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 2,000 clients and has provided over 25,000 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 30 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 new, 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 or videos, Debra imparts expert insights for lawyers on being a trusted advisor, effective leader, relationship builder, client service provider and generator of business.

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 recently rewrote Maximizing Law Firm Profitability, and will update the book twice a year. She is also on the editorial board of Law Firm Partnership & Benefits Report.

Recognized as a leading expert on law firm management, Debra is regularly engaged to facilitate law firm retreats across the globe and continues to be a sought after keynote speaker and workshop facilitator. She has, for example, made keynote addresses to the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association Annual Meeting, the Canadian Health Licensing Association Summer Meeting and the 50th Anniversary Meeting of the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA) in Paris. As well, Debra annually coaches more than 300 lawyers in individual sessions and workshops during the congresses of the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA) and the conferences of the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association (ABA YLD).

Debra is very 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 special 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 seventy 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 an international coaching practice. Debra has coached clients in Alberta, Argentina, Belgium, Brasilia, Brazil, British Columbia, California, Chile, Colorado, Costa Rica, Czechia, D.C., Denmark, Dubai, Finland, Florida, France, Georgia, Germany, Illinois, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kentucky, Latvia, Louisiana, Luxembourg, Maryland, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Jersey, New York, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Poland, Quebec, Saskatchewan, South Carolina, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Texas, Turkey, United Kingdom, and Washington, face-to-face, or by telephone or Skype.