The Bar is Looking for a Few Good Mentors Actually, We Need Hundreds of You to Step Forward
by Nathan D. Alder
On September 30, 2008, the Bar petitioned the Utah Supreme Court to replace the first year of mandatory New Lawyer Continuing Legal Education (“NLCLE”) with a one-on-one mentoring program called the New Lawyer Training Program (“NLTP”). While we await the Supreme Court’s final action on the petition, as well as Bar members’ comments, the Court has endorsed the mentoring concept and approved the Bar’s recruitment of mentors. Many new lawyers indicate that they do not feel well-prepared for the practical aspects of practicing law. And, adequate on-the-job training too often is subordinated to billable hours and business pressure. The new program matches a newly-admitted lawyer with an experienced attorney to help the new lawyer acquire the practical skills and judgment necessary to practice in a highly competent manner. The mentor can also help the new lawyer to better understand ethical and professional requirements and constraints and to develop networking and long-term relationships within the profession.
Rod Snow and Margaret Plane chaired the committee which developed the NLTP. Over the past two years, the committee conducted extensive research on mentoring, attended conferences and meetings on the topic, and consulted with hundreds of Bar leaders and young lawyers. They also examined in detail two after-licensure mentoring programs that are currently successfully operating in Georgia and Ohio.
In 2009, between four and five hundred new lawyers will be admitted to the Utah Bar. If NLTP is approved, we will need around one hundred and fifty mentors for the new lawyers admitted in May 2009, and at least another three hundred for the October 2009 admittees. Obviously, we need your help.
The NLTP recommends that the mentor and new lawyer spend at least two hours a month over a one-year period developing their relationship and learning from each other as the mentoring plan is implemented. Each new lawyer’s training program will be designed by the new lawyer and his or her mentor using a set of required activities and elective learning opportunities suggested in the NLTP manual. Mentors must have been in practice for at least seven years, have no past formal disciplinary proceedings, and carry malpractice insurance in an amount of at least $100,000/$300,000 if in private practice. The Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Professionalism will review all mentor applications and make recommendations to the Supreme Court for appointments. Mentors will receive twelve hours of CLE credit, including two ethics hours.
You will not be left alone in your mentoring assignment. A Mentor Training Resources Committee, chaired by Annette Jarvis of Ray, Quinney and Nebeker, and Jeffrey Hunt of Parr, Waddoups, Brown, Gee & Loveless will meet periodically with mentors, firms and government entities to provide training on effective mentoring techniques.
The Supreme Court has published the Bar’s NLTP petition for review and comment. It can be found at http://www.utcourts.gov/resources/rules/comments/. You may also get additional information and apply to be a mentor at www.utahbar.org/nltp.
This is a major step forward for our Bar. I encourage you to help a new lawyer and our profession by participating in this program.