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Initiatives & AwardsE. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Awards Annual competition for projects aimed at enhancing professionalism among lawyers. Up to three cash awards of $3,500 are presented each year to law schools, state and local bar associations, law firms, and not-for-profit law related organizations. The award was established in 1991 and is funded through the E. Smythe Gambrell Fund for Professionalism that was established by the ABA Board of Governors in 1984. Warren E. Burger Prize The Warren E. Burger Prize recognizes practical scholarship in the areas of legal ethics, civility and professionalism. A Lawyer's Aspirational Ideals A Lawyer's Creed A Lawyer's Creed of Professionalism A Lawyer's Creed of Professionalism of the ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section A Lawyer's Creed of Professionalism of the State Bar of Arizona A Lawyer's Creed of Professionalism of the State Bar of New Mexico A. Sherman Christensen Award Given in the name of the founder of the first American Inn of Court, this award is bestowed upon a member of an American Inn of Court who, at the local, state, or national level has provided distinguished, exceptional and significant leadership to the American Inns of Court movement. AABA Mentor-Mentee Program for Law Students The program is for students from Bay Area law schools, including the University of California at Berkeley, Davis and Hastings, Stanford University, Golden Gate University, University of San Francisco, McGeorge School of Law, and Santa Clara University. This program matches law students with attorney mentors experienced in particular practice areas, including criminal, corporate, employment, immigration, international, and family law, as well as in-house practice, civil litigation, intellectual property, government, and public interest work. AAJ Law Student Mentor Program The program offers law students the opportunity to work closely with experienced AAJ attorney members in order to obtain career advice and gain a better understanding of what being a successful trial attorney requires. AAJ mentors are required to meet with mentees every 4-6 weeks for the duration of a year and law student members are invited to shadow a mentor at least three days throughout the year at the attorney’s office or in court. Colloquia aimed at creating cutting edge opportunities for law schools, working in conjunction with the equal justice community, to lend their unique talents in the critical quest for equal justice. ACTL Project to Expand Dondi Guidelines The American College of Trial Lawyers is drafting a Code of Pretrial Conduct based on the Dondi decision (121 F.R.D. 284 (1998)). The proposed code will be considered by the ACTL Board at its October, 2002 meeting. Akron Mentorship The program pairs lawyer members of the Akron Bar with U of A law students to create a mentoring relationship where the mentor provides guidance and shares practical knowledge about the legal profession. The purpose of the mentoring program is to allow law student participants the opportunity to have a glimpse beyond the study of law into the practice of law. The mentor and the law student participate in activities selected from the activity pool which meet their particular needs and goals as self-identified in their mentoring plan. The mentor and law student initially create their individualized plan, which will consist of five activities they chose to meet the practice setting of the mentor and the individual goals of the law student. Alabama State Bar Mentoring Program The program is designed to provide support and networking for professional and client development issues. The program is not intended to provide substantive advice or training in the practice of law. A maximum of 140 attorney mentees will be selected from the applicant pool and assigned to 30 attorney mentors for 2008. Each group will consist of eight mentee participants and two volunteer mentors who all live within a 30 minute travel time proximity to each other. There is no charge for participating. Alabama State Bar Pledge of Professionalism American Inns of Court The American Inns of Court will have a model mentoring program in summer, 2011 available for adoption by all local inns. The model program will use a combination of one on one and group mentoring meetings. The program will last one year. Mentoring will be available to both student and less experienced lawyers in each inn. More experienced members will serve as mentors. Topics will be chosen by each inn and programs will be evaluated each year. Arizona: One-to-One Mentor Program The program provides experienced attorneys as mentors to answer substantive and procedural questions and offer management ideas for less experienced attorneys. The mentees can receive advice either by asking questions by telephone or in person through the One-to-One Mentor Program. Beverly Hills Bar Guidelines for Professional Courtesy Adopted by the Beverly Hills Bar Association Board of Governors May, 1989, bar members undertake the following preamble: Brooklyn Bar Association Statement of Client Relationships The Brooklyn Bar Association adopted a Statement of Clients' Responsibilities to help attorneys meet clients' expectations. Brooklyn Bar Statement of Client's Rights BU Alumni/Student Mentoring Program The program was designed as a means of connecting first-year students to alumni in the Boston area. Students assigned to local alumni benefit from the guidance and advice offered by individuals who understand, through firsthand experience, the issues and concerns students face. Mentors make a one-year commitment, beginning in their mentees' first semester of the first-year through the first semester of their second year. Mentors may specify how many students they would like to be assigned. Throughout the year, mentors are free to offer their mentees assistance. Camden County Bar Code of Professionalism Civil Litigation Code of Conduct Cleveland Bar Association Lawyer's Creed of Professionalism Columbia School of Law's Pro Bono Requirement Columbia is one of only a handful of law schools nationwide that require all students to undertake pro bono work during law school. The "mandatory pro bono program" grew out of a student initiative and continues to be shaped by student interests and needs as well as requests by public interest lawyers and organizations. As a result, many students, including first years, find that the pro bono offerings enrich their law school experience and add relevance to their coursework. Most