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The Case for Mentorship

By Kristy Weathers
May 30, 2007

Career guidelines, career plans and mentors. These are familiar terms to most lawyers, especially law students and laterals looking for the right 'fit.' And many, if not most, large law firms highlight one or more of these career-planning tools on their Web sites and recruiting materials. But the 'inside' story of their effectiveness might not be as rosy. Several recent articles in legal journals and newspapers have bemoaned the state of mentoring programs at larger firms, saying that they are boilerplate, empty promises designed to recruit, and that they are usually unsuccessful due to lack of follow-up.

However, here at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, our mentorship program has never been stronger. How do we know it is a success? It has a 100% participation rate, with 170 partner/associate pairs communicating at least quarterly. A successful program is important to the firm and its people, and effective organization and administration can make the difference between a program that is meaningful and one that is merely an empty promise.

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