Initiatives & Awards - Mentoring Programs
AABA Mentor-Mentee Program for Law Students Sponsor: Asian American Bar Association of The Greater Bay Area 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 Sponsor: American Association ofJustice 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. Akron Mentorship Sponsor: Akron Bar Association 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 Sponsor: Alabama State Bar 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. American Inns of Court Sponsor: 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 Sponsor: State Bar of Arizona 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. BU Alumni/Student Mentoring Program Sponsor: Boston University School of Law 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. Columbus Mentoring Sponsor: Columbus Bar Association 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. Cuban American Mentorship Program Sponsor: Cuban American Bar Association 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. D.C. Mentoring Resource Sponsor: District of Columbia Bar 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. Denver Mentoring Program Sponsor: Denver Bar Association 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. E-mentoring is a Way to Connect with the Future Sponsor: Florida Bar’s Standing Committee on Professionalism 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 News, Vol.32, No. 1, P.27
Author: Mark D. Killian
Status: Ongoing Georgia: Transition Into Law Practice Program Sponsor: State Bar of Georgia 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 Sponsor: A Joint Project Jacksonville Bar Association and Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida Professionalism 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. Hispanic Bar Association of Washington D.C. Mentoring Program Sponsor: Hispanic Bar Association of Washington, D.C. Mentoring program for young attorneys. HNBF Mentorship Program Sponsor: Hispanic National Bar Foundation 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. Hon. Rosemary Karcher Reavey Mentor Program Sponsor: Middlesex County Bar Association The MCBA provides a list of mentors for the New Brunswick, NJ area. Idaho State Bar Mentor Program Sponsor: Idaho State Bar 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 Sponsor: Illinois State Bar Association 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 Sponsor: The Young Lawyers Section of the Chicago Bar Association Description: Guidelines and process are established to provide female attorneys with a forum to receive advice from more experienced female attorneys.
Undertaken by: The Young Lawyers Section of the Chicago Bar Association
Status: Ongoing
For more information:
321 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL 60604 Jefferson County (Alabama) New Lawyer Mentoring Program Sponsor: Birmingham American Inn of Court 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 Sponsor: State of Alabama Unified Judicial System 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 Sponsor: John Marshall Law School 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: Young Lawyers Section Sponsor: Kansas Bar Association 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 Sponsor: Kentucky Bar Association 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.
Status: Currently evaluating pilot program results L.A. Women's Law Student Mentoring Sponsor: Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles 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. Lawyer to Lawyer (L2L) Mentorship Program Sponsor: Asian American Bar Association of The Greater Bay Area 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 Sponsor: The Supreme Court of Ohio 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.
For more information please contact Lori Keating at 614.387.9317. Louisiana: Mentoring Program Sponsor: Louisiana State Bar Association 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. Maryland State Bar Mentoring Program Sponsor: Maryland State Bar Association A mentoring program to assist newer, less experienced members of the bar. Maryland: Pilot Mentoring Program Sponsor: Maryland Court of Appeals 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: Mentor Program Sponsor: Massachusetts Bar Association 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 Mentoring Program Sponsor: Memphis Bar Association 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 Sponsor: Orange County Bar Association 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 Sponsor: Multnomah Bar Association, Oregon, Professionalism Program Pairs new attorneys with experienced attorneys for a period of six months.
For more information contact: Kathy Maloney
tel: 503-222-3275
mba@mbabar.org Mentoring & Transition in Practice Sponsor: Georgia's Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism 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. Mississippi: Professionalism Pilot Mentoring Program Sponsor: Mississippi Bar 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 Sponsor: Missouri Bar 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. Monroe County Mentoring Committee Sponsor: Monroe County Bar Association 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. Nebraska Women's Mentoring Sponsor: Nebraska Women's Bar Association 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 Jersey Commission on Professionalism-Helping Hand Mentor Program Sponsor: New Jersey Commission on Professionalism 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 Sponsor: New Mexico Supreme Court 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 Sponsor: New Jersey Law Firm Group 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 Sponsor: New York Law School 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 Sponsor: Oakland County Bar Association The program helps new attorneys graduating from law school to learn professional skills and direct them towards achieving their goals. Ohio: Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program Sponsor: Supreme Court of Ohio 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: MentorMatch Sponsor: Oklahoma Bar Association 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 Sponsor: Orange County Bar Association, Florida Attorneys volunteer to be available to other members of the bar to answer questions. Oregon: New Lawyer Mentoring Program Sponsor: Oregon State Bar 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. PALS® Program Sponsor: Practicing Attorneys for Law Students 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. Rhode Island Women's Mentoring Program Sponsor: Rhode Island Women's Bar Association 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 Women's Mentorship Sponsor: Metro Richmond Women's Bar Association 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 Sponsor: San Antonio Bar Association 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 Sponsor: San Diego County Bar Association New Lawyer Division 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 Sponsor: San Diego County Bar Association 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 Sponsor: San Mateo County Bar Association Women Lawyers' Section 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. Seventh Circuit E-Mentoring Program Sponsor: Seventh Circuit Bar Association 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 Lawyer Mentoring Second Pilot Program Sponsor: South Carolina Supreme Court South Carolina Mandatory Lawyer Mentoring Program Sponsor: The Supreme Court of South Carolina Following successful lawyer mentoring pilot programs and the establishment of Rule 425, SCACR, the Supreme Court of South Carolina has ordered a permanent and mandatory mentoring program for all newly admitted lawyers. The mandatory program, administered by the Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization, requires one-on- one or group mentoring for every new qualifying lawyer on nine separate areas important to successful, ethical practice. Law firms or offices may be certified to mentor their own new associates. The year-long program must be completed in a timely manner and the new lawyer and mentor must certify completion. Mentors must be active members of the SC Bar or persons who have taken retired or inactive status within the preceding two years. Mentors must have at least five years of experience in the active practice of law and must not have a history of grievances. The Commission may assist new lawyers in the appointment of mentors. Mentors receive 4.00 hours of CLE credit, of which 2.00 shall constitute ethics CLE credit. South Carolina Student Mentoring Program Sponsor: University of South Carolina School of Law 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. State Bar of Texas, Mentor Program for Lawyers Sponsor: State Bar of Texas Provides support for new attorneys by pairing them with older, more experienced attorneys. The Barristers Mentorship Program Sponsor: Alameda County Bar Association 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 Sponsor: University of Maryland School of Law 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. Transition to Law Practice Sponsor: Dallas Bar Association 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. UCLA Mentor Program Sponsor: UCLA School of Law 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 Sponsor: University of Colorado Law School 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 Sponsor: University of Denver - Sturm College of Law 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 Sponsor: University of St. Thomas School of Law 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 Sponsor: University of Tennessee College of Law 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 Sponsor: S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah 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. University of Tulsa College of Law Mentoring Program Sponsor: The University of Tulsa College of Law 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.
For more information contact:
Martha Cordell, Assistant to the Dean,
The University of Tulsa College of Law,
3120 East Fourth Place,
Tulsa, OK 74104-2499,
918-631-5484
martha-cordell@utulsa.edu Utah: New Lawyer Training Program Sponsor: Utah Supreme Court 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: Mentoring Program Sponsor: Vermont Bar Association 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. Westchester County Mentoring Program Sponsor: Westchester County Bar Association 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. Wichita Mentoring Program Sponsor: Wichita Bar Association 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. William Mitchell Mentor Program Sponsor: William Mitchell College of Law 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. |