Take Advantage of Mentoring Programs in Your Area

Participating in a mentoring program is an excellent way for young lawyers to learn from the experience of others. 

The Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association has a well-established program called Mentorship Monday, which pairs new lawyers with a peer mentor, who has usually graduated from law school within the past five years.  Mentorship Monday is a nine-month program in which participants meet monthly for either a lunch meeting at the SMBA office or for a field trip to places such as a courthouse or the county jail.  The goal of Mentorship Monday is to quickly integrate new lawyers into the Bar and the community, while providing the mentors with the opportunity to pass on their experience and build their own professional development.  “As soon as Mentorship Monday was launched, we began seeing our new members at Bar functions,” says Crista Hogan, the Executive Director of the SMBA.  “Those members will attest to the program in establishing themselves personally and professionally in the community,” Hogan added. If you would like to participate, contact Ms. Hogan at 417-831-2783. 

Additionally, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association started a Mentoring Program in July 2011.  The idea for the project came out of the KCMBA Leadership Academy.  The program consists of 15 mentors and 15 mentees ranging in practice areas and includes as participants attorneys, law professors and judges at both the state and federal levels. Participants meet monthly, alternating between group meetings and one-on-one meetings with mentors.  The program’s most recent event consisted of a tour of the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Western District, followed by a 1 hour ethics CLE presented by the Honorable Cynthia L. Martin.  In addition to the program’s practical elements, the group is also involved in community service projects.  The program has partnered with the UMKC School of Law to participate in “Christmas in October” on October 8.  “Christmas in October” is the School of Law’s version of Habitat for Humanity.  The founding chair of the Mentoring Program is Sara Bruchman of Walters, Bender, Strohbehn & Vaughan, P.C., and the founding vice-chair is Jenny Riedy of The Law Office of Lorri L. Wilbee-Kobe, LLC.  For more information, contact the KCMBA at 816-474-4322.