Careers in Law: Legal Mentoring Explained

Mentoring is a practice that can be beneficial in any industry, both for people at the start of their careers and those further up the ladder. Mentoring creates mutual learning opportunities that can improve and expand on skills for both the mentor and the mentee.

In the legal profession, everyone — from law school students to experienced attorneys — can benefit from establishing a relationship with a mentor.

Dr Edgar Paltzer is an attorney-at-law who provides coaching in legal matters as one of his preferred areas of practice. Finding the right mentor at each stage of your career is essential to make the most of the mentoring process.

Where to Find a Legal Mentor

There are various places you can go to look for a legal mentor. Where you choose will often depend on at which stage of your career you are at.

Law students can often find resources such as intern programmes, clubs or organisations that can help them find a mentor. Universities may also have suitable faculty members willing to act as a legal mentor throughout the student’s time at the institution.

Internships can be a good way for students or recent graduates to discover mentors. For those who have already started their legal career, their own law firm may have mentorship programmes they can join. Legal communities, the bar association and networking events also provide great opportunities to find the right mentor.

As a law career progresses, most people will find they have colleagues or other associates who are able to point them in the direction of people who may be willing to mentor them.

What to Look for in a Mentor

One of the key things to look for in any mentor is rapport. The mentor and mentee relationship is a close one and the two will most likely be spending large amounts of time interacting with each other. To make the most of the experience, you should choose a mentor you feel comfortable with.

Mentors should naturally have more experience in the legal profession than their mentee and help to give a different perspective. It can be useful to select a mentor of a different gender, age or area of expertise to gain a more diverse skillset.

Someone who comes from a similar background but has progressed further through their career can also be a good choice.