About Ben Papa
“Ben brings several high-value contributions. His legal background…gives him immediate credibility and executive presence…He brings groups together, works through dysfunction or discord and creates improved partnerships. I highly recommend Ben to decision makers and HR professionals looking for an external trusted partner.”
– Paige Boyd, Consultant and Former Corporate HR Executive
Helping Attorneys Master the Inner Game of Practicing Law
Before becoming an executive coach, I co-founded and led a successful law firm. My personal practice focused on complex family law, mediation, and collaborative divorce.
Over nearly two decades, I helped clients navigate emotionally charged disputes involving significant financial complexity, collaborating with attorneys, mental health professionals, and financial experts to reach durable agreements in situations many believed could not be resolved.
In addition to practicing law, I also co-founded and co-led a training company that designed and delivered workshops and CLE presentations for attorneys, judges, financial professionals, and mental health practitioners across the country.
Supporting smart, successful professionals as they learn and grow has been central to my entire career.
My Coaching Philosophy
Through my years of practicing law, and in the years since working with highly successful professionals as an executive coach, I learned that the greatest challenges lawyers and other professionals face are rarely legal. They’re human. Before we are attorneys, or general counsel, or wives or brothers, each of us is first and foremost a human being. My coaching philosophy flows from the idea that to flourish professionally we have to take seriously that we are people first or we end up skipping critical steps in our development and are left feeling unsatisfied and often overwhelmed.
Most attorneys spend years mastering the technical aspects of practicing law.
Far fewer intentionally develop the competencies that ultimately determine long-term success and satisfaction:
- Self-awareness
- Authentic relationships
- Clear communication
- Emotional intelligence
- Sound judgment
- Courageous leadership
These are not “soft skills.” They are the very skills that allow exceptional lawyers to truly flourish.
My style of coaching combines evidence-based leadership development with practical experience gained from years practicing law and mediation, leading organizations, training hundreds of professionals, and facilitating sustained and meaningful growth in individuals and teams.
You do not need to become someone different in order to flourish. We will work closely together to have you become more fully the leader—and the lawyer—you are capable of becoming.
Education and Professional Credentials
Education
- Juris Doctor. The Ohio State University
- Master of Divinity. Vanderbilt University
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Vanderbilt University
Professional Credentials
- Professional Certified Coach (PCC). International Coaching Federation*
- Certified Advanced Instructor. The Enneagram Spectrum
- Certified Practitioner. Leadership Circle Profile®
- Certified Practitioner (Basic & Advanced Interpretation). Hogan Assessments
- Certified Team Coach. Brown University
- Executive Leadership Certificate. Cornell University
- Strategic Human Resource Leadership Certificate. Cornell University
*PCC credential expected in 2026.
Beyond Coaching
I divide my time between Nashville and Philadelphia.
Outside of work, you’ll usually find me reading, hiking, sharing a good meal with friends or family, or cheering on Vanderbilt football.