Mentoring Lawyers
Content
Mentoring Lawyers: Best Practices
The jury is in: mentorship programs are a great way to help lawyers develop the skills they
need to navigate the challenges of modern legal practice.
Many legal organizations have implemented mentorship programs, but with varying results.
Based on my own research, along with insights I gained from the legal professional
development community, I have assembled what I view to be the essential elements of a
robust and effective formal legal mentorship program:
Identify what the organization is trying to achieve through a mentorship program.
Mentorship programs are an effective tool for many things:
- Transferring critical skill sets
- Helping lawyers adapt to organizational or industry changes
- Building community
- Enhancing lawyer engagement.
For a program to be truly effective, however, it is crucial that the leadership team decide
exactly which goals they are trying to achieve and to make sure that all program participants
are aware of those goals.
Position the program positively.
Mentorship programs benefit the mentors, the mentees and their organization, but require a
significant investment of resources from all involved. To encourage that investment, the
program should be positioned as a meaningful benefit to the participants and the
organization.
Recruit motivated mentors.
Not all attorneys have the inclination or the ability to serve as effective mentors. When
considering potential mentors, look for attorneys who are:
- Adept at navigating the organization
- Have strong relationships with clients and leadership
- Good at managing their own time
- Positive
- Committed to the organization
- Satisfied with their legal career
Note: depending on the topics mentees select, it might make sense to include a non-legal
mentor. One organization found that including some senior people from the business/
finance side as mentors really helped younger attorneys get a better sense of the legal needs
of those aspects of the organization.
718 7TH ST R EE T N W | 2 N D FLO O R | WA SH IN GTO N , D. C . 2 00 0 1 | 2 0 2 . 3 9 4 . 5 0 9 1 | M C R STR ATE G I E S. COM
Recruit motivated mentees.
If participation in the program is truly voluntary, a good way to get people involved is to
“advertise” the mentors, along with the topics they want to mentor people about.
The coordinator can handle the matching, but giving mentees a chance to indicate their top
three preferred mentors is a great way to encourage commitment to the program.
Additionally, if the coordinator sees a disproportionate number of requests for a particular
mentor or topic, that serves as useful data for future development and training (and mentor
recruitment).
Have mentees identify clear goals for themselves
This is a crucial step that separates ineffective mentorship programs from ones that deliver
sustained individual and organizational benefits. Mentorship is a dynamic partnership
between the mentor and the mentee, but the goals of the partnership must be driven by the
mentee.
Adults learn best by 1) seeking out information that they need and 2) integrating that
information into their existing knowledge base. If the relationship is not guided by the
mentee’s self-identified goals, true integration - that is, sustained learning - will not occur.
Ideally, the mentee’s goals will align with the goals that the organization has set for them and
for the mentorship program as a whole. If that is not the case, mentors may need to coach
the mentee to identify more appropriate goals.
Guarantee confidentiality.
To create an environment that fosters candor and trust, organizations should establish that all
mentorship conversations will be treated confidentially unless the participants give specific
permission otherwise.
Additionally, organizations should make clear to all participants that the mentorship program
has absolutely no interaction with the performance management system (positive or
negative).
Create a process.
To sustain a mentorship program, it is important to create external parameters, which will
provide participants with motivation and accountability. One of the best ways to do this is to
create a mentorship roadmap. These vary greatly, depending on the needs of the
organization. I have included a sample roadmap at the end of this document.
Nurture the relationships.
Create opportunities for the mentor and mentee to develop rapport by creating two types of
opportunities:
718 7TH ST R EE T N W | 2 N D FLO O R | WA SH IN GTO N , D. C . 2 00 0 1 | 2 0 2 . 3 9 4 . 5 0 9 1 | M C R STR ATE G I E S. COM
- Program-wide events: usually planned at the beginning, middle and conclusion of
mentoring programs, events open to all participants give mentors and mentees a chance
to build trust, understand the process and see that they are part of a larger community of
growth and development. These program-wide events also present a great opportunity for
training and community building within the organization.
