As you start your legal career, learning from others with years of experience in the field you’re about to embark on is always a good idea. One of the best ways to get your feet wet is to learn directly from an experienced lawyer through an official mentorship program, The Property Advocates says.
Law mentorships are available for people at all different levels of their legal career — whether you’re a student, an intern, or have passed your bar exam already. Below is a general guide for how you can get a law mentorship, as well as some specific resources for doing so in the state of Florida.
Law Mentorships for Students
You can still take advantage of mentorship programs even if you aren’t employed as a full-time legal mind. There are many different potential resources you’ll have at your disposal as a law student that you can leverage to obtain a law mentorship.
Start by going to the people and places that you already know. This could include clubs at your law school that you belong to and faculty members at your law school with whom you have formed a solid relationship.
You should also check your law school’s various resources, including student advisers, professional legal aides, and online program postings and forums. Some law schools will have formal programs for law mentorships or can at least connect you to one.
Law Mentorships for Professionals
Once you have landed your first law job, you won’t be cut off from law mentorships. In fact, it’s a great idea to find a mentor even after you’re an official legal professional.
Sometimes, your law firm offers an official mentorship program connecting newer associates with long-tenured attorneys. In other cases, you will have to go outside the firm for this support.
You can start your search through any legal or networking associations or groups that you belong to. The people you meet at these functions will often point you in the right direction. If you’re a member of a legal-specific social media group, you can also check with other members there.
If you’re having trouble finding any programs, check with your local bar association and any local mentorship associations.
Florida Mentorship Programs
According to The Property Advocates, there are some official mentorship programs that connect newer legal associates with experienced attorneys.
One is the Mentor Program provided by the Florida Justice Association. The FJA’s program pairs new attorneys with accomplished ones, allowing the latter to provide wisdom to the former. This formal program will last for at least one year in a very organized format.
The Florida Bar Association also has a Young Lawyers Division that provides a free service to all members called Lawyers Advising Lawyers. This program has more than 300 attorneys serving as advisors on a voluntary basis to help other members of the bar.
The Young Lawyers Division also offers a virtual mentoring program called the Legal Accelerator. Through the program, you can see interviews with more than 100 experienced judges and attorneys, discussing various legal issues and topics.
About The Property Advocates
The Property Advocates, P.A. is a full-service Florida insurance law firm specializing in property insurance claims. With offices in Miami and Tampa, The Property Advocates team consists of nearly 14 experienced attorneys with decades of combined experience who are compassionate, knowledgeable, and not afraid to go to trial for their clients. They have a successful track record of resolving complicated property insurance claims and getting their clients the fair compensation they deserve.
