Sample Mentor Handbook

Sample from the McKinney Pathway Program: references to specific law firms or law school administrators, faculty are for the illustration purpose.

A PATHWAY TO THE LEGAL PROFESSION

Mentor Guidelines

The mentor component of the Pathway to the Profession program provides Pathway students with additional information and support as they progress toward law school. The Pathway mentor program is structured so that a Pathway student will be paired with a law student and a recent alumnus (“Pathway Mentor”) as well as contacts with law faculty. Pathway Fellows will be directly paired (1:1) with a Pathway Scholar and serve as the anchor of the Pathway mentorship experience. Participating alumni will serve in their roles as Pathway Mentors acting as a secondary mentor that focuses on professionalism and social etiquette among other things.

Exposure to the Real World of Law

By providing Pathway students with both a law school student and professional mentor, we are offering program participants the real-world experiences of legal professionals. There are a variety of benefits associated with mentor relationships with research consistently reporting that mentored individuals are more satisfied and committed to their professions than their non-mentored counterparts. (Wanberg, Welsh & Hezlett, 2003). Mentors may benefit from the mentor relationship by deriving satisfaction from assisting in the development of the next generation of lawyers. In order to maximize the benefits of such a relationship, it is important to provide basic guidelines to ensure the fulfillment of both the mentor and mentee.

Assistance in Career Development

Mentors are expected to assist in developing the career of the mentee. A mentor serves a dual function for the mentee. First, the mentor acts as a career coach to the mentee by advising the mentee to nurture his or her professional performance and development. Second, the mentor serves as a source of support and a role model embodying the ideals of the profession.

Mentors are expected to provide the following:

• Information—knowledge, experiences, and wisdom
• Support—open and supportive environment, network opportunities
• Goal setting—helping to define and attain the mentee’s goals
• Advice in reaching academic, career, and personal goals
• Time—provide opportunities for questions and conversation

Mentorship Pairing and Meeting Schedule

Law Student Participation

Pathway Fellows will mentor one Pathway Scholar in a one-to-one mentorship relationship and should establish a relatively frequent (suggested biweekly) electronic correspondence, as well as occasional (once or twice per semester) in-person meetings. Pathway Fellows should feel free to meet with Pathway Scholars at the law school and bring them to law school classes and events.  Pathway Fellows are expected to attend the annual kick-off event at the beginning of each semester.

Note if there are not enough Pathway Fellows for a one-to-one mentorship relationship, you may create mentoring teams or “pods”, with multiple Pathway Scholars assigned to one Pathway Fellow.  It has been the experience that mentoring pods help the Pathway Scholars to feel more comfortable in a group setting.

Alumni Participation

Alumni serving as Pathway Mentors will be assigned up to two Pathway Scholars. We ask for a commitment of at least one academic year. Continued participation beyond that is strongly encouraged. We propose that alumni attend the semester kick-off events, meet with their Pathway Scholars at least once per semester, and maintain regular communication (email, zoom, telephone). Alumni should feel free to meet with their assigned students together or individually. There may also be opportunities for alumni to assist Pathway Scholars in a variety of contexts. For example, there may be course components that require students to engage in exercises on professional development or the legal profession, where alumni participation fits naturally.

Likely Topics for Engagement

Mentors may be asked questions about these areas:

• LSAT: LSAT prep classes, LSAT Exam
• LSAC: Registration
• Law school admission experience: application process, school visits
• Etiquette: email, personal attire
• Law school classes
• Time management
• Interview skills
• Resume drafting
• Work-Life balance
• Employment opportunities

Below you will find a summary of information about these areas that may be helpful. Students should be directed to consult the Pre Law-Advisor or the Office of Admissions at the host school.

LSAT – Prep Classes, Exam:

Exam Generally – The LSAT recently changed to a digital exam. The cost is $200 per exam. The test is offered in June, July, September, October, November, January, February, March and April. Students should take the exam after their junior year. Students can take the exam up to 3 times in the testing year, but ideally, they should take the exam once. See the prelaw advisor for a full list of study recommendations and schedule.

Resources providing information about the LSAT Exam can be found at the Law School Admissions Council. 

Here are a few recommendations:

• Plan to study for 3-6 months before the exam.
• Kahn Academy offers a free prep course and materials that were designed by LSAC.

If a student’s LSAT was more than 2-3 points lower than the average of their last two practice exams, then a student should retest. If not, retesting is not likely to yield a better score without a major change in preparation.

LSAT Accommodations – Anyone who needs a disability accommodation on the LSAT should request one well in advance of the exam.

The LSAC website lists numerous types of accommodations, but they can include such things as:

• extended time on the exam
• wheelchair accessible table
• wearing earplugs
• small group testing

To request accommodations, follow these steps

• Register for the LSAT
• Compile all necessary accommodation paperwork
• Complete the Candidate Form
• Submit the accommodation request packet to LSAC before the deadline designated for your exam

LSAC Registration: 

Law School Admission Counsel or LSAC is a non-profit organization providing information and services related to law school admissions. LSAC administers the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Students will also use the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) through LSAC to collect admission materials and apply for law school. Students should register for a free LSAC account.

• LSAC Fee Waiver – LSAC has a fee waiver program for students who cannot afford to pay for the LSAT and CAS. It is possible that some of our Pathway Scholars will qualify for the fee waiver. Students can apply for a fee waiver from LSAC to cover the cost of two LSATs, LSAT study materials, the CAS fee, and 6 law school reports
• To receive the waiver, you must have the absolute inability to pay for the LSAT and CAS.
• Only those with extreme need should apply.
• Students will need to fill out an LSAC fee waiver application and supply their tax returns and other supporting documentation requested by LSAC.
• You must apply for the fee waiver at least six weeks before the LSAT registration deadline.

