Ty Lord of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton has mentored many lawyers. Here is what four of them had to say:

• "She does not hesitate to tell you when you're doing well or if you seem overwhelmed."
• "She pushes me to take on more responsibility and coaches me through those (often intimidating) next steps."
• "When it came time to pitch the work, Ty worked with me in excruciating detail to develop a plan and explain the process. It was Ty's investment in my career and her coaching that helped me develop and hone my skills as attorney."
• "In addition to the benefits I've received from the advice she's given me, I've become a better supervisor and mentor because of her example."

What do inexperienced lawyers need the most in their careers, and how much can a mentor give them that, as opposed to letting the mentee experience it on their own?

The young lawyers with whom I've worked are smart and eager to learn. They don't always understand that we are problem-solvers. Our clients want us to help them achieve their business goals, and that often goes beyond finding the right case law or writing the perfect memo. Mentors can help flatten the learning curve by giving young lawyers the opportunity to convert their legal research into practical solutions that help clients.