By Lisa Goodheart and Alessandra W. Wingerter
For both new and very experienced lawyers, a mentor can help to provide perspective, confidence, and a sense of belonging in the legal profession, as well as open doors and identify opportunities. Lisa Goodheart, a partner at Fitch Law Partners, LLP, and Alessandra (“Alle”) Wingerter, an associate at Fitch Law Partners, LLP, share their thoughts about the value of mentoring relationships at every stage of a legal career.
What makes a good mentor?
Alle: A good mentor is nonjudgmental and uncompetitive—someone who genuinely wants to see you grow. The best mentors push you outside of your comfort zone and give you the confidence to take on new challenges. Recently, I attended an event for women judges and mentioned that I was writing an article for the Boston Bar Journal on mentorship. (It was a great conversation starter!) One overwhelming takeaway from those discussions was how many judges hadn’t originally thought to pursue the bench. In many cases, it took a mentor to say, “You’d make a great judge.” That simple encouragement was the spark that changed their career path. It’s a reminder that a good mentor doesn’t just help you navigate where you are; they help you see what’s possible next.
Lisa: That is so true! I’ve been lucky to have had many mentors over the course of my career, and one lesson that I’ve learned over and over again is that no one succeeds alone. A good mentor is not just someone who will let you cry on their shoulder, although there is a place for that, from time to time. A good mentor is interested in envisioning a positive future for you. It’s a person who has ambitions on your behalf and a confidence in your abilities that may at times exceed your own. It can be so helpful, as well as reassuring, to have an experienced lawyer, professor, or judge whom you admire point out an opportunity that they believe you are qualified to pursue or suggest a direction that will help you grow. Another quality of a good mentor is that they will act as your ambassador, where appropriate, and talk about you in favorable ways to other professionals who may not know you.
What makes a good mentee?
Lisa: A lot of things go into making someone a good mentee. A good mentee has healthy professional ambitions and a positive outlook and understands that honest feedback and constructive criticism are valuable gifts. A good mentee enjoys sharing some aspects of her personal life and is interested in her mentor’s life as well. A good mentee will find a way to telegraph that she wants your critical assessments and is not shy about asking for advice. And a great mentee will make a point of circling back to her mentor to talk about how a particular challenge turned out, to think through what lessons can be learned, and to thank the mentor for any advice he or she may have offered.
Alle: Yes, I think a quick thank you email can go a long way. I do a lot of “coffee chats” with law students or new graduates, and those that send a note of thanks stand out. I think a good mentee also doesn’t solely rely on the mentor, but rather, does 85-90% of the work themselves—be it a brief or a job hunt—and uses the mentor’s experience or connections for the final touch. It’s totally fine to ask questions along the way, but a good mentee takes ownership of the case or his or her career.
How do you find a good mentor?
Alle: Finding a mentor takes some work, but it’s not impossible. I’ve found that mentorship is a natural and ingrained part of the legal profession, and people are generally willing to help. For new lawyers, it’s likely that your firm or organization has a formal mentorship program. Even if it doesn’t, many firms have a strong culture of informal mentorship and can suggest someone who might be a good fit. Also, just show up. Attend firm or bar association events. When your firm circulates tickets to a community or professional event, take one and go—ideally with colleagues. It’s a natural, low-pressure way to connect with other lawyers, and those interactions often open unexpected doors. You might learn that so-and-so is taking a deposition next week and ask to sit in. Almost any senior lawyer would be happy to accommodate that request, but having you observe probably isn’t top of mind, which is why asking is important.
Lisa: I have seen strong mentoring relationships emerge through structured programs, but for me, some of the mentoring relationships that have helped me the most have come about quite organically, like friendships do. Don’t underestimate the power of letting someone know that you are interested in what they do and would welcome a chance to work with them. If you enjoyed someone’s remarks at a conference or a bar association meeting, don’t be afraid to greet them and tell them so. See if you can find some common ground that might lead to an opportunity to follow up with them, in a gracious way that allows for either a yes or a no. Soft invitations and communicating an openness to further conversations can get you surprisingly far.
Keep in mind that a mentor doesn’t have to look like you or be like you in order to be helpful. Getting the perspective of someone who’s had very different experiences than you’ve had can be especially valuable. It’s also helpful to have a group of mentors who have had a range of experiences, have different networks, and can offer a variety of perspectives. Also, be aware that mentors can be found in the unlikeliest of places. I first met a person who eventually became one of my most deeply influential mentors when we were cast in the roles of opposing counsel and found ourselves tangling quite regularly over discovery disputes.
When’s the optimal stage in your career to have a mentor?
Alle: Law school teaches you how to think like a lawyer, but a good mentor teaches you how to be one. Early on in your career, a mentor can help you navigate the transition from theory to practice and provide insights that really can’t be found in the classroom, like how to handle client relationships and navigate firm norms. As your professional network grows, those you consider mentors may grow and morph as well. I’ve found it invaluable to seek advice from lawyers who are just a few steps ahead of me to get a sense of what I should be thinking about.
Lisa: You always need mentors! And hopefully you will have quite a few of them throughout your professional life. I’ve never had a week of my career when I wasn’t well aware that I could benefit from some good mentoring. And if ever I can’t think of someone to call for help, I think of someone I admire and try to imagine how they would handle whatever predicament I find myself in.
Alle is right that the focus of a mentoring relationship depends on what is happening in the lives and careers of both the mentee and the mentor at any given time. The problems and challenges may evolve over time, but the human impulse toward mutual support is always there. Practicing law well is hard, so having relationships with people who remind you that you are not alone and that they are there to support you is essential if you hope to stay strong and succeed over the long haul.
What’s the secret to making a mentoring relationship work?
Alle: For the mentoring relationship to work well, much depends on personality fit. It’s ultimately a relationship of professional and personal friendship. In my opinion, finding a personal connection is just as important, if not more so, than finding a match with a senior or junior lawyer who practices in the same substantive area of law that you are focused on. I think that’s something new lawyers don’t always think about when looking for a job—sure, you may want to work in IP or practice criminal law, but when you’re in the office until midnight filing a brief, are you laughing and smiling together (perhaps at your collective distress, but laughing nonetheless)?
Mentorship is, at its core, about connection and confidence. It’s someone taking the time to say, “You can do this, and I’ll help you get there.” For new lawyers, that guidance can make all the difference. For seasoned lawyers, it’s one of the most meaningful ways to give back to the profession and to pay it forward. Whether it’s a partner handing an associate the lead on a case, a judge encouraging a lawyer to apply for the bench, or a friend offering advice over coffee, mentorship reminds us that no one builds a legal career alone.
Lisa: I agree. I would say that the secret to making a mentoring relationship work well is the same as the secret to making any kind of relationship work well. You have to enjoy each other’s company, make a deliberate commitment to the relationship, and share the things you can cheer, rage, cry, and laugh about together. At different points along the way, the practice of law offers everyone some opportunities to do that. Those opportunities are precious. Spot them and take them.
Lisa C. Goodheart is a partner at Fitch Law Partners LLP, where her civil litigation practice is focused on environmental, real estate, governmental, and business disputes. She has benefited from many wonderful mentors over the years.
Alessandra W. Wingerter is an associate at Fitch Law Partners LLP, where she represents private and public clients in environmental, real estate, land use, and governmental disputes. She is always on the lookout for a good mentor/mentee relationship.