students perform more than the required 40 hours of service. By 2001, Columbia students had contributed about 100,000 hours of pro bono service since the inception of the requirement in 1993. Columbus Mentoring The Columbus Bar Association offers a voluntary mentoring program for new and transitional lawyers. By establishing individual mentoring relationships, participants can get the support and direction needed to enhance professional satisfaction and provide a comfortable environment in which to ask questions and discuss problems. Creed of Professional Conduct of the Johnson County Bar Association Creed of Professionalism of the North Carolina Wake County/Tenth Judicial District Bar Cuban American Mentorship Program The program allows students, young attorneys, and seasoned attorneys and judges the ability to meet, interact, and learn from one another. It pairs up students eager for involvement in the legal arena, young attorneys ready to embark on professional advancement, and experienced attorneys and judges ready to impart their knowledge and expertise. These mentoring partnerships create the opportunities for growth and enrichment for all parties involved. Students from all the local schools (University of Miami, Florida International University, St. Thomas University, and Nova Southeastern University) participate in the program. CUNY School of Law Clinical Programs In the third year, all students take a twelve-to-sixteen-credit faculty-supervised lawyering course. Students may select either a field placement, known as a "concentration," or an in-house clinical program at Main Street Legal Services, Inc., the Law School's on-site clinical law office. The subject areas of the third-year concentrations and clinics include battered women's rights, criminal defense, civil rights, health law, immigration law, elder law, mediation, and international women's human rights. D.C. Mentoring Resource The D.C. Bar Practice Management Advisory Service seeks to encourage professional mentoring relationships between experienced and less-experienced lawyers to facilitate the transfer of valuable information and insight into the practice of law. The PMSC created a pilot "planned mentoring" program several years ago, but the results strongly indicated Bar members preferred a natural approach to mentoring. Therefore, rather than attempt to play matchmaker, the PMSC designed a web page to assist lawyers in the establishment of their own fulfilling mentor relationships. Dallas Bar Lawyer's Creed of Professional Courtesy DELVACCA Program Will Offer Advice on Surviving Worse Case Scenarios In August, 2007, the Delaware Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel America (DELVACCA) held a CLE seminar that offered instructions on how to survive seven ethics and compliance "worst case scenarios" that seem to arise even in the more routine business operations. Panelists offered their tips on best practices for responding to or preventing ethics and compliance dilemmas with some special attention to the economic realities faced by smaller law departments which may not have the infrastructure or resources available to larger companies. Denver Mentoring Program The goal of the program is to foster professionalism and assist the mentee with practical everyday problems that are not taught in law school by helping newer lawyers learn the basics of "lawyering" from more experienced legal practitioners, and bridging the gap between law school and law practice; carefully bringing together lawyers with differing levels of experience for the mutual exchange of information to benefit the participants, the profession and the public; promoting awareness, understanding, appreciation and application of the principles of professionalism. Diversity Training Program This is a training program for employees on diversity, with plans to conduct a similar program for judges in the future. E-mentoring is a Way to Connect with the Future The Florida Bar’s e-mentoring program has been created to assist future lawyers while they are still in law school, and allow the students to obtain practical advice and a realistic view of what the practice of law entails. Qualified e-mentors, have been Florida bar members for seven years or longer, are in good standing with the Bar, and have a genuine interest in establishing an online mentoring relationship with a law student. The goal of the program is to provide a safety net for young lawyers before they leave law school, before they pass the bar, and before they take on the responsibility of representing the interests of clients in Florida. The e-mentoring program may be described as convenient and non-imposing because this email based initiative accommodates the busiest schedules and transcends geographic boundaries and time constraints. Florida Bar Center for Professionalism: Professionalism Student Essay Competition Florida law student essay competition with monetary reward Florida Bar Ideals and Goals of Professionalism Florida Bar Trial Lawyers Guidelines for Professional Conduct Florida State College of Law Pro Bono Requirement To obtain a degree, a student must satisfy the law school's pro bono requirement. To satisfy this requirement, students must do a minimum of 20 hours of civil pro bono legal work during their second or third year of law school. Pro bono legal work is defined as "work on behalf of indigent individuals or other uncompensated legal work in conjunction with an individual lawyer, law firm or organization on behalf of a disadvantaged minority, the victims of racial, sexual, other forms of discrimination, those denied human and civil rights, or other work on behalf of the public interest. Work on behalf of the public interest means legal work that is designed to present a position on behalf of the public at large on matters of public interest . . . " Public interest work does not include the direct representation of litigants in actions between private persons, corporations, or other representations of litigants in which the financial interests at stake would warrant representation from private legal sources. The Office of Student Affairs has the responsibility for determining whether a student has satisfied the pro bono requirement. There is a mandatory pro bono meeting that covers all aspects of this law school requirement. This meeting is held during the spring semester of the first year of law school. Georgia's Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism Community Service Task Force Prompted by concerns about the decreasing number of lawyers in leadership positions in