Mentors and Prospective Mentors:

Who are our mentors?	How Can I become a mentor?	Update my contact info
What do we ask of our mentors?	What is Happening in Mentor Externship class?

Who are our mentors?

We are blessed to have over 500 lawyers and judges volunteer their time to serve as mentors.  Our mentors reflect the diversity of our profession in terms of practice areas, employments settings, race and gender.  More importantly, our mentors are among the most respected members of the profession and their communities.

What do we ask of our mentors?

Mentors have a significant impact on the professional development of the student.  First, a mentor who demonstrates successful work habits, technical skills and the highest professional behaviors provides a vision of success for the law student or new associate.  Second, mentors offer suggestions on how to address a variety of professionalism issues.  For example, a mentor may provide insight on handling a full case load, servicing all clients with the same level of attention, treating others with civility and managing one’s own work.  Third, a mentors serve as an invaluable resource for a student on a wide variety of issues, ranging from technical skill development, career decisions and ethical dilemmas. 

While there is room for diversity in the way each mentor reaches out to his or her student, we ask all mentors to assist in realizing the three objectives of the program: 

• To foster the highest levels of professionalism for students and mentors;
• To provide students with both an experiential window through which to view professional obligations in the real world and exposure to the diverse spectrum of work of lawyers and judges;
• To create opportunities for students to engage in conversations with mentors, full- and part-time faculty, and peers about professionalism, the practice of law, and what they are observing and learning through their mentor experience.  

Mentors of First-Year Students

1. Meet with your student prior to September 28, 2007;
2. Complete, with the student, a plan (PPDP) before September 28, 2007;
3. Try to complete a minimum of two (2) experiences together during the year;
4. Debrief, or converse, about a minimum of two (2) agreed-upon topics during the year;
5. Review and sign the student’s activity log at the conclusion of the year;
6. Commit 8-12 hours to mentor activities over the course of the year (August-May).

Mentors of Second- or Third-Year Students

1. Meet with student prior to September 28, 2007;
2. Complete, with the student, a plan (PPDP) before September 28, 2007;
3. Try to complete a minimum of two (2) experiences together during the year;
4. Review and sign the student’s activity log at the conclusion of the year;
5. Commit 10-15 hours to mentor activities over the course of the year (August-May).

Optional Mentor Activities

1. Attend optional training session.  Please note that for each training session 2.0 CLE credits (professional development) will be applied for.

 September 7, 2006 from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
 University of St. Thomas School of Law

 September 14, 2006 from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
 Ramsey County Bar Association

2. Attend year-end mentor appreciation reception

Thursday, April 19, 2007
University of St. Thomas School of Law, Schultz Grand Atrium
4:30 – 7:00 p.m.

3. CLE’s, symposia, receptions and opportunities to attend other activities at the law school will be forwarded to all mentors as they are scheduled.

How Can I Become a mentor?

We value personal contact with each of our mentors.  If you are interested in becoming a mentor we would love to tell you more about the program.  Please e-mail us at lawmentors@stthomas.edu.  We look forward to the chance to talk with you!

What is Happening in Mentor Externship Class?

In addition to the work our students do with their mentors, all second and third year students take a required classroom component.  Frequently our mentors can add their insight to the topics we are coving in class.  Here is a general overview of the classroom topics:
The theme of the second year Mentor Externship is "Understanding Relationships in the Law".  In this class we focus on helping students identify the key relationships all attorneys must manage.  Topics include:

1. Understanding that Law is About Relationships;
2. Civility in the Legal Profession (you relationship to opposing counsel and parties);
3. Understanding the Economic Relationship Between Lawyer and Employer (overhead, salaries and what it means for work expectations for new lawyers);
4. Work Expectations and Achieving Balance (relationships outside the practice);
5. Gender and Relationships in the law;
6. Race and Relationships in the law;
7. Getting senior lawyers to invest in you (finding a mentor after graduation); and
8. Chemical Dependency and Mental Health in the legal profession.

The theme for the third year course is "Excellence in Relationship Skills Brings Professional Success".  The topics in the third year course are:

1. Networking, Professional Reputations and Bar Leadership;
2. Marketing for New Lawyers;
3. The Client Relationship, Fees and Billing;
4. Client Service and Retention: Keeping Clients Happy and Coming in the Door;
5. Telling Clients No, Breaking Bad News and Counseling the Powerful;
6. Listening Skills;
7. Time Management, Prioritizing and Goal Setting; and
8. Avoiding Burnout and Enjoying Career Satisfaction.

To find out more about any of the classroom topics please use the following links:

LINK TO OUR MENTOR ADJUNCT BIOGRAPHIES
LINK TO THE FALL 2L SYLLABUS
LINK TO THE SPRING 2L SYLLABUS
LINK TO THE FALL 3L SYLLABUS
LINK TO THE SPRING 3L SYLLABUS

Update my contact information

If you have recently changed your contact information we appreciate the chance to update our records.  Please send us your updated contact information to lawmentors@stthomas.edu .