Mentoring Made Easy . . . and Effective
By Michael A. Geibelson
Michael A. Geibelson is a partner and business trial lawyer in the Los Angeles office of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. He can be reached at mageibelson@rkmc.com.
Professional development is far too important to leave to chance. So when seeking a mentor to help develop your career, imposing a bit of structure on the relationship can yield tremendous results. There is no formula to make every mentoring relationship successful, but a few simple steps can help.
Pick a mentor. If your firm does not have a formal mentoring program, see if there is interest in creating one. A formal program helps reduce awkwardness and provides a graceful mechanism for finding a replacement mentor if the first doesn’t work out. Look for a mentor old enough to offer reliable advice but young enough to understand the changing profession. Above all else, a mentor must be someone you trust as a confidant in matters of legal and business judgment.
Keep it confidential. The mentor and mentee should agree from the outset that mentoring discussions are confidential, with one caveat: The mentor must be permitted to make disclosures required by law, the Rules of Professional Conduct, or the policies of the firm.
Pick dates now. Lawyers’ calendars fill up, so choose meeting dates for the entire year and save impromptu mentoring for unexpected issues that arise. Meet at a place without distractions.
Make mentoring a regular part of practice. To realize the potential of a mentoring relationship, it must become a regular part of practice. Over time, it will become more natural, but until then, you need to have a practice plan. Your mentor will appreciate your initiative in creating a draft.
Select topics. Devote each meeting to one or two topics. Prepare for the meeting as if it were a client meeting. This is not a time to simply listen. Actively engage yourself by preparing an agenda, lists of ideas, plans, and goals tied to the topics to be discussed. Discuss:
Marketing. Develop a marketing plan that includes realistic goals. Consider publishing an article, joining a bar committee or community group, or taking a pro bono case. And most importantly, whatever you choose, stick with it.
Continuing education. Outline a set of classes to take in substantive law and procedure. Include in-depth courses in areas you practice every day, and courses about topics you don’t regularly encounter in your practice.
Writing skills. Ask your mentor to critique your written work. Regularly provide a writing sample to review, edit, and discuss, and do so far enough in advance for a meaningful review. A focused review of as little as one page can be more useful than a cursory review of a much longer piece.
Practical skills. Seek opportunities to expose yourself to a variety of legal proceedings: attend client meetings; draft pleadings and discovery; take depositions; make court appearances; participate in mediation, settlement conferences, arbitrations, and trial.
Case variety. A new case in a new area can be a refreshing challenge. A mentor is an excellent resource for exposure to cases in areas outside your daily practice area.
Set an action plan. Unsuccessful mentoring relationships result from discussions that are too infrequent and cover the same ground over and over. So draft an action plan with items for the short, medium, and long terms. Keep it under one page so it is easy to use. Bring it to every mentoring meeting and use it not as a list of professional opportunities or a gauge of ability, but as a way to keep yourself and your mentor engaged in the process.
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