public and community service, Chief Justice Robert Benham in 1996 created a Community Service Task Force under the auspices of the Commission on Professionalism. Composed of leaders of the bench and bar in Georgia, the Task Force adopted as its mission statement: To encourage, support, and recognize within the profession the tradition that all lawyers perform community service and measure their success in ways other than just financial gain. Georgia: Transition Into Law Practice Program The transition into law program assists beginning lawyers with their transition from student to professional. The educational program combines a mentoring component with a CLE component. It is mandatory for any newly admitted active member of the State Bar of Georgia admitted after June 30, 2005. Global Professionalism Program Comprised of circuit and county judges, court officials, presidents of associations and other members of the bar. The Global Professionalism Program is a joint program with the Jacksonville Bar Association and the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida Professionalism Committee. The joint organization has started a mentoring program and a peer review program. Gonzaga University School of Law Public Service Requirement Each student must complete thirty (30) hours of public service after the first year of law school as a requirement for graduation. Any service during the first year of law school does not satisfy this requirement. Hawaii State Bar Association Guidelines for Professional Courtesy and Civility Hillsborough County Bar Standards of Professional Courtesy Hispanic Bar Association of Washington D.C. Mentoring Program Mentoring program for young attorneys. HNBF Mentorship Program The Tampa Bay Hispanic Mentor Program, sponsored by the Hispanic National Bar Foundation and the Hispanic National Bar Association in collaboration with Tampa Bay Hispanic Bar Association and Stetson College, was launched in 2007. In this program, law school students are paired with a practicing attorney-mentor for guidance, information and networking opportunities for professional development. Ho'okele ("to guide" in Hawaiian) Comprehensive court-based assistance program consisting of a help desk at courthouses, self-help packets with forms and instructions, explanations of court procedures, and reference materials. Hon. Rosemary Karcher Reavey Mentor Program The MCBA provides a list of mentors for the New Brunswick, NJ area. Houston Bar: Professionalism: A Lawyers Mandate Hugh Muir Oath Project The Hugh Muir Oath Project is dedicated to fostering conscious commitment to those values that lead to high standards of lawyering. It seeks to create new standards of ethics in the practice of law through commitments made by law students. The project is dedicated to Hugh Muir, a tax attorney whose life work has been an exemplar of service and dedication to the best in law. The incoming first year class will write statements, which may be expressed as oaths, poems, letters, affirmations, creeds, prayers, ethical codes, promises, contracts or any other statements by which they intend to live as lawyers. Idaho State Bar Mentor Program The program assists new lawyers in the transition from law school to a successful new practice. Mentees are paired with an experienced lawyer in their local community who has agreed to respond to general questions, give suggestions, and offer guidance about the practical aspects of practicing law. Illinois: Mentor Center The ISBA MentorCenter is an internet-based program designed to connect experienced ISBA lawyers with any member attorney, but especially new or young attorneys, who are seeking assistance with substantive law questions or balancing the personal and professional demands of practice. Contact between mentees and potential mentors might involve a single issue, or it might involve an ongoing, formal, mentoring relationship. Illinois: Mentor Program Description: Guidelines and process are established to provide female attorneys with a forum to receive advice from more experienced female attorneys. Isaac Hecht Award for Excellence in the Field of Law Client Protection The Isaac Hecht Award is presented annually by the National Client Protection Organization at the National Forum on Client Protection. This award honors the memory and career of Isaac Hecht, whose professional career and his pioneering support of law client protection funds stand as lasting monuments to a lawyer’s life “lived greatly in the law.” Jacksonville Bar Association Professional Guidelines Jefferson County (Alabama) New Lawyer Mentoring Program This website contains information about a newly implemented two-year pilot mentoring program for new lawyers in Birmingham, Alabama. The site includes documents such as a program overview, mentor and mentee applications, a mentoring plan and program worksheets which relate to numerous aspects of attorney life. Jefferson County New Lawyer Mentoring Program Jefferson County, Birmingham Division, is currently piloting a mentoring program for new lawyers in the Birmingham metro area. The goal of the project is to implement a 2-year pilot lawyer mentoring program that will assist new lawyer participants transition from law school to professional law practice by emphasizing proper ethical and professional conduct. Qualifying new lawyers are paired with a mentor for a one-on-one mentoring experience and make a plan by selecting certain topics/activities to complete. New lawyers not qualifying for a one-on-one mentor are able to participate in a group mentoring alternative. All participating new lawyers will also attend court sessions in order to gain practical insight. John Marshall Mentor Program The program is available for 1st year/2nd semester students and 2nd year students. It is a three-month commitment with one meeting per month. Appropriate topics for discussion between mentees and mentors are issues of current concern to the profession, the mentor’s approach to ethical and professionalism dilemmas, career goals, types of legal practice, law practice management issues, and quality of life issues in law school and the practice of law. While mentors may be asked for guidance as to locations and types of practice, the program is not meant to serve recruitment or placement needs. Kansas City Metro Bar Tenets of Professional Courtesy Kansas: Young Lawyers Section The program is administered by the Kansas Bar Association's Young Lawyers Section. The mentor/mentee relationship is an educational resource to discuss general justice issues confronted in the practice of law, including