- Mentorship pair events: encouraging mentors and mentees to get out of the work
environment is a great way to help each pair develop their own chemistry, which is
essential for the relationship to be productive. Lunches, walks, concerts and industry
events are all great examples of things mentors and mentees can do to develop their
relationship. Organizations usually establish time and expense parameters for these
events, but let each pair plan them as they see fit.
Communicate expectations.
It is important to establish a program-wide expectation regarding the frequency of meetings
and the duration of the formal mentorship relationship. These standards vary among
organizations, but a goal of bi-weekly meetings for six months (resulting in at least 12 total
meetings) presents a good balance of the consistency needed for sustained learning and the
demands of legal work.
Create something tangible.
A fun, low-effort, joint mentor-mentee project is a great way to underscore the benefits the
mentor and the mentee experienced during the program. It is great to pick a theme and let
the pairs come up with their own approaches. For example, one organization that did this
chose the theme of “beach party.” At the concluding event, pairs presented everything from
co-created ocean landscape paintings to karaoke of Beach Boys’ songs to a trivia game
(about the organization) involving sand toys as prizes.
718 7TH ST R EE T N W | 2 N D FLO O R | WA SH IN GTO N , D. C . 2 00 0 1 | 2 0 2 . 3 9 4 . 5 0 9 1 | M C R STR ATE G I E S. COM
Sample Mentorship Program Roadmap
Step 1. Establish Program Goals
- Identify 2-3 specific organizational goals for the program
- Nominate coordinator(s) to manage the program
Step 2. Establish Program Parameters
- Determine the weekly/monthly time commitment of each participant
- Determine the minimum duration of the mentorship agreement
- Determine the number and type of program-wide events (programs usually include at least
kick off, mid point and concluding events)
- Create a process by which participants can switch mentors/mentees
Step 3. Recruit Motivated Mentors.
- Approach select attorneys to serve as mentors
- Convey the expected time commitment and duration of the program to the mentors
- Have mentors indicate a commitment to the program
- Find out which topics each mentor wishes to work with mentees on
- Train mentors to assist mentees in goal-setting
Step 4. Match Mentors with Mentees
When matching participants (some organizations utilize assessments, such as MBTI or DISC,
to create optimal pairs), consider:
- Personalities
- Behavioral approach
- Work style
- Background
- Topics/areas of expertise
- Avoiding pairing supervisors with subordinates
Step 5. Host Kick Off Event
- Incentivize all program participants to attend
- Share goals and expectations of the program
- Include team and trust building exercises
- Train participants about “coaching with compassion”
Step 6. Check In Periodically with Mentors and Mentees
- Check in to make sure the pairs work well together and are able to meet as expected
- Gain feedback about the program to make any necessary changes
- Do not seek information about the substance of the discussions between mentor and
mentee, which should remain confidential
718 7TH ST R EE T N W | 2 N D FLO O R | WA SH IN GTO N , D. C . 2 00 0 1 | 2 0 2 . 3 9 4 . 5 0 9 1 | M C R STR ATE G I E S. COM
Step. 7 Host Mid Point Event
- Use feedback from check ins to determine agenda for mid-point event
- Include more advanced trust and team building exercises
Step 8. Additional Check Ins
Step 9. Concluding Reflections
Encourage mentors and mentees to reflect on the goals they established for the mentoring
relationship:
- What were the goals?
- Did they accomplish them?
- Why or why not?
- Did they grow in other ways?
- What did the mentee learn from the mentor?
- What did the mentor learn from the mentee?
- How can they sustain their learning?
- Will the relationship continue? What form will it take?
- Is the mentee ready to serve as a mentor?
Step 10. Host Concluding Event
- Soon after the Concluding Reflections step, host an event which gives participants the
chance to share what they have learned, how they changed and what they hope to do with
the learning in the future.
- If pairs created a final project, have them present it to all the other mentorship program
participants and to the larger organizational unit, if desired.
718 7TH ST R EE T N W | 2 N D FLO O R | WA SH IN GTO N , D. C . 2 00 0 1 | 2 0 2 . 3 9 4 . 5 0 9 1 | M C R STR ATE G I E S. COM
The jury is in: mentorship programs are a great way to help lawyers develop the skills they
need to navigate the challenges of modern legal practice.
