MICHAEL
COSTON
FOUNDER & CEO
As the CEO of Coston Consulting, Michael leads a firm comprised of former Chief Marketing Officers, inclusion experts, and business development executives who partner with clients worldwide to drive business generation, talent development, and cultural advancement. Coston advises clients across industries and specializes in the legal sector.
Michael is recognized among Lawdragon’s “100 Leading Legal Consultants and Strategists,” and as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential African Americans Leaders in Business” by The National Diversity Council. He also received the 2022 "Black Leadership Award" from Profiles in Diversity Journal.
Michael has coached hundreds of high-performing professionals and developed comprehensive training programs related to client development, leadership, communication, and people skills. He is also a creator of the Coston Elevate Curriculum – an award-winning eLearning program designed to help law firm associates and junior partners accelerate their marketing and business development skills.
Prior to launching Coston Consulting, Michael served as the Chief Marketing Officer of McKool Smith for a decade. He previously developed business development and marketing initiatives at two AmLaw 100 international law firms. He also served as the Director of Marketing at a New York-based law firm and head of public relations for the Tweezerman International brand.
Michael holds a master’s degree in interpersonal/intercultural communication and bachelor’s degrees in both English and Africana/Black Studies from the University at Albany, along with a certification in Fostering Inclusion & Diversity from the Yale School of Management. He was awarded a 2020 Gold Hermes Award for his article “Walking the Walk—How Law Firms Can Fight Racial Injustice,” published in Bloomberg Law.
