The view of mentoring varies among seasoned law professionals but for this high-pressure industry, the most common complaint usually relates to the time commitment. But mentoring should be seen as another opportunity for your career, and the value it can bring can offer both progression and development if you know how to get the most out of it.

An Opportunity for Professional Development

For experienced lawyers, professional development remains an important aspect of a well-rounded career. Taking on the role of a mentor provides a unique opportunity to develop new skills, which can be transferred to other mentoring or teaching roles. There may also be an element of formal training involved; this can be useful if you wish to take on a coordinating role within a program at a later date.

 Development opportunities for lawyers can be difficult to find, especially when you’re at the top of the career ladder and mentoring is a rewarding learning experience for everyone involved.

Sharing Knowledge and Skills

As a leader in the legal profession, you will have gathered a range of skills and a veritable database of knowledge. Mentoring allows you to share those skills and draw on your own experience to provide practical advice to those who are new or emerging within the industry.

 Mentoring can also be a stepping stone towards teaching, which some lawyers move towards once they are established in their careers.

Positioning Yourself as a Leader

Your expertise grows steadily over the course of your career, but it can be a challenge to find appropriate peer recognition for what you’ve achieved, particularly if you’re a woman.

 Mentoring allows you to demonstrate your leadership skills in a practical and attestable way. By taking on the role of a guide to professionals on their way up the ladder, you will become a source of inspiration and aspiration.

 This has been a problem for women, historically and contemporarily. Persistent underrepresentation of females – particularly those from a minority ethnic background – remains a major challenge to diversity within law.

 You can be the change. As a female legal professional, you have a unique perspective and have overcome specific hurdles to be where you are. Women still face these hurdles; your experience will help them to navigate their careers and become successful.

 In short, you are ready to lead.

Enhanced Interpersonal Skills

We sometimes lose sight of soft skills when looking at professional development. Mentoring helps you to refine those qualities – especially when it comes to interpersonal skills.

 To be a good mentor, you must have the ability to speak and to listen. As an expert, it can be tempting to focus on the former; after all, you’re the expert. But a mentor does more than just share their wisdom one way. You’ll be tasked with understanding the current position of your mentee, where they want to go, and which challenges are in their way.

 Formal training can be helpful to get you started. From there, your experience as a mentor will help you perfect these skills, which are transferable to all aspects of your career.

A Fresh Perspective

There’s a lot to learn from the people you mentor. Young lawyers have fresh and exciting perspectives to share, and their ideas can help you to adapt your own practice for the future!

 Mentoring is always a two-way relationship – a mutually-rewarding experience that works best when both parties are willing to learn. For you as a mentor, collaborating with an emerging lawyer can help you with client relationships, as well as attracting and maintaining talented professionals.

Guiding the Female Leaders of Tomorrow

Mentoring can offer a more professionally-rewarding experience than teaching classes or writing books. This is because you have the opportunity to work directly with your protégés, one-to-one.

The future of law will – ceteris paribus – be more equal and diverse. As a female legal professional, you are well-placed to offer practical guidance to the next generation of women in the industry.

Your influence can fuel confidence, inspire emerging legal stars to pursue their potential, and to craft the leaders of tomorrow. Through mentoring, this can be your legacy.