The Importance of Having a Mentor
The academic setting of law school does not fully prepare new attorneys for the active practice of law. Fortunately, those willing to serve as mentors can help new attorneys achieve career and professional success.
What is Mentorship and Why is it Important?
Mentorship provides less experienced persons with advice and support. In the legal field, senior attorneys usually play this important role. Some of the crucial benefits of having a legal mentor include: 1) learning about the industry as a whole, 2) building confidence, 3) personal development, and 4) overcoming obstacles and challenges to career development.
How to Find a Mentor?
Young lawyers may find mentors through local Bar Associations, professional groups, and networking events, all of which are filled with many successful senior lawyers. Another great resource for young lawyers is mentors at their law firm. That is exactly how I met one of my first mentors, Arthur C. Elgin, Jr., at a Washington, DC law firm in Dupont Circle in March of 2005.
My Mentor: Arthur C. Elgin, Jr.
Art attended undergrad at Princeton University and later obtained his law degree from George Washington University. Following in his father’s footsteps, Art focused his career primarily in Trusts & Estates, and both Art and his father joined the law practice of Jackson & Campbell, P.C. in 1969. Art spent the rest of his nearly sixty-year career working in their Washington DC and Rockville offices. During his career, Art served as the Treasurer of the Montgomery County Bar Association, and he was a member of the District of Columbia and Maryland Bar Associations.
Benefits of the Mentor Relationship.
Working as a Probate paralegal in Trusts and Estates was my second job. I worked for a number of attorneys, and Art supervised my work. He strived to provide me with positive feedback and encouraged independent thinking so that I could learn to work and succeed independently. This lessened the workload for Art and the other Trusts and Estates attorneys in the department, allowing them to focus on bigger tasks. Art’s mentorship built my confidence and fast-tracked my growth development. A couple of years later, I went to law school at Catholic University of America at night while I continued working at the same firm until the end of 2011.
While mentors are a great choice for new lawyers, mentors aren’t limited to legal professionals. No matter what career you’re in, having a mentor can give you a strategic advantage as you build your career.
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