About

Marina Lee, JD

A business attorney and communication advisor with deep experience in negotiation, workplace communication, and professional strategy.

Marina Lee, J.D.

Why Legal Experience Matters in the Room

For two decades, Marina practiced business law, where the work required clear judgment, strategic negotiation, and the ability to communicate consequential ideas with precision under pressure.

She now brings that same rigor to her advisory work with international professionals in tech, biotech, and pharma, guiding them through high-stakes meetings, negotiations, leadership conversations, and career decisions in the U.S. workplace.

She has seen highly skilled engineers, scientists, and other STEM professionals struggle to have their expertise fully recognized in the workplace. They were interrupted, talked over, overlooked in meetings, and sometimes passed over for opportunities they were qualified to pursue.

The issue was rarely English proficiency. More often, it was understanding how authority, disagreement, initiative, and leadership are communicated and interpreted in the U.S. workplace.

Marina has worked closely with international professionals throughout the Research Triangle of North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill).

Her method is straightforward: identify what is happening, clarify the objective, anticipate how the situation may be interpreted, and build a communication strategy designed to move the conversation toward the desired outcome.

What She is Not

Not an English teacher. Not an accent coach. Not a general career coach.

Marina works with international professionals on how they communicate, lead, negotiate, and advocate for themselves in the U.S. workplace, especially when the stakes are high.

20 yrsPracticing U.S. business law
10 yrsAdvising international professionals
Top 7%Of her law school class, Juris Doctor
DukeCertificate in business writing

Find her online

Marina on LinkedIn · Intercultural Business Communication Consulting · ibcsuccess.com

Also

  • Business degree, graduated with honors
  • 7 years as a professional business writer and legal researcher
  • 7 years on the board of directors of an educational foundation in Connecticut
  • Licensed attorney
The office building at 300 S Main St, Holly Springs, NC
The office

300 S Main St, Suite 212, Holly Springs

A quiet private office, 25 minutes from Raleigh and Cary. Clients say it is easier to practice out loud here than at home or at work. Nobody is listening.

Zoom works the same way, with the same attention, for clients anywhere in the U.S.

Clients

Engineers who found their gap

"I came unsure if my difficulty with English was real or if other gaps were stopping my progress. From the first session, my gaps were identified and a clear plan was created. I have already recommended this coaching to many colleagues."
Francimario BezerraAutomation Engineer, Raleigh
"I learned that my consulting and academic background is not a gap to minimize or over-explain. It is a strength I can lead with. I now feel better equipped to advocate for myself in negotiations and leadership conversations."
Yi WangSustainability Engineer, Raleigh
"Marina took a very methodical approach. She listened attentively to the situation and needs. A detailed and well-organized timeline was provided, which greatly increased the clarity and my confidence."
Lewei ZhouSr. Business Analyst, Chapel Hill

Bring one meeting. Leave with a plan.

45 minutes with Marina. $149, and it comes off any program.