Many legal organizations have implemented mentorship programs, but with varying results.
Based on my own research, along with insights I gained from the legal professional
development community, I have assembled what I view to be the essential elements of a
robust and effective formal legal mentorship program:
Identify what the organization is trying to achieve through a mentorship program.
Mentorship programs are an effective tool for many things:
- Transferring critical skill sets
- Helping lawyers adapt to organizational or industry changes
- Building community
- Enhancing lawyer engagement.
For a program to be truly effective, however, it is crucial that the leadership team decide
exactly which goals they are trying to achieve and to make sure that all program participants
are aware of those goals.
Position the program positively.
Mentorship programs benefit the mentors, the mentees and their organization, but require a
significant investment of resources from all involved. To encourage that investment, the
program should be positioned as a meaningful benefit to the participants and the
organization.
Recruit motivated mentors.
Not all attorneys have the inclination or the ability to serve as effective mentors. When
considering potential mentors, look for attorneys who are:
- Adept at navigating the organization
- Have strong relationships with clients and leadership
- Good at managing their own time
- Positive
- Committed to the organization
- Satisfied with their legal career
Note: depending on the topics mentees select, it might make sense to include a non-legal
mentor. One organization found that including some senior people from the business/
finance side as mentors really helped younger attorneys get a better sense of the legal needs
of those aspects of the organization.
718 7TH ST R EE T N W | 2 N D FLO O R | WA SH IN GTO N , D. C . 2 00 0 1 | 2 0 2 . 3 9 4 . 5 0 9 1 | M C R STR ATE G I E S. COM
Recruit motivated mentees.
If participation in the program is truly voluntary, a good way to get people involved is to
“advertise” the mentors, along with the topics they want to mentor people about.
The coordinator can handle the matching, but giving mentees a chance to indicate their top
three preferred mentors is a great way to encourage commitment to the program.
Additionally, if the coordinator sees a disproportionate number of requests for a particular
mentor or topic, that serves as useful data for future development and training (and mentor
recruitment).
Have mentees identify clear goals for themselves
This is a crucial step that separates ineffective mentorship programs from ones that deliver
sustained individual and organizational benefits. Mentorship is a dynamic partnership
between the mentor and the mentee, but the goals of the partnership must be driven by the
mentee.
Adults learn best by 1) seeking out information that they need and 2) integrating that
information into their existing knowledge base. If the relationship is not guided by the
mentee’s self-identified goals, true integration - that is, sustained learning - will not occur.
Ideally, the mentee’s goals will align with the goals that the organization has set for them and
for the mentorship program as a whole. If that is not the case, mentors may need to coach
the mentee to identify more appropriate goals.
Guarantee confidentiality.
To create an environment that fosters candor and trust, organizations should establish that all
mentorship conversations will be treated confidentially unless the participants give specific
permission otherwise.
Additionally, organizations should make clear to all participants that the mentorship program
has absolutely no interaction with the performance management system (positive or
negative).
Create a process.
To sustain a mentorship program, it is important to create external parameters, which will
provide participants with motivation and accountability. One of the best ways to do this is to
create a mentorship roadmap. These vary greatly, depending on the needs of the
organization. I have included a sample roadmap at the end of this document.
Nurture the relationships.
Create opportunities for the mentor and mentee to develop rapport by creating two types of
opportunities:
718 7TH ST R EE T N W | 2 N D FLO O R | WA SH IN GTO N , D. C . 2 00 0 1 | 2 0 2 . 3 9 4 . 5 0 9 1 | M C R STR ATE G I E S. COM
- Program-wide events: usually planned at the beginning, middle and conclusion of
mentoring programs, events open to all participants give mentors and mentees a chance
to build trust, understand the process and see that they are part of a larger community of
growth and development. These program-wide events also present a great opportunity for
training and community building within the organization.
