Lita Abella, a native of Southern California, holds a Juris Doctor from Western State University College of Law and has experience as a law clerk for prosecutorial agencies. This legal foundation equips her with a deep understanding of conflict resolution and the complexities of the legal field.

She is the founder of Lita Abella Coaching, Consulting, and Mediation Services, specializing in coaching and strategic consulting. As a volunteer mediator with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office Dispute Resolution Program, she is dedicated to helping parties reach amicable resolutions; her approach is client-centered, emphasizing empathy, neutrality, and open dialogue to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

With over a decade of service at the State Bar of California in various investigative and leadership roles, including her tenure on the union executive board, Lita has demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills and a strong commitment to fairness. Her experience in the Office of Chief Trial Counsel, where she assisted in investigating and prosecuting attorney misconduct, has given her unique insights into the pressures legal professionals face, including the risks of disciplinary action and malpractice lawsuits.

Lita is also an international public speaker, delivering educational presentations to professionals in high-stress careers on critical topics such as substance use disorders, mental health, and work-life balance. Her diverse background with the Los Angeles Police Department highlights her resilience, adaptability, and leadership under pressure. She understands the emotional toll that high-stress careers can take, particularly regarding post-traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue. She published The ABELLA Model®: Leading High-Stress Professionals with Trauma-Informed Practices, Resilient Lawyering®: A Practicable Guide to Sustainable Well-Being in Law, and Resilient Professional®: A Guide to Lead, Work, and Thrive in High-Stress Environments.

Lita is a licensed private investigator and an entrepreneur with 26 years of experience. Her long-standing involvement in the fitness, health, and wellness industry, complemented by national certifications as a fitness instructor, underscores her commitment to personal well-being and holistic growth. She is a professor of business law, sharing her expertise with the next generation of legal professionals.

Lita volunteers in several leadership and service roles, including director for the International Coaching Federation of Los Angeles, National Speakers Assn. of So Cal, and chair of the CA Lawyers Assn. Health and Wellness Committee, and a committee member of the Los Angeles County Bar Assn. Lawyer Well-Being Project, the Professional Responsibility and Ethics Committee, CAALA Wellness Committee, Beverly Hills Bar Assn. Wellness Committee and the Institute for Well-Being in Law Committee.

Some of Lita’s speaking topics include, but are not limited to:

• Trauma-Informed Practices
• Trauma-Informed Leadership
• PTSD, vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health issues
• The ABELLA Model, a trauma-informed framework
• Substance Use Disorders
• Suicide
• Well-Being, wellness, and resilience