Meet Your Coaches:
Michelle Abend Bauman, J.D., M.A. has achieved what many lawyers believe to be impossible – balancing a very successful legal career with a fulfilling personal life raising her two children.
After graduating from Law School at the University of Southern California in 1992, Michelle worked as a federal judicial clerk in the District of Nevada before joining the Labor & Employment department at Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp, in Los Angeles, California. Despite being on the fast-track for career success, Michelle was savvy enough to recognize, early on, that she wanted more than just professional success; she was determined to create a career which also honored time with her husband Scott, her family and other personal priorities.
In 1997, in pursuit of a more ideal life for herself and her family, Michelle took an in-house position as Labor Counsel at NBC/Universal, where she orchestrated a new “job share” position for herself to work three days a week, while receiving a promotion to Vice President in the process. Her job-share partnership has been a tremendous success and is still going strong nine years later!
As part of living her ideal life, Michelle returned to school to earn a Master’s degree in Psychology at the University of Santa Monica. Here she developed additional tools, skills and strategies to further evolve both her career success and sense of personal satisfaction and fulfillment.
“Why was I never taught this in Law School?” was a question she often wondered, as she recognized the intense need for this kind of training and support in her own field. Inspired by her experiences, Michelle now coaches other women lawyers to create their own unique brand of work/life harmony.
Sonia Stringer, M.A. For over 15 years, Sonia Stringer has been coaching busy professionals to achieve the ultimate measure of success – a successful career that also supports a fulfilling personal life.
A former National Sales Trainer with peak performance expert, Anthony Robbins, Ms. Stringer is also a nationally recognized speaker, having delivered workshops and training programs for over 800 organizations, including companies such as Nextel, BNC Mortgage, ReMax, Century 21, SDGE, Canon, Bell Atlantic, Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney, Eastman Kodak, Met Life and Marriott Hotels.
As a coach and consultant, Sonia specializes in working with female executives, business owners and lawyers. With a keen sense of humor, a sharp eye and years of experience in both personal and professional development – Sonia supports her clients to clarify their most important goals and design a powerful “game plan” to achieve career success while also enjoying a rich, fulfilling personal life.
Sonia’s fiance is the General Counsel for a large, multi-national corporation – so she knows first-hand the challenges, stress and frustration that can come with any successful legal career, and how to address it. Ms. Stringer is an active member of the National Speaker’s Association and the International Coaching Federation.
