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NYC Attorney & Communication Coach | 30+ Years of Professional Exp.
Donna S.

5.0 (7 ratings)

13 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $65
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About Donna

Bio

I am a New York City attorney and educator with 30+ years of professional communication experience, and I specialize in helping shy, hesitant, or anxious learners gain confidence and speak more naturally. Over the past five years, I have taught more than 6,500 online and in-person classes to children, teens, and adults in the U.S., China, Singapore, and South Korea. Many of my students have stayed with me for years (some for more than five years, meeting twice weekly) because my lessons are...

I am a New York City attorney and educator with 30+ years of professional communication experience, and I specialize in helping shy, hesitant, or anxious learners gain confidence and speak more naturally. Over the past five years, I have taught more than 6,500 online and in-person classes to children, teens, and adults in the U.S., China, Singapore, and South Korea. Many of my students have stayed with me for years (some for more than five years, meeting twice weekly) because my lessons are calm, structured, and tailored to each learner’s needs.

My coaching style is warm, patient, and encouraging. I work especially well with learners who struggle to speak up, worry about making mistakes, or need a supportive adult who understands how to build confidence step by step. Parents often tell me their child speaks more comfortably with me than with anyone else, and adults appreciate my clarity, empathy, and practical communication guidance.

My legal career has given me decades of experience working with people from all cultures, ages, and personalities, helping them express themselves under pressure and solve complex problems. This background allows me to quickly understand each learner’s challenges and create lessons that build real-world confidence whether for school, work, travel, presentations, or daily conversation.

All of my lessons are custom created. I use interactive slides, world culture topics, structured dialogues, reading practice, and confidence-building activities designed for each student’s level and goals. Nothing is generic or one-size-fits-all.
Students who work with me become stronger speakers with clearer pronunciation, more natural conversation skills, and genuine confidence in English. I offer a free 25-minute introductory meeting so we can discuss your goals and create a personalized plan.

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Education

Saint John Fisher College
Italian
Saint John's University School of Law
J.D.

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $65
  • Rate details: Standard Session: 50 minutes Packages: 10-session packages are available at a reduced rate I offer a free 25-minute introductory session for all new clients.
  • Lesson cancellation: 3 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 12/5/2025

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

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Approved Subjects

Accent Reduction

Accent Reduction

I have taught thousands of ESL/ESOL classes to students from several countries, focusing on pronunciation, clarity, rhythm, and the natural flow of spoken English. As an attorney and educator, I have extensive professional experience speaking clearly and helping others express themselves with confidence. I specialize in guiding shy, hesitant, or anxious learners to improve specific sounds, reduce strong accents, strengthen intonation, and become more easily understood in everyday and professional settings. My pronunciation coaching is supportive, highly practical, and tailored to each student’s language background and goals.
Creative Writing

Creative Writing

I am a practicing attorney with over 30 years of professional writing experience, specializing in clear, persuasive, and creative expression. I help students of all ages develop strong narrative skills, original voice, and confidence in storytelling, whether for school assignments, personal writing, or enrichment. My background includes mentoring children, teens, and adults in creative writing, descriptive language, dialogue, and idea development. I focus on making writing feel approachable, structured, and enjoyable while helping students express their thoughts with clarity and imagination.
Essay Writing

Essay Writing

I am a practicing attorney with over 30 years of experience writing and editing persuasive, well-structured essays and arguments. I help students develop strong thesis statements, organized paragraphs, and clear, confident written expression for academic essays, personal statements, and applications. My approach focuses on breaking writing into manageable steps so students understand how to think and write, not just what to say. I work especially well with students who feel overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure how to organize their ideas.
Phonics

Phonics

I specialize in explicit, systematic phonics instruction that helps students build strong decoding, spelling, and reading fluency skills. I work with early readers and struggling readers to develop letter-sound correspondence, phonemic awareness, syllabication strategies, and word patterns in a clear, structured way. My approach is sequential, confidence-building, and tailored to each learner’s pace. I focus on helping students understand how the reading system works so they can apply skills independently.
Proofreading

Proofreading

I am a practicing attorney with over 30 years of experience reviewing, editing, and proofreading professional, academic, and student writing for accuracy and clarity. I help students improve grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and overall readability while preserving their original voice. My work includes essays, research papers, applications, and professional documents. I also teach students how to recognize and correct common errors so their writing improves long-term, not just on a single assignment.
Public Speaking

Public Speaking

I am a New York City attorney with over 30 years of experience speaking publicly in courtrooms, hearings, negotiations, and formal presentations. Throughout my legal career, I have delivered opening statements, oral arguments, client presentations, and persuasive explanations under high-pressure conditions. I now teach public speaking skills to students and professionals, focusing on voice control, clarity, structure, audience awareness, and confidence. I specialize in helping shy, anxious, or hesitant speakers become calm, organized, and effective when speaking in front of others.
Reading

Reading

I have extensive experience helping students strengthen reading comprehension, vocabulary, sentence structure, and pronunciation through guided practice and discussion. I work closely with children, teens, and adults who struggle with confidence, pacing, understanding main ideas, and answering questions about what they read. I break down passages into manageable steps, teach students how to identify key information, and help them express their thoughts in clear, complete sentences. My reading lessons are interactive, supportive, and designed to build both skill and confidence in every session.
Study Skills

Study Skills

I have over 30 years of experience helping students develop strong study habits, organization skills, and effective learning strategies. As an attorney and educator, I am highly skilled at teaching students how to break down complex information, manage their time, and create clear, achievable study plans. I have worked extensively with shy, anxious, and easily overwhelmed learners who need supportive structure and simple step-by-step methods. My approach is practical, confidence-building, and personalized to each student’s academic needs and goals.
Vocabulary
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Ratings and Reviews

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5.0 (7 ratings)
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Reviews

Knowledgeable and Wise tutor

I can’t stress enough the appreciation of the website filming the sessions because my tutor is beyond wise in her profession and some more, so that I can keep rewatching our work and repeat it. Her perspective is wide for any type of student and her patience unlimited. Always excited to do her work and starting our session with a smile is crucial in motivating anyone to step into their ‘’I wanna do best shoes’’. She is exciting to work with, and whatever is you are struggling with for years, she will find the way or invent a new working way. I wouldn’t wanna change her in a million years.

Marija, 8 lessons with Donna

Patient and Encouraging Teacher

Great lesson!! Donna was patient and supportive. My daughter tends to lose her focus, but during the entire class time, she was attentive, interested, and felt comfortable practicing reading and pronunciation. We are so looking forward to continuing.

Grace, 1 lesson with Donna
Hourly Rate: $65
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