Thank you for the incredibly valuable advice at times that I have needed it the most. Your ability to see through the shit, call things out with ease, comfort where needed and acknowledge feelings makes you one of a kind. I really truly appreciate all of that support. It meant the world to me.

- Partner, Canada

For nearly 2 years, Michelle has been helping me navigate confronting workplace issues that ultimately lead me to leave a firm I was hugely excited about joining.

I am a legal practitioner of 20 years experience (my second career), and as a woman in her mid-forties, who had been leading teams for my entire work life, I thought I was fairly bullet proof when it came to poor behaviour by colleagues. I was blindsided about 4 months into my new partnership and Michelle was recommended to me. 

It is difficult to articulate the journey Michelle has taken me on without it sounding trite. In short, she has been helping me understand that my experience was real, it was unjust and I am not a failure for walking away and starting at a new firm.

Did we talk at length about my upbringing? Yes. Did she push me to acknowledge my achievements that I had dismissed? Yes. Was this uncomfortable at times? Absolutely. 

Did it help? Put it this way, Michelle gave me the courage to walk away from a toxic workplace when I had associated that with failure, and concluded that the problem must be me. My lawyers are following me (also coached by Michelle) and I am hugely excited about the next chapter.  I now believe we can start and succeed again. Does my journey with Michelle end here? No.

Firstly, Michelle is now my dear friend so there's that. Although I am certainly more aware of who I am and why, my default reactions are still ingrained and I'll need Michelle's help to navigate this and, let's face it, I am a 45 year old female partner in a large law firm. There will be dark days. 

I need Michelle to come and share her wisdom and research with my team, firm and clients. My team and I need Michelle's help to keep growing, to keep succeeding and most importantly, to become comfortable with this. I need her to keep telling me that I've got this.

Please don't hesitate in engaging Michelle, even more so if you are senior, experienced and feel like you can't take anymore crap in your life. Michelle will show you the light and make you laugh while she's doing it, as only she can. 

— Female Partner in Private Practice, Australia

As a mentor Michelle makes it her mission to provide unwavering support and guidance. She does an amazing job at building your confidence and takes so much time in developing you as a person. Michelle’s background in law and the insurance market means she has incredible insight in the challenges her mentees may face. Her own experience and knowledge gives her all the tools to guide people through and help them carve out a successful career. I could not recommend her mentoring and coaching enough.

— Emily Pilsbury, Solicitor

Working with Michelle has been a career changer for me.  Unlike other professional coaches, where they focus on what you may need to change, Michelle embraces your personal strengths and helps you foster that strength into creating opportunities for growth and partnership that is authentic to one’s self.  Never wanting to change you, Michelle helps you embrace your own idiosyncrasies and gives you confidence in the skills you already have to develop new business.  She also connects with you on a personal level, acting as a life coach at times as opposed to just a career coach.  It is obvious she truly cares about her clients and genuinely wants each of us to succeed.

- Partner, Chicago

I sought out Michelle after encountering difficulties at my current firm and while considering a transition. She not only provided sound professional advice and helped me shift my perspective on my situation, but also regularly checked in on my mental and emotional health. Due to her coaching, I received the raise and bonus I was seeking. Michelle’s insight as an insurance expert and New York lawyer is certainly valuable, but her approachability and ability to make her clients feel like they are simply chatting with a friend is what truly sets Michelle apart from other coaches. She genuinely cares about her clients’ wellbeing, not just in their careers but also in their personal lives. 

- Senior Counsel, New York

I cannot thank Michelle enough for her help and support as I’ve navigated considerable volatility and a range of challenges in my role as GC and CCO of a global hedge fund.

When I first started working with Michelle I could not have predicted the value she would bring. In particular, Michelle’s support and strategic guidance has helped me to solve complex professional problems, negotiate a significant career move, and complete an important side project that I’d long considered but lacked the impetus to undertake.

Michelle brings an astute balance of compassionate support and constructive challenge, informed by a genuine interest in her clients’ life and circumstances. Her coaching style is underpinned by a detailed understanding of the professional world (law firms in particular), the right amount of academic rigour, and her own real-world experience. She’s an inspirational person, always keeps it real, and has become one of the few trusted advisors in my life.