attorney/client communications, law office administration and management, professionalism, and legal ethics. Kentucky New Lawyer Pilot Program The Kentucky New Lawyer Pilot Program assists beginning lawyers in their transition from student to professional. The main goal of the program is to determine whether a mandatory uniform mentoring program is appropriate and practical to all types of legal practice. King County Bar Guidelines of Professional Courtesy L.A. Women's Law Student Mentoring The program pairs law students with lawyers to encourage and facilitate the development of female law students. Mentors and mentees are matched based on interests and background, where possible. The program is flexible; mentors and mentees choose when and how to stay connected with one another, whether it is through e-mail, telephone chats, in-person meetings, or a combination of the above. Many participants find that the one-on-one mentoring relationship becomes a long-term friendship with mutual benefits. The Law School Consortium Project is an organization of law schools whose mission is to increase access to justice by assisting law schools to expand their educational and institutional mission beyond graduation to include support and service to solo and small-firm practitioners who are committed to serving low and moderate-income individuals and communities. The project seeks to increase the availability of quality legal services for moderate -income individuals and communities. Lawyer to Lawyer (L2L) Mentorship Program The Lawyer to Lawyer Mentorship Program cultivates professional mentoring relationships, and is specifically geared towards providing such an opportunity. The program offers attorneys with less than two years of experience access to a pool of senior attorneys and partners. The program provides attorneys of all levels and practice areas an individualized support system to address issues unique to practicing attorneys who may not have an existing mentor in their own firm or organization, or who may desire an additional AABA mentor. Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program The purpose of the mentoring program is to elevate the competence, professionalism and success of Ohio lawyers by creating mentoring relationships pursuant to which an experienced lawyer provides guidance to and shares practical knowledge and skills with a new lawyer during the critical transition from law student to legal practitioner. Specifically, the mentoring relationship should foster the development of the new lawyer's practical skills and increase his or her knowledge of legal customs; should create a sense of pride and integrity in the legal profession; should promote collegial relationships among legal professionals and involvement in the organized bar; should improve legal ability and professional judgment; and should encourage the use of best practices and highest ideals in the practice of law. Lawyers Creed and Aspirational Statement on Professionalism Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Award for Professionalism and Ethics Award bestowed upon a person who has rendered exemplary service in the areas of legal excellence, professionalism and ethics. Louisiana State Bar Code of Professionalism Louisiana: Mentoring Program The program enables bar members to seek advice and discuss topics including: (1) practice and law office management related issues: (2) issues involving such matters as personnel, escrow or other accounts; (3) substantive areas of law and related procedural issues; (4) appropriate and professional conduct and how to deal with inappropriate conduct; and (5) the importance and means of being involved in Bar and community activities and in developing a support network for a lawyer's practice. The purpose of the mentoring relationship is to provide counseling, guidance and an open atmosphere for learning. Louisville Bar Association Creed of Professionalism Loyola University, New Orleans School of Law Gillis Long Student Pro Bono Program In accordance with the Jesuit tradition of social justice advocacy and the promotion of Gospel values, students enrolled at the Loyola University School of Law must satisfy the law and poverty requirement by enrolling in the Law and Poverty course, the Law Clinic Program, the Street Law Program, or the Gillis Long student Pro Bono Program. Each of these programs stresses the professional obligation of each student, as future lawyers, to work for the common good. The Gillis Long Student Pro Bono Program allows students to provide legal services to indigent clients in the greater metropolitan area. Students enrolled in the program gain practical legal experience and provide legal assistance to those who are unable to afford it. The pro bono program places students in various fields of law, both civil and criminal, where students are asked to complete a minimum of 50 hours of legal work under the supervision of licensed attorneys. No grade is received for the work, nor are credit hours given. However, students successfully completing the pro bono program do fulfill the law and poverty requirement needed for graduation.For more information: Professor William P. Quigley M. Keck Foundation Award and Lectureship Award given to honor distinguished legal scholarship in legal ethics and professional responsibility Maryland State Bar Code of Civility Maryland State Bar Mentoring Program A mentoring program to assist newer, less experienced members of the bar. Maryland: Pilot Mentoring Program The Court of Appeals has adopted a pilot mentoring program for newly admitted Maryland attorneys. The pilot program is administered by the Court through the Executive Director of the Commission on Professionalism. New admittees and mentors select activities and topics from a Mentoring Plan, which guides their meetings throughout the course of a one-year mentoring term. Mentors and new admittees meet in-person at least six times, during which they will engage in various professional activities. Massachusetts Bar Association Statement on Lawyer Professionalism Massachusetts: Mentor Program The program offers Massachusetts Bar Association members the opportunity to speak with an experienced attorney for advice. Mentors are MBA members who are knowledgeable practitioners, in good standing, have practiced law for more than seven years and have volunteered to advise other attorneys on selected legal topics. Memphis Bar Guidelines for Professional Courtesy and Conduct Memphis Mentoring Program Volunteer mentors are listed by practice area. Sole practitioners with less than five years of