Law School Admission Requirements: 

The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) is used to apply to law school.

• CAS collects letters of recommendation, transcripts, and applicant data and creates a report for each law school.
•  Students must join CAS and pay the CAS fee when ready to apply to law school.
• Do not pay for CAS until the year the student plans to apply.
• The current CAS fee is $195 plus $45 for each law school you apply to.

Personal Statement:

The following is a summary of the SFFA Decision related to personal statements from McGuire Woods. 

On June 29, 2023, the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College 600 U.S. 181 (2023) (“SFFA v. Harvard”) eliminating race-based affirmative action in public and private higher education.

The Supreme Court placed emphasis on the personal statement as a vehicle for describing the applicant’s life experiences and the impact of diversity. ‘’

The guidance states that the SFFA decision prohibits race in and of itself from being a factor in an admission decision, but that institutions may still use holistic application-review processes and consider “how applicants’ individual backgrounds and attributes — including those related to their race, experiences of racial discrimination, or the racial composition of their neighborhoods and schools — position them to contribute to campus in unique ways.”

The guidance emphasizes, however, that admission decisions must be based on “that student’s” particular qualities as an individual (versus experiences or background factors that may apply to a demographic group generally), and not be on the basis of race.

The guidance suggests that institutions could, for example, appropriately consider:

• an applicant’s explanation of what it meant to be the first Black violinist in his city’s youth orchestra;
• an applicant’s account of overcoming prejudice when she transferred to a rural high school where she was the only student of South Asian descent;
• a recommender’s description of how an applicant conquered her feelings of isolation as a Latina student on an overwhelmingly white high school debate team; or
• an applicant’s discussion of how learning to cook traditional Hmong dishes from her grandmother sparked her passion for food and nurtured her sense of self by connecting her to past generations of her family.

The personal statement takes the place of an interview. Essentially, this is where the applicant tells the admissions committee why they should admit them rather than someone else with similar LSAT and GPA numbers. The statement should emphasize characteristics and experiences that separate the applicant from the rest of the applicant pool. The personal statement should not repeat information already provided by the applicant’s resume.

• It is a personal statement. No one else can write this statement for the applicant nor can they copy another person's statement.
• Be very careful with grammar. The law schools use the personal statement to analyze writing ability as well.
• The statement is typically limited to 2 double- spaced pages.
• Work with the pre-law advisor to draft the statement.
• Students will write a personal statement in Pathways Class #4

Diversity Statement:

Many law schools allow applicants to submit an optional diversity statement. This statement is separate from the personal statement and allows the applicant to demonstrate how they bring diversity to a law school class. For example, a student might choose to write about their experience as a first-generation college student or how they were the only Hispanic individual in their high school.  Make sure the diversity statement does not cover the same information as the personal statement. The same rules about grammar apply to this statement but this does not have to be a long statement. Make sure to have the pre-law advisor read your statement before you submit it to the law school.

Character and Fitness:

If the applicant has ever had a ticket, been disciplined by the university, been arrested, or been convicted of a crime, it must be disclosed on the law school application. Failure to disclose items on a law school application could result in dismissal from the law school or it may mean the student cannot be admitted to the Bar after graduation. The student must answer each question truthfully and prepare a written statement, called a character and fitness disclosure, to accompany their application.

• This disclosure should contain full details about the incident(s).
• Even items that were expunged or sealed must be disclosed.
• Be truthful in the disclosure and do not make excuses.
• Have the pre-law advisor work with the student on character and fitness disclosures.

Letters of Recommendation:

The person the student chooses as a reference is very important.

• Academic references are preferred
• The applicant wants someone who will speak to their strengths, both academically and personally
• The ideal reference is a professor who had the student for multiple classes or in whose courses the student did well
• Non-academic letters should be someone the student worked with in a professional setting
• Do not use: A relative, friends/peer, a teaching assistant, someone who does not really know the student, any academic reference who suggests the student find someone else to write the letter
• Ask for any letter well in advance.
• Caution students not to draft the letter. They should waive the right to see the letter in the CAS system.
• If you are asked to write a letter of recommendation for law school, a letter that assesses a number of the following qualities is especially helpful:
  • Intellectual Skills – Student is a critical thinker, analytical thinker, and problem solver, student can synthesize information, student is intellectually curious, student constructs logical, cogent arguments
  • Personal Qualities – Student is highly motivated, student shows empathy/compassion, student has surmounted difficulties and obstacles, student possess practical judgment, shows initiative or demonstrates professionalism
  • Integrity and Honesty – Student behaves in accord with high ethical standards, is reliable, trustworthy, and honest
  • Communication – Student communicates effectively in writing, writes persuasively, communicates well orally, is a thoughtful, attentive listener, and asks appropriate questions for information gathering
  • Task Management – Student prioritizes well, has realistic objectives, fulfills commitments, manages work and time efficiently
  • Working with Others – Student respects other points of view, works well with people from different backgrounds, motivates others toward a common goal, is able to lead groups of people from different backgrounds, organizes and manages others well, demonstrates good judgment in leadership decisions

Employment Opportunities:

(If internship opportunities are offered through the undergraduate school.)

We have a robust Internship Program for students interested in law. Please have the student see the internship coordinator at our institution. If you know of a law firm interested in partnering with or sponsoring an internship program, please contact us.