Fortunately, there is not much debate on the value of mentoring for new lawyers. According to a 2013 National Association for Law Placement (NALP) study, The State of Mentoring in the Legal Profession, nearly 90% of all law firms surveyed offered some form of mentoring programs. For firms of more than 250 attorneys, the percentage was even higher. Whether mandatory or voluntary, within departments or across departments, these programs are seen as effective ways of integrating new lawyers into an organization by facilitating their professional development and inculcating the culture of the firm.
Of course, legal mentoring programs aren’t limited to law firms. Highly successful programs are run by county and state bar associations, affinity bar associations (such as women’s bar associations or practice group bar associations), law schools, government agencies and corporate legal departments. Here in Illinois, more than 3,500 attorneys have completed a form of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism’s mentoring program, currently offered through more than 75 different organizations. READ MORE