experience practicing in civil, family, criminal, bankruptcy, or probate may contact the mentors for advice on a practice matter. The mentoring relationship can be as short as a single phone call or email regarding a matter, or a longer-term relationship, depending on the interests of the mentor and the person being mentored. Mentor On Demand The Mentor on Demand (MOD) program is the first of its kind in California and was developed exclusively for OCBA Young Lawyers Division members. The MOD program gives YLD members free online access to a virtual mentor 24/7. The Mentor on Demand Committee's goal is to supplement traditional face to face mentoring with virtual mentoring that is accessible wherever and whenever the young lawyer can find the time. The efforts resulted in the creation and launch of "Mentor on Demand," a series of virtual on-demand mentoring videos consisting of ten minutes or less. Mentor-Mentee Program Pairs new attorneys with experienced attorneys for a period of six months. Mentoring & Transition in Practice The Commission coordinates a Mentoring Program piloted by Georgia members of the American Law Institute in which seasoned lawyers volunteer to serve as mentors for students at Georgia's five law schools: Emory, Georgia State, John Marshall, Mercer, and the University of Georgia. Introduced in the spring of 1991 with the linking of mentors and students completing their first year in law school, the program has expanded to include members of the general bench and bar in addition to ALI members. The program provides students contact throughout their law school careers with practicing lawyers and the opportunity to address issues of current concern to the profession and to learn the things they need to know to practice law which they may not learn in the academic setting. The goal is to provide experienced practitioners as mentors for law students to better assure that, as graduates, they will be equipped to deal with the realities of the practice of law, and to understand ethics and professionalism more fully. Michael Franck Professional Responsibility Award In 1994, the Center for Professional Responsibility created the Michael Franck Award for Professional Responsibility to acknowledge "individuals whose contributions in the area of lawyers' professional responsibility set an example of insight into the demands of legal professionalism, dedication to the highest level of ethical conduct, and a vision of constant improvement of lawyer regulation in the public interest." Minnesota State Bar Professionalism Aspirations Mississippi Bar Guidelines of Professional Conduct Mississippi Bar Standards of Litigation Conduct Mississippi Code of Professional Conduct Lawyers Creed Mississippi: Professionalism Pilot Mentoring Program The Mississippi Bar’s Professionalism Committee is in the initial stages of establishing a pilot mentoring program for new admittees. The committee, in cooperation with both Mississippi law schools, is assigning admittees to participate in the program. Missouri: Mentoring Program The program provides an opportunity for new lawyers to regularly meet and talk with a volunteer who can help them find answers to their questions, guide them, encourage them, and help them make decisions that may affect their career. Mentees are assigned a mentor for a period of one year and every effort is made to match the mentee with a mentor who has experience in areas of law important to the new lawyer. Model of Excellence Award The annual Model of Excellence Award recognizes the Inn that excels in all aspects of local administration and operations. Monroe County Bar Association Statement of Client's Rights & Responsibilities Monroe County Mentoring Committee The program pairs new attorneys with seasoned mentors. Approximately 10% of new admitees to the Bar have requested mentors. To be considered a new attorney, a person must have been in practice for less than 10 years while mentors must be in practice for a minimum of 10 or more years. The program is not restricted to new admittees. Attorneys who have been practicing for a few years but have switched their area of concentration and are looking for guidance are also encouraged to request a mentor. Pairings are based on different factors including area of practice, geographical location, and the setting of the legal practice - whether it's a corporate office or solo practice. Montgomery County Bar Lawyer's Creed of Professionalism Multnomah Bar Association Professionalism Award The Association gives an annual award to a practicing attorney who is a member of the Multnomah Bar Association and exhibits the high ethical standards and exemplary conduct in the practice of law. Multnomah Bar Statement on Professionalism in the Practice of Law National Award for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching Professionalism Co-sponsored by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Professionalism and the Conference of Chief Justices and supported by the Burge Endowment for Law & Ethics. National Judicial Education Program to Promote Equality for Women and Men in the Courts NJEP's purpose is to develop and introduce into established state and federal judicial education programs curricular materials examining the effects of gender bias on decision making and court interaction. The aims is a judicial education program which works with established state and national judicial colleges to provide information about the ways in which gender bias impacts judicial decision making and the courtroom environment. Nebraska Women's Mentoring The NWBA provides listings of upcoming hearings and trials that may be educational for its members. Further, one on one mentoring with a practicing attorney is available with matching assistance provided by the association. New Hampshire Bar Association Litigation Guidelines New Jersey Commission on Professionalism-Helping Hand Mentor Program A medium for the organized bar to reach out to new lawyers and match them with well respected senior lawyers for a one year period, to be implemented by individual bar associations throughout the state with technical assistance and support provided by the Commission. New Mexico: Bill Kitts Mentor Program The Bill Kitts Mentor Program pairs New Mexico lawyers statewide so that less experienced practitioners can gain insight from a more seasoned colleague. Mentorship arrangements generally last six months although many participants continue relationships far beyond the mentorship. NJ Law Firm Group Mentor Program The program is designed to match interested, diverse law students