Getting Started
Meaningful mentoring relationships are key to associates' career growth and their development of thriving practices and networks within the firm. Connect with your mentee within a week of being assigned to each other. Explain how you can be a resource to your mentee. The development of the relationship is up to both of you. This guide assumes that you and your mentee are not in the same office. If you are in the same office, try to meet in person when possible.
Non-billable Code: 888081.00005 Mentoring/Career Planning
Connect
Discuss when and how often to meet.
Set up regularly scheduled calls or virtual meetings with each other (e.g., the first Friday of every month at 9 a.m.). Send a calendar invite with reminders
During the first few months, talk more often to establish the connection.
Be A Resource
Even if your mentee doesn't ask specific questions, consider offering what you know about these areas.
• Suggest questions that they should ask when receiving a work assignment.
• Provide practical information, such as how to get introduced to clients and how to learn about their clients' industry.
• Find ways to introduce the associate to your network.
• Share information on what you wish someone had told you as an associate.
• Ask open-ended questions to elicit detailed responses about what they are working on and how they are doing so that they are encouraged to respond fully.
• Share information about turning in work to specific attorneys if you know that attorney prefers things a particular way.
• Contact Judy Nemsick, Kris Butler or Cindy Lindsley if you think the relationship is not working as well as expected.
Suggested Topics To Discuss
• Career Development. Share what you know with the associate about your practice area, such as how it weathers certain economic cycles, what typical clients are like, if the work tends to be many small projects or a few larger ones, etc.
• Writing and Oral Communication Skills. Provide advice on writing regarding items such as briefs, contracts and other legal documents, along with communicating with clients, opposing counsel and other attorneys within the firm.
• Work Style. Share lessons learned about building an internal reputation, time management, problem solving, issue spotting, judgment, initiative, reliability, etc.
• Practice Development. Help the associate figure out what they are good at and interested in, and how that can grow within a practice. Encourage the associate to attend – as an observer – closings, hearings, depositions and other worthwhile events, even though the time may not be billable.
• Ethics. Describe a real situation that arose with a case or client.
• Daily Working Life. Teach the associate how to supervise and motivate staff, how to resolve conflicts, how to work on a team, methods for keeping partners and clients informed, etc.
• Get to Know Each Other. If there are other attorneys or staff within the practice group or otherwise that have similar interests, it would be helpful to point them out or make an introduction to the associate. Learning personal details will help to solidify your professional relationship. Ask about life outside of the office (i.e., their interests, family, what drew them to the law, whether they have pets, etc.) In particular, if your mentee has children or is planning to, candidly discuss any challenges you faced (if you have children) and how you overcame them.
• Feedback. Provide as much feedback as possible. If you are privy to conversations about how the associate can improve or you hear some kudos for your mentee, share that information with them. Examine and evaluate some of the associate's work yourself and offer constructive criticism.