- Mentorship pair events: encouraging mentors and mentees to get out of the work
environment is a great way to help each pair develop their own chemistry, which is
essential for the relationship to be productive. Lunches, walks, concerts and industry
events are all great examples of things mentors and mentees can do to develop their
relationship. Organizations usually establish time and expense parameters for these
events, but let each pair plan them as they see fit.
Communicate expectations.
It is important to establish a program-wide expectation regarding the frequency of meetings
and the duration of the formal mentorship relationship. These standards vary among
organizations, but a goal of bi-weekly meetings for six months (resulting in at least 12 total
meetings) presents a good balance of the consistency needed for sustained learning and the
demands of legal work.
Create something tangible.
A fun, low-effort, joint mentor-mentee project is a great way to underscore the benefits the
mentor and the mentee experienced during the program. It is great to pick a theme and let
the pairs come up with their own approaches. For example, one organization that did this
chose the theme of “beach party.” At the concluding event, pairs presented everything from
co-created ocean landscape paintings to karaoke of Beach Boys’ songs to a trivia game
(about the organization) involving sand toys as prizes.
718 7TH ST R EE T N W | 2 N D FLO O R | WA SH IN GTO N , D. C . 2 00 0 1 | 2 0 2 . 3 9 4 . 5 0 9 1 | M C R STR ATE G I E S. COM
Sample Mentorship Program Roadmap
Step 1. Establish Program Goals
- Identify 2-3 specific organizational goals for the program
- Nominate coordinator(s) to manage the program
Step 2. Establish Program Parameters
- Determine the weekly/monthly time commitment of each participant
- Determine the minimum duration of the mentorship agreement
- Determine the number and type of program-wide events (programs usually include at least
kick off, mid point and concluding events)
- Create a process by which participants can switch mentors/mentees
Step 3. Recruit Motivated Mentors.
- Approach select attorneys to serve as mentors
- Convey the expected time commitment and duration of the program to the mentors
- Have mentors indicate a commitment to the program
- Find out which topics each mentor wishes to work with mentees on
- Train mentors to assist mentees in goal-setting
Step 4. Match Mentors with Mentees
When matching participants (some organizations utilize assessments, such as MBTI or DISC,
to create optimal pairs), consider:
- Personalities
- Behavioral approach
- Work style
- Background
- Topics/areas of expertise
- Avoiding pairing supervisors with subordinates
Step 5. Host Kick Off Event
- Incentivize all program participants to attend
- Share goals and expectations of the program
- Include team and trust building exercises
- Train participants about “coaching with compassion”
Step 6. Check In Periodically with Mentors and Mentees
- Check in to make sure the pairs work well together and are able to meet as expected
- Gain feedback about the program to make any necessary changes
- Do not seek information about the substance of the discussions between mentor and
mentee, which should remain confidential
718 7TH ST R EE T N W | 2 N D FLO O R | WA SH IN GTO N , D. C . 2 00 0 1 | 2 0 2 . 3 9 4 . 5 0 9 1 | M C R STR ATE G I E S. COM
Step. 7 Host Mid Point Event
- Use feedback from check ins to determine agenda for mid-point event
- Include more advanced trust and team building exercises
Step 8. Additional Check Ins
Step 9. Concluding Reflections
Encourage mentors and mentees to reflect on the goals they established for the mentoring
relationship:
- What were the goals?
- Did they accomplish them?
- Why or why not?
- Did they grow in other ways?
- What did the mentee learn from the mentor?
- What did the mentor learn from the mentee?
- How can they sustain their learning?
- Will the relationship continue? What form will it take?
- Is the mentee ready to serve as a mentor?
Step 10. Host Concluding Event
- Soon after the Concluding Reflections step, host an event which gives participants the
chance to share what they have learned, how they changed and what they hope to do with
the learning in the future.
- If pairs created a final project, have them present it to all the other mentorship program
participants and to the larger organizational unit, if desired.
718 7TH ST R EE T N W | 2 N D FLO O R | WA SH IN GTO N , D. C . 2 00 0 1 | 2 0 2 . 3 9 4 . 5 0 9 1 | M C R STR ATE G I E S. COM
