Lawyers & Legal Organizations

Purpose-driven professional growth in the legal world

I support lawyers, law firms and legal departments in building purposeful careers, sustainable practices, human-centred leadership and stronger ways of working together.

About

My name is Eszter Bodnár. I am a law professor and a certified coach, primarily working with individuals and companies in the legal industry.

I began my career in public service, working for the National Election Office and the Ministry of Justice in Hungary. In these roles, I was responsible for legal drafting, which allowed me to strengthen my strategic thinking, negotiation, and communication skills. Over the course of a decade, I collaborated closely with judges, lawyers, government officials, policy-makers, and NGOs at both domestic and international levels, gaining valuable insights into their professions and the challenges they face. Later, I joined an international NGO, where I developed international capacity-building and training projects for government officials across Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

My passion for research and teaching eventually led me back to academia, where I work with the next generation of lawyers. As a law professor, I have taught thousands of students and mentored dozens of graduate students and younger colleagues worldwide. I have authored a monograph, edited several books, and published over a hundred book chapters and journal articles. My teaching and research have taken me to the US, Australia, Canada, Latin America, most of the European Union member states, and beyond. I also co-founded and served as a co-chair of an international network of Central and Eastern European public law specialists.

I am currently an associate professor at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest and an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria, Canada. I also hold a continuous teaching appointment at the University of Heidelberg and Sant’Anna School of Advanced Study in Pisa.

2017 was a turning point in my life and career—I moved to Canada, and while continuing my legal projects, I took on a new role as the director of Sonus Foundation, an independent NGO dedicated to making contemporary classical music more accessible and sustainable. In this role, I established a program to support young musicians in their entrepreneurial journey.

I hold a J.D. and a Ph.D. from ELTE Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest and earned my International Coaching Certificate from the World Coaching Organization.

I divide my time between the West Coast of Canada and Europe, offering both online and in-person services.