Tips for Finding Suitable Mentorship While Pursuing Your Law Degree

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In pretty much any pursuit in life, having the guidance of someone more experienced can be enormously helpful. When it comes to overcoming the sometimes seemingly insurmountable challenges that come with the task of obtaining a law degree, the case is no different.

Whether you’re currently pursuing a law degree or have toyed with the idea of doing so, you’ve probably wondered how it is that people go about finding mentors. Though it may seem like a daunting task, becoming familiar with some tried and true methods can make the process significantly more achievable.

Here are tips for finding a suitable mentorship while pursuing your law degree.

1. Network

For some of us, networking may seem like a scary task. After all, it’s not always easy to put yourself out there and develop relationships and connections with complete strangers. However, in virtually every industry, this practice can have undeniably beneficial and impactful results.

When it comes to the case of law students or aspiring law students looking for mentorship, networking is a fantastic place to start. This is especially true for students who have no connection to the world of law, such as having a family member or friend in the business.

Given the fact that you’re looking for mentorship as a law student, going to lawyer-focused events can be a great place to start. If you have a specific field of law you plan on pursuing, go to events where you might find lawyers in that specialty.

Ultimately, though it can sometimes be a tough habit to begin developing, networking can help you pursue your goal of becoming a successful lawyer in many ways. And, if you keep at it, you’ll be sure to find a lawyer mentor in no time.

2. Ask Professors

If you’ve already begun your law education, you know that professors can be an absolute treasure trove of wisdom. To begin your search for a mentor, professors are an amazing place to start.

For one, professors themselves may be willing to spend extra time helping you on your path to becoming a lawyer. In these cases, they can act as ripe resources with key insights for thriving both during and after your academic career in law.

In addition to being ripe resources themselves, professors of law typically have robust networks of other legal professionals with tons of wisdom to share. By letting your professors know that you’re in the market for a mentor, they may be able to connect you with someone that they know.

However, like networking, it can sometimes feel difficult to take the big step and come to your professor with these types of questions. Rest assured, professors are there to help and regardless of whether they can help you find a mentor or not, there’s little chance that they’ll be upset by you coming to them.

3. Join Student Organisations

In law schools, student organisations are amazing places to start rubbing shoulders with future legal professionals and meeting new people. Beyond this, these organisations often host a variety of events and have connections to working lawyers.

By becoming a part of a student organisation and getting deeply involved, you’ll have unprecedented access to these many valuable resources. This can lead to many different connections that have the possibility of resulting in you finding the mentorship you’re looking for.

If there are lawyers you look up to with specific skills, such as psychology skills, you can even help plan events involving these people. This will make it easier for you to make the initial connections with your role models that can eventually blossom into mentor/mentee relationships.

Depending on your school, there may be many student organisations or just a few. If you feel like you have too many options, don’t be afraid to try out a variety of these organisations to find the ones that are the best fit. At the end of the day, this effort could very likely result in you finding a mentor who can help guide you on your legal profession path.

4. Join PushFar

PushFar is the world’s leading mentoring and career progression platform. With over 120,000 professionals across the globe, finding a mentor is easier than ever. There are individuals from every industry, willing to help you meet your personal and professional goals.

Tips for Beginning a Mentor/Mentee Relationship

While finding the right people for mentorship may be easy, getting to the point where they’re actually mentoring you can be a little tricky. Fortunately, being aware of a few tips in this area can greatly simplify the process.

Here are tips for beginning a mentor/mentee relationship.

1. Just Ask

Though you may be tentative around your potential mentor because you don’t want to spook them away, the truth is it’s always best to be clear. When you find someone that you would like to be mentored by, it’s important to just come out and ask. Whether they say yes or not, you’ll be able to have clarity around where your relationship stands. Either you’ll have found a mentor, or you’ll know it’s time to keep looking.

2. Reach Out to Your Mentor Consistently

Once you’ve found a mentor, you may fall into the trap of waiting for them to reach out to you. While you might think that you’re being polite, the truth is that it’s important for you to be proactive as a mentee and reach out periodically.

However, that’s not to say that you should constantly badger your mentor for wisdom. Rather, reaching out by email, video call, or phone call once or twice a month is a great way to ensure that you’re cultivating a meaningful and ongoing mentor/mentee relationship.

3. Schedule Meetings in Advance

If you’re fortunate to live in the same general area as your mentor, it’s important to see them in person whenever possible. This will make it easier for the two of you to connect and engage in meaningful conversations.

Nevertheless, your mentor, being a legal professional and all, is likely busy. For this reason, it can be helpful to schedule meetings in advance so that you’re able to consistently get in-person meetings with them.

Finding a Mentor Can Make a World of Difference for Aspiring Lawyers

From understanding legal concepts to landing job roles, having a mentor can be incredibly valuable for all law students. Though it’s not always easy, putting in the effort to find the right mentor can have amazing results that might even change the trajectory of your career and life. This being the case, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and find the perfect mentor to help you thrive.

This article was guest written by Andrew Deen.