How Can Mentoring Help You In Your Legal Career

The legal profession is challenging, especially when you are just starting out or trying to achieve growth in your career.

A good mentor can help you make smarter decisions, grow your confidence, and help influence the decisions you make. Whether you are applying for a training contract, settling into your first role, or planning your next move - the right support can make a real tangible difference.

Mentoring is important and it up to you to pursue it and decide how to use it. You can choose who to speak to, which questions to ask, and consider action steps following the guidance you receive. Mentoring is not about finding someone who will do the hard work for you - it is about building a supportive conversation that helps you move forward.

Know what support you are looking for in mentorship

You should start off by asking yourself what would help you most. Do you want tips on securing interviews, insight into a specific practice area, or guidance on your long-term goals e.g. progressing to a partnership role? Or perhaps you want to go in-house having worked in private practice for years, or you want to set up your own virtual practice. Mentorship can benefit lawyers at all stages.

If you are right at the start and applying for a commercial role, a mentor working in law might explain what firms look for and how to stand out, beyond just what you read on their websites. If you are interested in an advocacy career which is highly competitive, a junior barrister might help you understand the realities of life at the Bar and how to put your best foot forward to succeed.

You might also want support from someone who understands the barriers you face. You find it easier to ask honest questions and feel more connected when you speak to a mentor who shares your background or values.

Seek out the right mentor

You can join mentoring schemes where organisations match you with mentors based on your goals or area of interest. Or you could reach out to people directly and seek their guidance – e.g. through LinkedIn or through connections in your own network. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

You do not need to ask someone to be your mentor right away. You send a short message, ask for a quick chat, and explain what you hope to learn. If the conversation goes well, suggest staying in touch. You build many mentoring relationships naturally by starting with one good conversation.

If your firm, chambers, or an organisation you are a part of offers a mentoring scheme, take part. If it does not, you should pursue and seek to create your own opportunity.

You do not need to meet in person. You set up a video call or message exchange with someone in another region, practice area, or workplace. Mentoring is a great chance to grab to learn from people you would not meet otherwise, and you fit mentoring around your own schedule.

Show respect and take responsibility

Mentors often give up time to help you. You make the most of it by being prepared, arriving on time, and keeping the conversation focused. When someone shares advice, you should consider it carefully and follow up to let them know how it helped. You should reflect and write down what you learn so you can reflect and act on it later. You do not need to agree with everything a mentor says, but you show respect by listening to their suggestions and showing gratitude.

If a mentor relationship becomes regular, it would help to agree on a format. You can mutually decide how often to meet, how to stay in touch, and what you both want to focus on. You should plan ahead and suggest goals e.g. ask for their advice preparing for interviews, learning about a new role, or building confidence,  so the relationship has direction, and you get the most out of it.

Mentoring does not always last forever. If your needs change or the mentor’s capacity changes, take the time to thank your mentor, explain what you found helpful, and stay in touch professionally.

How The Legists Can Help

At The Legists, we support legal professionals who want to connect with firms and opportunities that align with their long-term goals. The Legists’ advanced AI-powered search system matches you with roles tailored to your expertise and career aspirations. The Legists is a multi-award-winning job platform dedicated to the legal profession described as ‘Best Search Platform to Legal Jobs’ in 2022 by Business Elite Awards. It is a leading resource for legal positions across the UK, offering a vast selection of opportunities in various industries.  

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