Young attorneys are being pushed by bar associations, alumni organizations, and other professional groups to sign up for mentorship programs. Although the barrage of emails urging you to sign up for these programs are about as appealing as the links to dating websites your mom keeps sending over, finding a mentor is a useful endeavor. Whether you are a solo-practitioner, an attorney at a large firm, or working in the public sector, you will face many challenges your formal education did not prepare you for. A mentor can give you an unbiased opinion and a fresh perspective, and push you toward reaching your goals in a more strategic fashion.

Mentorships can provide a sense of confidence when a more experienced attorney reassures you that you are, in fact, capable. Your mentor may also help steer you away from a potential pitfall you were not even aware was on the horizon. Insider tips that pertain to your specialty area of law, office politics, or how to navigate your local court can only be gained from experience or a short-cut: mentorship.

How to Get a Mentor

Understandably, the first place one might seek a mentor is at the office, but, it can be beneficial to seek a mentor that is outside of your place of work. It can be awkward to ask your colleagues for career advice. But, there is certainly no reason to limit yourself to merely one mentor, given that you may have more than one goal.

Most young attorneys seek out informal mentorships through their local bar association. County bar associations have committees devoted to specific areas of law, and by joining the committee you will have the opportunity to meet attorneys who you can begin to establish a rapport with that leads to an informal mentorship. Bar associations often offer many opportunities to socialize in less formal settings as well, where you can develop a relationship that may lead to a meaningful mentorship.

If you are looking for something more structured, the New Jersey State Bar Association has a relatively new mentorship program, Mentor Match, which includes an online database where you can find your next mentor. NJSBA President, John E. Keefe Jr., explains the purpose of the program is “to provide mentorship for new lawyers, those looking to change specialties or who are in a state of transition, and those who work alone or in a small practice without a stable of colleagues who work just down the hall and are easily available for quick consultations.” The New Jersey State Bar Association is devoted to making this program work by calling each mentee who signs up for the program to make sure the perfect match is made. Some attorneys have found a formal mentorship to be more successful because the purpose and boundaries of the relationship are clear and the timeframe is limited.

Mentorship is not one of those things where less is more. If one mentor is good, having several mentors is better. It is helpful to develop a mentor-mentee relationship with someone who is a bit older and someone much older, someone of the same sex and someone of the opposite sex, and people who have a similar career path as your own as well as someone who has done things very differently. The more people you can reach out to for advice when you are struggling to know what to do next, the better.

Getting the Most out of Your Mentor-Mentee Relationship

Whether you seek out a formal or informal mentorship, you are going to need to put in some work to reap any benefits from the relationship. As a mentee, you should identify your goals, know what challenges you are facing, and be prepared to receive and act on the advice you get from your mentor. The practice of law can be stressful, but by developing one or more mentoring relationships, you can be assured you will gain a sense of personal and professional satisfaction whether you are a mentor or mentee.

The NJLJ Young Lawyers Advisory Board is a diverse group of young attorneys from around the state. Follow them on Twitter, @YoungLawyersNJL.