Coaching & Mentorship 101: A Podcast Conversation
I recently joined the “Mentorship Matters with Dave & Liz” podcast, hosted by two fantastic corporate and securities lawyers, Dave Lynn and Liz Dunshee. In just 18 minutes, we explored everything from my transition from Big Law to coaching, to the differences between coaching and mentorship, and what helps professionals truly thrive in their careers and lives.
Listen to the episode here: https://www.thecorporatecounsel.net/nonMember/InsideTrack/2025/04_25_jane_magnuson.htm
If you prefer to read it, check out the highlights below.
Q: You started your career as a corporate lawyer. What led you to coaching?
A: I spent 15 years practicing law, beginning at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York and later leading the risk function at NI, a global tech company in Austin. As my career progressed, I found myself increasingly drawn to the people and leadership side of the work. I discovered deep fulfillment in helping colleagues navigate leadership challenges and career transitions.
At one point, I hired a coach to help me at a career inflection point. That experience was so powerful that I decided to become a coach myself to support others through similar turning points.
Q: How does your legal background shape your coaching?
A: I tend to work with high-achieving professionals—lawyers, tech leaders, finance folks—who are driven, smart, and often hard on themselves.
My coaching is practical and results-oriented. We dig into the mental blocks and limiting beliefs that hold them back, and each session ends with clear, actionable steps. It’s all about clarity, growth, and progress.
Q: So what’s the difference between coaching and mentorship?
A: Coaching and mentoring both have the same goal of helping someone get more of what they want, but they do so in different ways.
Think of climbing a mountain. A mentor is someone who’s made the climb before and gives advice based on their experience. It’s more directed and experience-based, and it works well when your path tracks the mentor’s. A coach is more like a Sherpa who walks alongside you, asks the right questions, and helps you find your own best path. A coach doesn’t give you answers or tell you what to do but gives a client space and support to access their insights and wisdom.
To recap, mentorship gives you insight from the outside, while coaching helps you unlock insight from within.
Q: What’s the impact of coaching and mentorship?
A: Mentorship helped me open doors and grow as a leader in my own career. Coaching helped me clarify what I really wanted and shift the mindset patterns that were holding me back.
As a coach I see now how when someone’s thinking shifts, the result a shift. That’s the power of coaching.
Q: What should someone look for in a coach or mentor?
Three things:
Chemistry – Do you feel safe being honest with them?
Experience – Mentors should have walked the path. Coaches should be trained, credentialed, and have relevant work experience to understand your world.
Time – Are they truly invested in your growth?
Q: Any advice for lawyers who want to grow their careers?
A: Zoom out. Ask yourself: What do I want to be known for? What kind of impact do I want to make?
Then reverse-engineer your next steps. Think in four categories:
Work – Are you getting the right kinds of opportunities?
People – Who do you need to connect with or learn from?
Tools – What skills do you want to build?
Habits – What do you need to do more (or less) of?
And take action, even when it feels uncomfortable. Finally, tell your goals to others so they can help you get there.
Q: What traits do you see in leaders who truly flourish?
A: Three qualities stand out:
Clarity – They know who they are and what matters most.
Intentionality – They’re thoughtful about where they focus their time and energy. Often that is investing in relationships, developing their teams, and sustaining their own well-being.
Humanity – They lead with empathy and curiosity, not judgment. The best leaders operate from the assumption that others are doing their best.
It helps to take time to cultivate these qualities, and surround yourself with a strong support network like mentors, peers, and coaches. Even the most capable professionals do better with a team behind them.
Drop me a note through the Contact page if you have any questions.
