April Katz Israeli has been practicing family law for more than two decades. She joined the Williams Law Group in Short Hills in January 2018 and immediately took on the role of mentor, helping colleagues develop strategies that have proven successful and yielded positive client feedback, according to one colleague. She also has helped attorneys deal with business-side matters, including billing issues that they find difficult. Israeli also became deeply involved in the firm's charitable and community endeavors. “A mentor is one who not only teaches and fosters positive outcomes, but also lives by example,” the colleague said. “April promotes professional success and positive development of attorneys in this firm and beyond by her stellar example.”

Is the role of mentor one that you set out to take, or one you happened into?

This is a role that evolved naturally. I am a nurturing person by nature, and find that I instinctively want to motivate and educate people around me.

Why are mentors so important in the legal profession?

I think mentors are critical in the legal profession because there are so many “skills of the trade” that cannot be learned in law school, reading cases or reviewing the court rules. It's the intangible aspects, the subtle nuances that need to be taught, such as how to engage with judges, adversaries and clients, what to say and how to say it, and how to effectively and efficiently manage a file.

Good mentors often have learned from good examples. Who are some people who have mentored you?

I have been very fortunate throughout my life and legal career to have had people take me by the hand (figuratively speaking) and guide me to becoming the best person and attorney I can be. These mentors have been invaluable to me. My late parents (Monis & Sylvia Brafman), my first-year law school property professor, Paula Franzese, Esq., Judge Thomas P. Zampino, J.S.C. (Ret.), my first boss, Bruce Nagel, Esq., and his then-partner, Cathleen McDonough, Esq., former law partner, Mario Gurrieri, Esq., and Allison C. Williams, Esq.

Law is, for many, more than a full-time job. How does one create time for mentorship?

For me it is a natural extension of what I do for a living. The mentorship role feels second nature to me and is truly part of all the relationships I develop. I don't feel the need to create time for mentorship, it's already part of what I do.

How are the business and profession of law changing, and are New Jersey lawyers well-positioned for the future?

The business and profession of law are changing at lightning speed due to the incredible technology available to us. I find it to be a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it creates more efficiency, and a curse because it causes tremendous stress and pressure by making us feel that we have to stay connected 24/7. Part of the art of law is having the time to process thoughts, analyze information and choose the right words. With the speed at which we practice today, we are not always giving ourselves that chance, and we need to.

I think New Jersey lawyers are very well-positioned for the future; we are driven, well informed and always at the forefront of making new law.