Law Mentoring Programs at The National Legal Mentoring Consortium

The National Legal Mentoring Consortium is an organization that administrates and contributes to mentoring programs. They receive sponsorship from:

• Law schools
• Bar associations
• State supreme courts
• Law firms
• Other organizations

They help professionals to develop in their mentoring program. And, all this guidance they do it through free exchange of ideas among the community that creates a net of mentoring programs across the country. They also aim to foster mentoring within legal profession and the free mentoring in the legal profession  ideas exchange is promoted in order to  encourage professionals to do so. Also, they are in charge of providing the resources needed to create as well as operate mentoring initiatives. And, they are in constant contact with law firms, bar organizations, law schools, courts, and other entities within the legal profession. Hence, the net is growing up faster.

Image courtesy of Keri-Lee Beasley at Flickr.com

The following list provides information about the mentoring programs with law firms The Legal Mentoring Consortium has with:

Alston & Byrd

Mandatory – Status:  Ongoing – Type:  Individual Mentor Matching

The program contacts a junior associate with a partner at the practice group. This last one has  the responsibility for shepherding the associate through the first few years of practice. This program aims to make both participants complement each other with their knowledge and experiences.  More info:  http://www.alston.com/careers-professionaldev-mentoring/

Arnold & Porter

Mandatory – Status:  Ongoing – Type:  Individual Mentor Matching

They have a formal three-stage mentoring program that pairs associates with more senior attorneys as they progress and advance in their careers. Also, they match new  associates with mid-level associates and it is part of the junior associate mentoring program. Then, after mid-level associates have finished their two years of partnership, they are paired with partners and counsel. More info: http://arnoldporter.webfactional.com/work/professional-development.html

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz

Mandatory – Status:  Ongoing – Type:  Individual Mentor Matching

Every associate has one mentor minimum during the first year. It is usually a senior associates who serve as shareholders. And, as long as the needs of the mentee change, their mentors could change as well.  More info: http://www.bakerdonelson.com/professionaldevelopment/

Cravath, Swain & Moore

Mandatory – Status:  Ongoing – Type:  Individual Mentor Matching

“The firm’s rotation system establishes a framework in which partners help guide the careers of associates.”  It consist on mixing associates in different stages at their careers, so that they will keep a close relationship with most of the partners. All of them can contribute to groups in a different manner, according to the skills they have and will to share with the groups. More info: http://www.cravath.com/mentoringandtraining/

Davis, Polk & Wardwell

Mandatory – Status:  Ongoing – Type:  Individual Mentor Matching

All associates are assigned an associate mentor and a partner mentor to provide assistance and encouragement to new lawyers. “The associate mentor’s role is to welcome the new associate to the firm, and be available to assist with any introductory issues or questions the new associate may have. After establishing him/herself within a practice area, associates are matched with a partner mentor. “ These last ones  meet with associates and discuss work and life at the firm, especially  experiences and development inside the firm.
More info: http://www.davispolk.com/careers/us/training-and-professional-development/

Image courtesy of Keri-Lee Beasley at Flickr.com

Duane Morris

Mandatory – Status:  Ongoing – Type:  New Lawyer Mentoring Program

“Each associate is assigned a mentor in his or her practice area soon after arriving at the firm.” According to them, both of them, mentee and mentor, help each other to prepare professional development plans outlining professional, client development and community involvement goals, review and schedule available Duane Morris training and activities, meet formally and informally on an ongoing basis, and once a year, jointly evaluate the associates’ progress, revising and setting new goals for the coming year.
More info:  http://www.duanemorris.com/site/associates_mentoring.html

Frost Brown Todd

Mandatory – Status:  Ongoing – Type:  New Lawyer Mentoring Program

Since they aim to quickly integrate the new associates to the firm, each associate is assigned with two mentors, an associate and a member. Their roles are the following: introduce them to legal professionals within their department and throughout the firm, act as a link to the firm for work, explain firm issues and unwritten rules,develop associate’s legal and practice skills, provide feedback, monitor performance and experience, give “stretch” assignments, connect associate with internal resources to address particular issues, hold an informal bi-monthly lunch program where two associates are matched randomly with two senior attorneys in each office. More info: http://www.frostbrowntodd.com/careers-development.html

Do not miss the next post where we will discuss further law mentoring programs. Do not miss the chance to enroll a great law mentoring program or to implement one at your firm.