— General Counsel, Investment Management Industry

Working with Michelle has been an absolute pleasure. I am presently in a senior role with my law firm, which demands not only legal expertise but also the ability to build and maintain strong, genuine relationships with clients. Michelle’s guidance on how to communicate more effectively, understand client needs on a deeper level, and approach client interactions with a mutually beneficial mindset has been invaluable.

Importantly, Michelle tailored her coaching sessions to respond to my specific needs. While business coaches often work with people who are beginning their “networking journey”, Michelle was able to quickly take a tally of the skills that I already possess and those which require support. This saved valuable time and lead to more productive coaching sessions.  I now feel more confident navigating complex client conversations and am better equipped to deliver value beyond legal advice. I strongly recommend Michelle for anyone looking to improve their business relationships.

- Senior Counsel, Canada

As co-chair of Hinshaw & Culbertson’s mentorship program I am always looking for opportunities that will help foster the relationship between our mentors and mentees.  Michelle Anderson Lahr provided such an opportunity when she came to Hinshaw’s New York office and gave a presentation on intergenerational communication for better business results.  The presentation was well put together, amusing, thought provoking, and generated a great deal of conversation both during and after.  I would highly recommend the services of Fell. 

— Partner, New York

Michelle has been a great coach and supported in navigating Partnership and understanding how I can succeed in building a sustainable and fulfilling career. I have gained great insight not only in understanding my new role as a Partner, but on how to leverage my strengths and thinking commercially about clients. Michelle has provided guidance and support on a wide array of issues, from how to address tricky conversations, managing competing interests, strategically address problem and how to be resilient – she has taken the time and care to  truly understand what makes me tick. She provides valuable support and I know I will grow from strength to strength with her expert assistance, warmth and excellent advice.

- Partner, London

Michelle lead a lively and enlightening conversation on the differences with working between multi-generations. Her approach and communication style are fresh and innovative.  She fosters a safe environment that encourages others to speak freely leading to a wonderful and enlightening discussion!  Thank you, Michelle for such a wonderful event!

— Partner, Chicago

Having left my employer due to relocation I found myself in the fortunate position of being able to take stock of my career direction, unexpectedly making sense of what to do next proved far harder than I ever thought it would be. The ability to discuss with Michelle my career ambitions was invaluable. Michelle’s mentoring helped me to realise and to focus on the areas important to me, but unwittingly gave me the confidence to pursue and develop the role I had been looking for. I thoroughly recommend Michelle to help you shape your aspirations enabling you to take the next step.

— Neil Evans, Managing Director, Blu Niche Risk Services Limited

As someone who has practiced law for over 20 years, I have a good idea of how to run a practice, including business development and managing junior attorneys and staff. But inevitably there are blind spots and working with Michelle enabled me to see what I was missing. She has a keen ability to look at everyday issues, propose valid questions about usual approaches, and help you develop a more confident attitude and integrate more successful methods. Work with her, you will see immediate and positive results and benefit from learning new and lasting techniques.

— Managing Partner, New York

Michelle attended my team's away day when one of the issues we focussed on was client relationships. Michelle's take on this is unique and refreshing. That is because she has been in the insurance market for years and has built strong relationships across all the stakeholder groups, including insurers, reinsurers, brokers, Lloyd's and Company market participants, global entities and law firms serving this market. Her insights are powerful because they come from her lived experience coupled with her professional coaching expertise. Michelle is an energetic and highly observant person so her delivery is honest, direct and grounded in her hard work in conducting a series of interviews/collating survey results based on questions she has asked of both insurance market professionals and the lawyers who serve that market. This is a unique approach as contrasting the views of both camps on the same issue shines a light on the importance of communication and the need for openness and clarity in interactions about claims, particularly complex matters where many eyes will be on potential exposures for the business concerned.

Michelle's candour and no-nonsense style make it easy to ask her pointed questions sure that she will not give a bland or proforma answer. My team found the session with Michelle most useful and a number of them have since referred to comments/tips Michelle shared with us which they are implementing in their dealings with clients.

— Senior Partner, London

I have been working closely with Michelle for nearly three years now and I hope to continue my journey with her throughout my career and my personal life. Only after a few months of working with Michelle, I had become a brighter better version of myself and successfully addressed so many of my fears. She has enabled me to navigate through some extremely challenging professional encounters whilst also supporting me through personal growth. Michelle has taught me that you can truly achieve anything you want to with courage, attitude and direction. I would not be the person I am today if it wasn’t for Michelle. 

- Madeleine Bryant, Senior Insurance Professional