MSBA Mentoring Service A Hit
~New and Experienced Attorneys Reap Rewards of Mentoring~
By Janet Stidman Eveleth

One of the most valuable aspects of MSBA membership is mentoring.  MSBA offers attorneys a number of networking and mentoring opportunities at meetings, educational programs and special events. Today electronic mentoring is also quite popular as attorneys connect with one another via MSBA’s website links and listserves. Mentoring promotes collegiality and camaraderie amongst members of the Bar and fosters heightened professionalism and civility in the practice of law.

In addition to these MSBA options, the Association offers a statewide MSBA mentoring service for all of its members.  Now in its fourth year, MSBA’s Mentoring Service, located on the Association’s website (www.msba.org)  under exclusive member benefits) is thriving. Over 300 MSBA members now serve as attorney mentors, and both new and seasoned attorneys find this program helpful, rewarding and most enjoyable.

Through MSBA’s Mentoring Service, newer, less experienced MSBA members find a “helping hand” and more experienced, seasoned members reap the rewards of giving back to their profession through this pro bono effort. Their wisdom, guidance, support and insight are much appreciated by novice attorneys, and many deep bonds of friendship are borne through MSBA’s mentoring service.

Mentoring has always been a tradition in the legal profession. At one time, attorney mentoring was the means of training attorneys in the practice of law. Seasoned attorneys counseled, educated and guided their protégés in legal, ethical and practical dilemmas as they began practicing law. This was once the way attorneys were taught how to practice law.

While mentoring is an integral part of many large law firms, small and solo practitioners, who comprise the majority of lawyers in Maryland, often need direction and guidance and have nowhere to turn. Many have found this network of support in MSBA’s wealth of volunteer attorney mentors, which caters to new admits, solos, associates in firms and all other lawyers in need of assistance.

Through this statewide mentoring service, more knowledgeable and experienced members of MSBA serve as mentors and “trusted advisors.”  MSBA has compiled a master list of attorney volunteer mentors on a county by county basis, and this information is updated every six months. Attorney mentors have practiced for at least five years and have the background and experience to advise and counsel new practitioners.

The service is organized on a geographic basis so that new attorneys may find a mentor in their local area. Attorneys seeking a mentor simply log on to MSBA’s website, click on the Mentoring Service, go to the desired county and view a list of available mentors in their locale. Then they select and contact an individual attorney mentor, and the two attorneys go from there.

After the mentor/mentoree relationship is initiated, the two attorneys establish the ground rules of this confidential relationship. They decide whether the arrangement will involve meetings and/or phone calls and determine the frequency of contact. They also develop a rapport based on the needs and desires of both attorneys.

This valuable statewide resource offers new attorneys practical law office management information, insight on personnel, escrow and billing account issues, guidance on substantive law areas and related procedures and advice on professional conduct and ethics. MSBA mentors answer questions and build confidence in the new attorneys. They also involve them in Bar activities, help them develop their own support networks and steer them clear of potential malpractice minefields.

One Baltimore attorney thoroughly enjoys guiding new attorneys as a mentor. A relatively new sole practitioner recently contacted mentor Michael Gordon by phone. They met and discussed “getting started, networking and looking into prepaid legal plans as a source of clients, along with Lawyer Referral services and the benefits of active membership in Bar Associations, Sections and Committees.”

Gordon thought the attorney “seemed thankful for the availability of MSBA’s mentoring service” and hopes he found it beneficial. Gordon also learns from the expectations of future generations of practitioners. “It is gratifying to feel that now and again someone benefits from my experience,” he says.

MSBA encourages all interested members to take advantage of this excellent resource. In the long run, MSBA’s mentoring program not only assists members, it enhances civility in the entire legal profession. Any MSBA member interested in becoming a mentor or mentoree through MSBA’s Mentoring Service may contact Pat Yevics at (410) 685-7878 or pyevics@msba.org.

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Publications : Bar Bulletin: September, 2003