Mentee Section

Suggestions

Initial Contact. The program will exchange information between you and your mentor, but it is up to you to make the first contact. This is an e-mail based mentoring program, though it is certainly acceptable to call initially or as your mentor may further direct. As a part of that call you might:

Introduce yourself, who you are, what type of law you practice, some highlights that might help the mentor form a picture
Be prepared. Do a little research on your mentor. Do a Google search, check lawyer research websites like Martindale, and of course, the Florida Bar's attorney search.
Ask questions. Your mentor has had years of experience in the practice of the law and imparting their knowledge and wisdom borne of that experience will serve you well.
Set your expectations early. Some mentors won't mind continuous and regular contact, others would prefer that you e-mail them only when you have a difficulty, yet others will prefer to see you in person. It may be a good idea to understand your mentor's preference as to how to communicate with one another if not by e-mail and how often.

Respect Mentor's Time . Good relationships, particularly mentoring relationships, develop with regular communication. This must be balanced with a healthy respect for the mentor's time. Please recognize how demanding mentoring another lawyer can be in addition to a regular workload, family obligations, and other volunteer activities. If a meeting is scheduled or a time set for a call, make sure to be on time. Don't be offended if your mentor has to cancel a session or is a bit difficult to reach and do not expect instant responses to your e-mails. The beauty of e-mail communications is that it allows each of you to respond when you are able. As noted, there will be some mentors who are able to give more time than others. That being said if your mentor is not communicating with you at all, that is not good either. Give the relationship time and an opportunity to develop. There will be a survey sent to you from time to time. That is a good opportunity to tell us how you are doing.

Conflicts and Confidentiality. Remember that the relationship between you and your mentor is not a legal one and the Florida Rules of Professional Conduct still apply. Remember to keep any conversations related to client issues as hypotheticals such that the client would not be able to be identified through the course of the conversation. Remember as well that you must observe the strict rules of confidentiality which govern the lawyer-client relationship. The link to the Florida Rules of Professional Conduct is here for your ease of reference. If, after you have read through the rules of Professional Conduct, you have further questions or are unsure how to proceed your mentor may be able to help you or certainly another lawyer in your office. If you need a different resource, you might also try the Florida Bar's ethics hotline at 800-235-8619.

Appropriate Discussions . Mentors will assist you with procedural issues, ethical and professionalism questions, and how to be successful both generally and in particular situations. If you and your mentor have established guidelines for communications, whether they are regular phone calls or in person meeting, then keep a file of questions for your mentor, jot down the question as you think of it and put it in the file. This way you are prepared when you meet. Some items you might discuss include issues that you learn about through a seminar or in the course of your practice, problems you resolved, but about which you would like a reality check, or to clarify theory vs. practice, etc. Discussion topics with your mentor might include:

Listen. As your mentor will tell you, no matter your specialization, listening is one of the most important tools in a lawyer's arsenal. It will serve you equally well with your mentor. Spirited debate is always appreciated, but be sure that debate does not spill over into a quarrel with the advice your Mentor provides. With time and experience come stories through which your mentor learned new lessons about how to practice or watched others make errors which helped shape them as lawyers. These “war stories” are valuable. Ask about them.

Offer Suggestions. Your mentor may want to assist you, but may have never mentored before and may not be sure what to do or say. Gauge the conversation and your mentor's willingness to participate in activities outside of e-mail communications. If amenable you might suggest that the mentor take you on a “field trip.” If you are a litigator, your mentor might take you to the courthouse for his or her trial, motion calendar, or just a tour to see how the process works. If your mentor is a transactional lawyer, perhaps the mentor can take you to a closing or other similar event.