With extensive experience in business, law, professional coaching and information technology, the Coaching Advocates’ Advisory Board is who we turn to for strategic guidance as we navigate our pathway to success.
Every business today is grappling with unforeseen issues impacting upon their industry. At the same time, speed is vital as businesses shift to digital transformations and client expectations grow every day.
At Coaching Advocates we’re deeply involved in both the legal and the coaching industries, and we thrive best when we can harness the collective power of our people, our networks and our industries.
We know first-hand the benefits of having a great coach and so we’ve collected a group of the best people we know to guide us! We are honoured to introduce you to our inaugural advisory board. They are helping us to scale on the next stage of our global journey.
Chris Bull
Advisory Board Chair
Chris Bull is an author, management consultant, and speaker focused on the legal services sector, but put more simply, he is regarded as one of the world’s most insightful and forward-thinking advisers to legal businesses and law firms. He’s also one of the busiest speakers and chairs at legal business and innovation events.
Chris works not only as a consultant on strategically significant engagements, but also as a retained advisor, non-executive director, mentor, facilitator and conference producer.
Based in the United Kingdom, Chris has consistently been a pioneer of alternative business models and transformation in the legal sector. His roles have included COO & Chief Executive at the law firm, Osborne Clarke (which during his tenure increased its turnover 8 fold), COO for Europe & the Americas at alternative legal service provider, Integreon (which established a market leading position during his time on the global ExCo), and he has worked at all four of the Big 4 accounting firms.
He also currently consults with global legal strategy firm Edge International and chairs Bristol+BathLegalTech, the Legal COO Network and the Legal Operations and Administration Forum.
An accomplished author, Chris’ publications include ‘The Agile Law Firm’, ‘The Legal Process Improvement Toolkit’, and ‘Law Firms in the Digital Age.’
Chris O’Callaghan
Advisory Board Member
Chris O’Callaghan has over 30 years of experience gained from working in global organisations as both internal learning & development SME and external consultant. This experience spans several industry sectors and geographical locations and includes legal, professional services, technology and pharma.
Currently based on the east coast of Australia, Chris has worked with both individual executives and operational boards of some of the world’s largest businesses. He’s been described as a no-nonsense business partner, quickly able to get to the core of an issue and determine the most effective strategy to enable change.
Andrea Foot
Advisory Board Member & Program Architect
Andrea has worked for more than four decades in the world of information technology. Originally from the UK, Andrea came to Australia in 2004 to set up a local business for a British technology company. Since that time, she has continued to provide specialised expertise to legal IT companies to help them establish and grow their businesses. Andrea is also a non-executive director of a law firm and Vice President and Honorary Secretary of The Women’s Club.
In addition to being an Advisory Board Member, Andrea is Coaching Advocates’ Program Architect. She brings her many years of practical experience in leading technology organisations together with a system psychodynamic-led coaching perspective to help create the programs and develop our executive education programmes.
John Poulsen
Advisory Board Member
John is the former Australian Managing Partner and CEO of Squire Patton Boggs. Prior to that role, John led Minter Ellison’s ‘go global’ strategy which resulted in the firm joining Squires. As CEO & Managing partner, John led the firm to be one of the fastest growing law firms in Australia, with offices in Perth, Sydney and Darwin.
John is now sharing his real world experience in transforming workplace cultures and coaching and mentoring leaders and emerging leaders. His focus is on cultivating talent, developing leaders and having organisations thrive in all areas: people, passion and performance. Based on the west coast of Australia, John is also instrumental in the development of Coaching Advocates’ executive education programmes.
Chris Bull
Advisory Board Chair
Chris Bull is an author, management consultant, and speaker focused on the legal services sector, but put more simply, he is regarded as one of the world’s most insightful and forward-thinking advisers to legal businesses and law firms. He’s also one of the busiest speakers and chairs at legal business and innovation events.
Based in the United Kingdom, Chris has consistently been a pioneer of alternative business models and transformation in the legal sector. His roles have included COO & Chief Executive at the law firm, Osborne Clarke (which during his tenure increased its turnover 8 fold), COO for Europe & the Americas at alternative legal service provider, Integreon (which established a market leading position during his time on the global ExCo), and he has worked at all four of the Big 4 accounting firms.
He also currently consults with global legal strategy firm Edge International and chairs Bristol+BathLegalTech, the Legal COO Network and the Legal Operations and Administration Forum.
An accomplished author, Chris’ publications include ‘The Agile Law Firm’, ‘The Legal Process Improvement Toolkit’, and ‘Law Firms in the Digital Age.’
Chris O’Callaghan
Advisory Board Member
Chris O’Callaghan has over 30 years of experience gained from working in global organisations as both internal learning & development SME and external consultant. This experience spans several industry sectors and geographical locations and includes legal, professional services, technology and pharma.
Currently based on the east coast of Australia, Chris has worked with both individual executives and operational boards of some of the world’s largest businesses. He’s been described as a no-nonsense business partner, quickly able to get to the core of an issue and determine the most effective strategy to enable change.
Andrea Foot
Advisory Board Member & Program Architect
Andrea has worked for more than four decades in the world of information technology. Originally from the UK, Andrea came to Australia in 2004 to set up a local business for a British technology company. Since that time, she has continued to provide specialised expertise to legal IT companies to help them establish and grow their businesses. Andrea is also a non-executive director of a law firm and Vice President and Honorary Secretary of The Women’s Club.
In addition to being an Advisory Board Member, Andrea is Coaching Advocates’ Program Architect. She brings her many years of practical experience in leading technology organisations together with a system psychodynamic-led coaching perspective to help create the programs and develop our executive education programmes.
John Poulsen
Advisory Board Member
John is the former Australian Managing Partner and CEO of Squire Patton Boggs. Prior to that role, John led Minter Ellison’s ‘go global’ strategy which resulted in the firm joining Squires. As CEO & Managing partner, John led the firm to be one of the fastest growing law firms in Australia, with offices in Perth, Sydney and Darwin.
John is now sharing his real world experience in transforming workplace cultures and coaching and mentoring leaders and emerging leaders. His focus is on cultivating talent, developing leaders and having organisations thrive in all areas: people, passion and performance. Based on the west coast of Australia, John is also instrumental in the development of Coaching Advocates’ executive education programmes.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Coaching Advocates was established in 2020. We are passionate about helping law firms unlock the potential in their people and lawyers to create success on their own terms