Gaining a mentor or becoming a mentor can be a very valuable part of career development and progression. The Law Society provides opportunities for those starting out on their career journey to be matched with a suitable mentor and in doing so provides the opportunity for senior members of the profession to pass on their knowledge and experience by becoming mentors.
The Law Society has three targeted mentoring programmes for specific segments of the profession which aim to meet specific needs as follows:
- Law Student Mentoring Programme – Pairing law students with emerging practitioners
- Lawyers Mentoring Programme – Pairing junior practitioners with senior lawyers for guidance and career development.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Law Students Mentoring Programme – A bespoke programme open to law students in any year of their study
Law Student Mentoring Programme
The Law Student Mentoring Programme pairs emerging practitioners with current law students to provide guidance and support to the transition from student to law graduate and then to lawyer. For more information, please visit the Young Lawyers Committee page.
To participate you must be a current member of the Law Society.
The 2024 Programme is now in progress.
For all enquiries, please contact the Membership Services Team on 08 9324 8692 or email membership@lawsocietywa.asn.au
BENEFITS TO MENTEE
- Make potentially long-term professional connections
- Improve communication and interpersonal skills
- Identify professional development opportunities
- Set career goals and pathways to achieve success
- Gain a role model
- Opportunity to discuss matters openly and in confidence with senior members of the profession
- Opportunity to review your CV
BENEFITS TO MENTOR
- Personal and professional satisfaction
- Give back to the profession
- Share your experience
- Learn from your mentee
- Be at the forefront of emerging issues for practitioners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander law students
- Assisting practitioners/law students with the many challenges and expectations of a career in the law
COMMITMENT OF MENTORS
- New mentors to attend a training workshop
- Meet one-to-one with mentee approximately every four weeks
Lawyers Mentoring Programme
The Lawyers Mentoring Programme is available to all levels of practice post-admission with the aim of linking junior practitioners or mentees (1-5 years PAE) with senior members of the profession.
In the last six years, the number of mentors has increased to reflect a broader cross-section of the profession complementing the very experienced mentors that continue to participate in the Programme. The broader base of mentors, including senior women practising in the private and public sector, at the bar or as senior in-house counsel, provides the Programme with greater choice when pairing mentees and mentors and thereby enabling the Programme to address the increasingly changing legal environment.
The Programme utilises the services of an independent Coordinator, with a background in training, facilitation, mentoring and coaching. The Coordinator runs the annual introductory sessions for new mentors and mentees, takes time to get to know new participants and gauge interests for the Programme and works closely with the team to make suitable matches – mentee and mentor. The Coordinator keeps in touch with mentees throughout the Programme to ensure successful matches are sustained and provides regular reports to the Law Society.
The mentoring Programme for lawyers is open to all financial, Ordinary members of the Law Society.
The 2024 Lawyers Mentoring Programme is running from May 2024 to February 2025. Expressions of interest for the 2024 Programme are now closed.
This programme receives great feedback each year. Please read our mentee’s testimonials for more information.
For more information, please email advocacy@lawsocietywa.asn.au or call (08) 9324 8646.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Law Students
This mentoring programme is open to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander law students in any year of their study of law. This mentoring programme offers you one-on-one contact with a legal practitioner with whom you can discuss your law course and your options and aspirations after graduation. Contact between you and your mentor can be over coffee or lunch, or by email if you are a student at a country campus. The mentors are lawyers with an interest in assisting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander law students.
The Programme utilises the services of an independent Coordinator, with a background in training, facilitation, mentoring and coaching. The Coordinator runs the annual introductory sessions for new mentors and mentees, takes time to get to know new participants and gauge interests for the Programme and works closely with the team to make suitable matches – mentee and mentor. The Coordinator keeps in touch with mentees throughout the Programme to ensure successful matches are sustained and provides regular reports to the Law Society.
For more information, please email advocacy@lawsocietywa.asn.au or call (08) 9324 8646.