Fantastic Mentors and Where to Find Them

As a young attorney, I understand the value of having a great mentor, especially early on in a budding legal career. A mentor can provide you with guidance, connections, and opportunities that can be beneficial to a young attorney new to the legal world. It’s easy to understand the benefits of having a great mentor, but it’s not as easy to find a great mentor. Although there are formal mentorship programs offered through bar associations and law firms, it seems like only a lucky few find a great mentor through these programs. This doesn’t mean that formal mentorship programs have no value. Formal mentorship programs are a great way to meet experienced attorneys, but a structured program will not guarantee the success of a mentor-mentee relationship. Finding a mentor is only a small hurdle compared to the work that is required to develop a great mentor-mentee relationship. Here are some tips that I learned and other attorneys have shared with me when I was searching for a mentor.