SCCLA Mentorship Program
Participants will be in Mentorship Groups consisting of a small number of mentors and mentees of varying experience levels. Participants will have opportunities to both provide and receive meaningful mentorship from fellow judicial officers, attorneys, and law students.
To participate, register by December 1, 2021. The program begins in January 2022 with a virtual kick-off event on January 12, 2022 from 6-7 pm.
Judicial Officers and Attorneys: click here. Law Students: click here. SCCLA will use your responses to match you to the extent possible with judicial officers, attorneys, and law students whose professional interests, geographic location, and/or educational background may align with your own.
Participation is subject to the availability of interested judicial officers, attorneys, and law students. Participants agree to uphold the integrity and mission of the SCCLA Mentorship Program, maintain a professional relationship with all participants, and understand that SCCLA's Mentorship Guidelines apply to all participants.
Please contact mentorship@sccla.org with any questions or concerns.
SCCLA Mentorship Program: Guidelines
SCCLA aims to facilitate long-lasting professional relationships that foster ongoing growth and professional development. To achieve this goal, SCCLA has adopted the following guidelines for our Mentorship Program.
(1) Active Participation: to effectuate a meaningful experience, participants are expected to take an active role in their Mentorship Group, whether by coordinating and attending meetings, responding to inquiries, communicating regularly, or any other actions helpful to facilitating mentorship. Participants are expected to commit to the program for one year, e.g., from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.
(2) Minimum Number of Meetings: SCCLA strongly encourages participants to meet at least twice per academic semester or a minimum four times per calendar year. In-person or videoconference meetings are encouraged, including meeting at SCCLA events.
(3) Meeting Location: participants should schedule any in-person meetings in public locations, e.g., SCCLA events, restaurants, coffee shops, or CLE/bar association events. SCCLA discourages meeting at bars or participants’ residences in one-on-one situations.
(4) Communication: participants are expected to regularly communicate regarding professional opportunities, coursework, or school activities. In-person and email communication are encouraged. Texting, while convenient, should not be the sole means of communication between mentors and students. While SCCLA encourages mentees and mentors to learn more about one another, especially with respect to shared experiences (e.g., experiences as a first-generation attorney), participants should refrain from conversations about intimate matters. Participants should exercise their best personal and professional judgment regarding their conduct in the Mentorship Program.
(5) Reporting Inappropriate Behavior: participants who feel they have been subject to or witnessed untoward, harassing, or coercive behavior should immediately report the conduct to mentorship@sccla.org. All reports are confidential. Participants who are found to have violated these guidelines are subject to removal from the Mentorship Program.