attending one of New Jersey's three law schools with mentors from some of the top New Jersey law firms and legal organizations. Mentors serve as a resource for the student while they complete law school, navigate the recruitment process, and search for career options and opportunities. The mentor’s role includes reviewing and critiquing the student’s resume and cover letter, helping the student select an appropriate writing sample, discussing interview skills, and advising the student of career options and job strategies. The student’s role is to communicate with his or her mentor and to be available and prepared for meetings. NY Law School Mentor Program The program affords students an opportunity to network with alumni and attain valuable guidance in their chosen field of law. Mentors can choose to invite the student for a day at the office, spend time with him or her on interviewing and writing skills, discuss career goals and planning, or assist the student in finding opportunities for internships or permanent employment. The relationship offers students a unique opportunity to explore their career ambitions and work closely with an experienced graduate towards reaching those goals. Oakland County Mentor Program The program helps new attorneys graduating from law school to learn professional skills and direct them towards achieving their goals. OCBA Goals of Professional Conduct Ohio: Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program The program links experienced attorneys with new lawyers who have recently been admitted to the practice of law. Mentors and new lawyers meet in person six times during the course of a year to discuss topics and engage in activities they select from a mentoring plan. Upon completion of the program, mentors receive CLE credit and new lawyers receive required new lawyer training credit. Oklahoma Bar Association Guidelines for Professional Courtesy Oklahoma: MentorMatch The program attempts to match new attorneys with mentors based on criteria for compatibility. It utilizes group mentoring, individual mentoring and also limited mentoring and is designed not only for new attorneys but also for experienced attorneys who may be venturing into a new area of the law. The program started as a pilot program in 2007 with plans to expand to a full program in 2008. Orange County Bar Association Professionalism Committee Mentor Panel Attorneys volunteer to be available to other members of the bar to answer questions. Oregon State Bar Statement of Professionalism Oregon: New Lawyer Mentoring Program The New Lawyer Mentoring Program will formalize a process that for many decades took place organically, through connections forged at law firms and other close-knit bar communities. As the Oregon bar has grown, the process of introducing new lawyers to the legal community, and guiding them through the transition to law practice, has grown more amorphous. The NLMP offers new bar members one-on-one guidance on elements of a highly competent practice, while promoting the professionalism, civility and collegiality that make Oregon among the best places in the country to practice law. The program is loosely modeled on programs in Georgia and Utah, which have received accolades for giving all new bar members meaningful access to experienced lawyers and a well-developed mentoring program in their first year. The Oregon model emphasizes a flexible approach in which mentors and new lawyers take the core curriculum and shape it to best meet the needs of the new lawyer. Palm Beach County Bar Association Standards of Professional Courtesy PALS® Program The PALS® program is dedicated to enhancing the skills and careers of minority law students and early career attorneys. PALS® offers customized mentoring, educational, and professional development opportunities. Further, PALS® provides resources free of charge to augment the law school and employer training of minority law students and beginning lawyers. Pennsylvania Bar Working Rules for Professionalism Philadelphia Bar Working Rules of Professionalism Principles of Professionalism Professionalism Awards Awards for programs enhancing professionalism among lawyers. Professionalism Creed Professionalism Guideline for Family Bar Practitioners Program Awards The annual program awards recognize outstanding program development in local Inns of Court. Project for the Future of Equal Justice Coordinating and promoting efforts to improve legal services for the indigent. Pulaski County Bar Code of Professional Courtesy Rhode Island Women's Mentoring Program The RIWBA mentoring program is an opportunity for more experienced members to pass along their experience and help build not only the future of the organization, but the future of the profession. Richmond Bar Principles of Professionalism Richmond Women's Mentorship The program offers the option of mentoring a University of Richmond law student and/or a new attorney member of the bar association. It is an opportunity for more experienced members to pass along their experience and help build not only the future of the organization, but the future of the profession. San Antonio Mentor Committee The mentoring committee is composed of experienced lawyers who have volunteered to mentor attorneys with practice-related problems. These may include issues such as communication problems with clients, office management skills, professional and ethical issues, time management strategies, as well as specific issues related to that mentor's areas of practice. The committee also matches attorney's with law students at St. Mary's in San Antonio. San Diego Law Student Mentoring Program The program offers third year law students an opportunity to connect with practicing attorneys. It pairs students with practicing attorneys with at least two years experience. The pairs will be matched based on professional and personal interests and the program is designed to give students insight into aspects of everyday legal practice. San Diego Mentoring Program NLD Mentoring Circles groups attorneys with less than six years experience with “seasoned attorneys” based on practice area. Groups are divided into the following areas of practice: bankruptcy, business and corporate, construction, criminal, entertainment and sports, estate planning, family, general civil litigation, immigration, insurance, intellectual property, labor and employment, healthcare, personal injury, and tax. Prior to a spring kick-off event, participants are placed in a circle with approximately 6-10 other attorneys which will include at least one seasoned attorney. The