Our training is unique because it focuses on clear speech and accent clarity for lawyers. Many language classes offer general instruction, but our program recognizes the specific challenges that non-native English-speaking lawyers face with clarity of speech.
By improving your pronunciation, intonation and overall articulation, you strengthen your professional image and credibility. That matters in legal settings, where precision and clarity are critical to success, and it helps you build stronger relationships with clients and colleagues in a global legal marketplace.
LangCoach: AI-powered speaking practice for real legal situations.
Most conversation practice is pleasant. You talk, the app agrees, and you leave with the same mistakes you walked in with. Sometimes they settle in deeper, because you were understood and nothing interrupted you. That is a chat, not practice.
The judge a student argues in front of. He asks about the case, and he pushes back when the answer is vague.
01 The room
He appears on screen and the clock starts. Nothing is scripted. He responds to whatever the speaker actually says, and follows up when an answer is thin.
02 The correction
Then he stops being a judge. He repeats what they said, says it correctly and slowly, and asks them to say it again, and waits. Three lines, no more.
03 The report
A written report follows: the sounds, the grammar, and one sentence to practice before next time. Sherlen reads it before the next live session, so the coaching hour starts where the practice stopped.
The conversation is not the goal. The correction is. The conversation is how we find out what needs correcting, and then the practice builds automaticity with the correct form, until the fossilized mistake stops coming back.
The courtroom. An immigration judge who pushes back on a vague answer.The interview. A hiring manager who follows up on every vague answer.
Course 2
Advanced Legal English
20 live lessons of 60 minutes10 legal unitsBased on Pearson’s Legal English book
Ideal for anyone who wishes to practice law on the international stage: law students at universities, and legal and other professionals who need to communicate effectively with clients and colleagues in English legal terms.
Speaking, listening, reading and writing for all types of legal texts and situations, from meetings to court proceedings
Essential contract and commercial law topics, in 10 units with 4 lessons each
I help international lawyers and legal professionals break through language barriers so they can communicate clearly, work confidently, and succeed in legal markets around the world.
Too often, highly skilled lawyers are held back, not because of their legal knowledge or expertise, but because their English does not fully reflect their abilities. My mission is to change that.
With 20 years of teaching experience, I provide targeted solutions for legal English, professional communication and exam preparation, including TOEFL and accent clarity coaching, so my clients achieve natural, clear and precise English for professional and academic success.
Qualifications
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language, Northern Illinois University
Former ESL Instructor at Elgin Community College, City Colleges of Chicago, and the University of North Carolina English Language Training Institute
Extensive experience teaching TOEFL and legal English to international professionals
Lawyers from Brazil, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Japan, China, Vietnam, Turkey, Russia and more
Expert in how each native language affects English, especially in legal writing, negotiation and presentations
What Lawyers Say
“Six months ago people told me politely that I spoke good English as a Chinese speaker. Six months later people now ask me curiously if I speak Chinese! Sherlen corrected my pronunciation mistakes that I carry from my native language to English. I started to notice the natural speech components of English such as linking sounds, sentence and word stress and intonation, and mastered them in my speech. I can never say thank you enough to Sherlen for being such a wonderful and knowledgeable teacher. She diagnosed my ‘pains’ precisely, fixed them up effectively and fought them back furiously.”
Annabel, a law student from China
TOEFL 104
“I got 26 on speaking! Thanks to you, Sherlen, of course! I also got 28 on reading, and 27 on listening. With this score (104), I am eligible to a scholarship at NYU and Yale. That’s great! I would like to thank you for your competent teaching. Your job was excellent, and really helped me. It was an honor being your student!”
P.C., a lawyer from Brazil
From Sherlen’s Teaching
Many of the lawyers I coach prefer to keep their accent training private, so here are a few of them, without names.
A business lawyer from Spain
We worked on accent clarity for the moments that matter most in business law: negotiations, contract discussions and client calls. Our focus was the stress and intonation patterns Spanish speakers often carry into English, so every point lands clearly the first time.
An immigration lawyer from Puerto Rico
Immigration clients need to understand every word. We worked on clear, steady pronunciation and natural pacing, so explanations of complex legal processes come across with both warmth and authority.
A family law attorney from China
Family law calls for clarity and calm. We worked on the English sounds and rhythm that are hardest for Chinese speakers, along with linking and intonation, so conversations with clients feel natural and reassuring.
Ready to Sound Like the Lawyer You Are?
Book a complimentary 30-minute strategy consultation to discuss the program and your plan to improve your communication skills.
