture. I argued like I felt; and I felt great!!"
Marianne Jones"Working with Irene has helped me bring out the best in my practice and focus on the work I love to do most. In the process, I've learned to serve my clients better, gained insight into my business, and improved my bottom line.”
John DeForest"I have greatly enjoyed, and also benefited from, my coaching relationship with Irene Leonard. Her creativity, resourcefulness and advocacy on my behalf has been a tremendous boost to my law practice. I am earning more money, taking more vacation, and enjoying my practice more than I ever have!"
Stacey Romberg"I am a senior lawyer with a very busy general solicitor's practice in my own firm. I have retained Irene to coach me for law practice management and staffing issues on a couple of occasions over the last eight years. While the results in a couple of cases were dramatically different from what I originally expected, I was satisfied with the outcome. I might have come to the same conclusions on my own, but I am convinced that, without Irene's guidance, it would have taken me much longer and I would have paid out or lost a great deal more money in the interval. Irene provided tremendous assistance and encouragement to me, leaving me more confident in the outcomes."
Rosalyn ManthorpeI initially asked Irene to help me market my new practice. With her guidance, marketing has simply become part of who I am and what I do in my practice, and our weekly sessions quickly moved to cover new ground. I have come to find Irene's coaching an indispensable part of my practice. I would highly recommend coaching as a practice tool, and Irene as a coach."