purpose of this program is to facilitate the exchange of ideas, experiences, advice, and support with a group of attorneys in the same area of practice. San Mateo Mentoring Program The Women's Lawyers Section aspires to elevate the competence, professionalism, and success of new lawyers by creating mentoring relationships between them and those who are more experienced. The mentoring program encourages seasoned attorneys to provide guidance and share practical knowledge and skills with newer attorneys. The program is open to both men and women. The exact nature of the mentoring relationship will be defined in different ways by each pair. Mentors are free to structure the program with their mentees to meet the needs of each, as well as their available time. Sandra Day O'Connor Award for Professional Service The American Inns of Court has established the Sandra Day O'Connor Award for Professional Service honoring an American Inn member in practice ten or fewer years for excellence in public interest or pro bono activities. SCBA Standards of Professional Conduct Seventh Circuit E-Mentoring Program The E-Mentoring project is a collection of informative short videos featuring judges and lawyers from the Seventh Circuit answering various questions about the practice of law and the legal profession. South Carolina Bar Standards of Professionalism South Carolina Court's Oath for Attorneys South Carolina Lawyer Mentoring Pilot Program The Supreme Court of South Carolina has ordered a pilot mandatory mentoring program for all newly admitted lawyers. The pilot program will run through 2012 and will be evaluated at that time for permanent adoption. The pilot program requires one on one or group mentoring for every new lawyer on nine separate areas important to successful, ethical practice. Law firms can be certified to mentor their own new associates. The program must be completed within 12 months and mentees must certify completion. New lawyers are expected to find their own mentors. Mentors receive 2 hours of CLE credit. Mentors also must not have a history of grievances. South Carolina Lawyer Mentoring Second Pilot Program South Carolina Student Mentoring Program A mentoring program for first year students will begin in fall, 2011. The program will last for one semester and will be part of the school`s new professionalism course. Students will meet in small groups with a mentor several times during the semester to discuss the various roles lawyers assume in their practice, various practice settings, and elements of professionalism. Spokane County Bar Code of Professional Courtesy State Bar of Texas, Mentor Program for Lawyers Provides support for new attorneys by pairing them with older, more experienced attorneys. Statement on Professionalism The Barristers Mentorship Program The program was created to link new attorneys with seasoned attorneys in Alameda County so that mentees may gain support and guidance as they embark on their professional legal careers. For mentors, participation in the program is an opportunity to give back, support the profession of law, and help shape its future by sharing their experiences and life lessons. The program pairs mentees and mentors twice a year, in April and October. The Maryland Alumni Mentor Program for 1Ls The program partners first-year law students with alumni working in the legal and non-legal professions. An attorney-mentor is someone to whom the student can turn to for real world professional advice during the first year of law school. While an attorney-mentor is not expected to be a potential employer, they are asked to provide professional advice and tips to help first-year law students prepare for careers after law school. The Nashville Bar Association Standards of Intra-Professional Conduct The Ohio Supreme Court's Task Force on Rules of Professional Conduct The Task Force web site includes electronic versions of the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct and additional resource materials: The Texas Lawyer's Creed: A Mandate for Professionalism Transition to Law Practice The Transition to Law Practice program coaches new lawyers in many areas, including law practice management, effective client representation, pro bono opportunities, career development, and other aspects of successfully practicing law. Newly licensed lawyers are matched with more experienced attorneys who volunteer to participate in the pilot project, and the pairs attend CLE programs, as well as meet in small groups or one-on-one. A systematic mentoring program, such as this, can help new lawyers not only improve their professional abilities, but also succeed in the practice of law. Travis County Bar Customs and Practice for Lawyers UCLA Mentor Program Entering law students may request to be assigned to a law alumnus who has volunteered to mentor. The program pairs each interested student with an alum who is willing to share his/her insights into the professional world and offer practical advice about UCLA School of Law. Although the program is structured by the mentor and student, each mentor has agreed to have some form of contact with his or her student at least three or four times during the year. In turn, each student participant must agree to proactively contact his or her mentor and respond promptly to all outreach efforts made by the mentor. Univ. of Colorado Student-Alumni Mentoring Program The student-run program pairs current Colorado Law 2L and 3L student mentees with volunteer alumni mentors in the student’s desired area of practice. The formal mentor-mentee relationship lasts for six months and contact after the six-month period is voluntary by both parties and outside the bounds of the program. Alumni mentors and student mentees fill out a follow-up survey at the end of the six-month period, which allows for the development of the program through problem solving, feedback, and marketing. Univ. of Denver Professional Mentoring Program The University of Denver Sturm College of Law offers every entering first year law student an opportunity to have a practicing lawyer or judge as a mentor in the Professional Mentoring Program and to have an advanced law student mentor in the Peer Mentor Mentoring Program. Univ. of St. Thomas Mentor Externship Program The mentor externship is required for every student in each year of law study and has three primary objectives: first, to foster professionalism for students and mentors; next, to provide students with an experiential window through which to view the professional world and exposure to the diverse spectrum of work that lawyers and judges