About Debra Forman

Executive Coach, Professional Certified Coach (PCC)

Debra Forman of Pinstripe Coaching is a relationship-building certified executive coach. That her business grows almost exclusively through client referrals is a strong testament to Debra’s coaching abilities.

Since forming Pinstripe, Debra has worked with more than 3,000 clients and has provided over 39,500 hours of executive coaching and training services with a particular focus on business development and practice management coaching.

Debra works with high-potential individuals who want to attract new clients and grow existing relationships. She has particular expertise helping lawyers and executives jump-start their business development efforts, or transition into new roles and responsibilities.

Building on more than 35 years of legal and business experience, Debra partners with legal and business clients in individual and group coaching sessions that help them realize their professional and personal goals.

Pinstripe’s clients want to attract new business opportunities, manage time effectively, develop talent, demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills, adjust to business change, and conduct business strategically.

In January 2016, Debra launched Pinstripe’s After It Rains, a practical blog that picks up from the former Making Rain video series, which concluded at the end of 2015 after a successful six-year run. In After It Rains, whether through blog entries, podcasts, or videos, Debra imparts expert insights for legal and business professionals on being a trusted advisor, effective leader, relationship builder, client service provider and generator of business.

An acknowledged expert in law firm management, Debra is regularly engaged to facilitate law firm retreats across the globe.

Since establishing Pinstripe, Debra has effectively coached corporate and general counsel to success. As an approved executive coach at Queen’s Executive Development Centre, Debra coached a new General Counsel for six months as he transitioned into the position. Debra is a proud member of the Association of Corporate Counsel’s global team of expert coaches.

Debra rewrote Maximizing Law Firm Profitability and updated her book twice a year. She was also an active member on the editorial board of Law Firm Partnership & Benefits Report.

For over 12 years, Debra coached lawyers from around the globe in individual sessions and workshops during the two half-year and annual congresses of the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA). For several years, Debra also coached attendees of the Spring and Fall conferences of the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association (ABA YLD).

Debra is a sought-after keynote speaker and workshop facilitator. Keynote addresses include the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association Annual Meeting, the Canadian Health Licensing Association Summer Meeting, and AIJA’s 50th Anniversary Meeting in Paris.

Debra is highly effective at assisting clients adjust to, or look for, business change. A pioneer in law firm lateral integration, Debra works with partners as they transition their practices to new organizations. Debra also offers coaching packages for clients seeking career guidance and employment opportunities, including sessions on resume review, interview preparation and networking.

Building on her strengths in coaching women lawyers, executives, professional service providers and entrepreneurs, Debra has facilitated more than 75 women’s peer groups, seminars, workshops and retreats. Debra also leverages years of experience coaching professionals as they become parents. Debra works with her clients before and after childbirth and after they return to work, assisting them to balance personal and professional responsibilities.

Having earned two Master’s degrees, Debra is also accredited by the International Coach Federation as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) (2008) and has submitted her application to be accredited as a Master Certified Coach (MCC), the next and highest level of coach accreditation. She was certified with her Executive Coach Accreditation (2007) by IPEC Coaching, one of North America’s leading coaching institutes, in New York City.

Based in downtown Toronto, Debra has a global coaching practice. Debra has coached clients in Alberta, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brasilia, Brazil, British Columbia, California, Chile, China, Colorado, Columbia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czechia, D.C., Denmark, Dominican Republic, Dubai, Finland, Florida, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Illinois, India, Indiana, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kansas, Kentucky, Latvia, Lithuania, Louisiana, Luxembourg, Malta, Maryland, Mexico, Nebraska, the Netherlands, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Poland, Quebec, Romania, Saskatchewan, Slovakia, South Carolina, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Texas, Turkey, United Kingdom, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington face-to-face, by telephone, or in virtual meetings.