I recently spoke at Duke University to one of their paralegal classes and brought up the issue of mentoring once they got into a law firm. As I rethought my talk I realized that one of the best business practices there is in a law firm and one that develops high performance employees is to create within the firm a mentorship program.

Mentoring is not the same thing as training a new employee. Rather it is assigning someone within the firm that exhibits the qualities of the type of employee you want all employees to be to the new employee. A mentoring program applies equally to non-lawyers and lawyer alike.

When I did active law firm administration I would ask either an in-place lawyer or paralegal to become a mentor to the new employee. I would ask that they meet twice a month for lunch to discuss how the job was going and to share knowledge and experience. In addition the mentor was available to talk to as needed. The new employee was mindful that training questions went to the trainer but that the mentor was to be issued to share knowledge and experience.

Being brand new at anything, including a new firm, is hard enough without trying to figure out all the dynamics of what it means to be a lawyer or a paralegal or even one with experience but entering a new law firm culture. The ability to talk to someone with experience who sees all sides of the picture simply makes for better employees.

Word of caution: Mentors are not therapists nor are they personal confidents. Their job is to share their knowledge so others can grow. Select your mentors carefully but reward them with praise when they help you grow better employees.