do; and, finally, to create opportunities for students to engage in conversations with mentors, faculty, and peers about professionalism, the practice of law, and what they are observing and learning through their mentor experience. Univ. of Tennessee Mentoring Program The program matches mentors and students. Participants are asked to interact at least twice per academic semester. While the program is designed to help law students develop into successful legal professionals, it is not intended as an employment program. Univ. of Utah Attorney-Student Mentoring Program The university collaborates with the Women Lawyers of Utah, the Utah Minority Bar Association, and the Young Lawyers Division of the Utah State Bar to stage the program. Students are assigned individual attorney mentors from leading Utah law firms, corporations, and public agencies. The mentor/mentee pairs meet at least one time, but more often if they choose, and also may communicate via email and phone calls. UDC-DCSL students are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of pro bono local legal community service during their first year. Students begin the year with an intensive course, Law & Justice, taught by Professor Edgar Cahn. The course highlights legal issues affecting vulnerable members of the community and encourages students to explore their personal experiences with injustice. Students are then matched with a faculty advisor who serves as a mentor during the community service experience. Through the Community Service Program, students are introduced to Washington, its issues, and a cross section of policymakers and individuals who make the city and its programs work. University of Tulsa College of Law Mentoring Program The school offers law students an opportunity to connect with practicing attorneys through the Law School Mentoring Program, designed to give students insight into aspects of everyday legal practice. UNLV Boyd School of Law Community Service Requirement The law school requires first-year students to participate in a community service program. Working with Clark County Legal Services and Nevada Legal Services, teams of students prepare and conduct weekly workshops for unrepresented people on basic procedures in family or small claims court and on paternity/custody matters, basic landlord/tenant law, and bankruptcy law. This program offers students the chance to assist groups of people in a general way without giving specific legal advice. Students are required to attend approximately five hours of training and to conduct weekly, two-hour workshops. In the second half of their law school careers, students will have the opportunity, under direct faculty supervision, to represent real clients in a variety of externships and in-house legal clinics, as well as to work one-on-one with an attorney mentor on cases in consumer law, child welfare, and family law. By so doing, they gain valuable training and experience. Moreover, these sorts of experiences should help to reinforce the students' commitment to community service, while demonstrating to the students that there is a large unmet need for legal services in our society today. We hope that Boyd School of Law students and graduates will be a positive force-throughout their careers-in meeting this need and in making their community a better place. Utah: New Lawyer Training Program The program matches new lawyers with more experienced lawyers for training during their first year of practice in professionalism, ethics, and civility; to assist new lawyers in acquiring the practical skills and judgment necessary to practice in a highly competent manner; and to provide a means for all Utah attorneys to learn the importance of organizational mentoring, including the building of developmental networks and long-term, multiple mentoring relationships. Lawyers newly admitted to the Bar with an active license are required to complete the program their first year of practice in Utah. The requirement for judicial law clerks is deferred until completion of the clerkship. Vermont Bar Guidelines of Professional Courtesy Vermont: Mentoring Program The VBA Mentoring Program provides VBA members a way to seek and receive advice on, and to discuss, a wide range of general issues in the practice of law. These issues include, but are not limited to, substantive law questions, attorney-client communications, law office management, and professional ethics. The purpose of the Mentoring Program is to provide counseling, guidance, and an open atmosphere for learning and developing professional skills. Virginia Bar Association Creed West Virginia State Bar Standards of Professional Conduct Westchester County Mentoring Program The program being developed pairs experienced attorneys practicing in diverse areas one on one with younger and less experienced attorneys for a period no longer than one year. During this period, the mentor agrees to make him or herself available for a consultation, either in person or by telephone, for a minimum of one-half hour per week. Thus, the mentor commits to a maximum of two hours per month. There are no restrictions imposed on the questions asked or advice sought, however the mentor, at his or her option, may decline to answer any question posed. Western District of Michigan Standards for Civility in Professional Conduct Wichita Mentoring Program The goal of the program is to provide an opportunity for attorneys with certain skills and knowledge to act as mentors and develop relationships with attorneys who seek those skills and knowledge. The mentor's role is to provide general advice, assistance and wisdom to the mentee attorney. An added bonus is that mentees in the program receive one year free membership in the Wichita Bar Association. Wickersham Award for Exceptional Public Service and Dedication to the Legal Profession Annual award given to a person who has shown exceptional public service and dedication to the legal profession William Mitchell Mentor Program The program was designed to help law students transition into their first year of law school by learning tips and strategies about preparing for class, studying for exams, and maintaining a healthy life balance. Students who apply are expected to make a time commitment of 1–2 hours per month to participate in planning activities and meeting with their mentor group. Throughout the year, they may contact their alumni mentors and participate in organized student/alumni group events on campus. Wisconsin Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys |
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