LawBank and CAMP Present Best Practices for Lawyer Mentoring and Ethics
As part of LawBank’s ethics CLE offerings to the solo and small law firm community, they partnered with J. Ryann Peyton to host a presentation on ethical lawyer mentoring. Ryann is the Executive Director at the Colorado Mentoring Program (CAMP), a program of the Colorado Supreme Court designed to provide mentors, peer support, and professional development resources to new and transitioning lawyers throughout the state. Ryann discussed the ethics questions that commonly come up in mentoring relationships, and answered frequently asked questions to create successful, ethical mentoring.
Ryann began the presentation by explaining that mentoring is the key to ethical practice. Mentoring can be an integral part of an attorney’s compliance with Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct (CRPC). It is one of the best ways to establish and maintain a culture of ethical conduct and professionalism within the Colorado legal community. Because we learn by doing, young lawyers can learn best practices through a mentor. Mentoring can also serve as a reminder or refresher for the mentor.
Ryann shared and answered the top ten mentoring ethics questions that she receives at CAMP, including whether it is ethical for a mentee to sit in on a mentor’s meeting with a client, especially if the mentee is not part of the mentor’s firm. Another ethical mentoring question that Ryann addressed was if a mentee may ask a mentor from another firm for practical advice that relates to a pending client matter. Ryann shared a common question on ethical mentoring was if a mentee may attend a mentor’s hearing if they are not part of the same firm. Next, she discussed if a mentor and mentee may agree to jointly accept a pro bono case from a certified pro bono program. Ryann shared that this is allowed and is a great way to provide the mentee with an experiential learning opportunity while avoiding many of the ethical considerations. Programs such as Metro Volunteer Lawyers can even assign a mentor to assist with a pro bono case.
Ryann then shared best practices for a successful and ethical mentoring relationship. She discussed the stages of mentoring, which include the initiation stage, the cultivation stage, and the separation stage. In the initiation stage, it is important to determine how to start building rapport and trust. This is possible through Ryann’s suggested eight steps to building rapport. The eight steps include: (1) shifting your mindset to an “I am worthy” mindset, (2) asking some variation of “Tell me about yourself,” (3) looking for indicators of shared humanity, (4) identifying one thing that you can appreciate about the person with whom you are conversing, (5) researching the person, (6) listening to understand, (7) being the person who tells the truth, and (8) being open and not transactional.
The cultivation stage includes establishing who is in charge. Ryann suggests that the most effective mentoring relationships are those in which the mentee is relatively proactive, and the mentor is relatively passive or reactive. Tips for mentees include taking an active role in the mentoring relationship, being clear about what you want out of the relationship, being receptive to constructive criticism, being a good listener, and, most importantly, treating interactions with the mentor like a dialogue. Tips for mentors to foster a successful mentoring relationship include maintaining regular contact, being honest, avoiding judgment, respecting confidentiality, and recognizing that as a mentor you may need additional support.
Ryann defined the separation and redefinition stage as the phase when a mentoring relationship comes to an end. This often happens naturally when a mentee learns enough to be independent of their mentor. Even when a formal program ends, an informal mentoring relationship may continue if both parties agree. The best way to approach this is through clear communication.
To conclude the program, Ryann shared mentoring resources, many of which can be found on the CAMP website, under the Mentoring Resources tab. She referenced the CAMP Initial Meeting Guide and Goal Plan, the Mentoring Handbook, Model Mentoring Plans, Training Webinars, and CAMP Mentoring Resource Library. To participate in future programs like the lawyer mentoring and ethics CLE, visit LawBank’s event page to view upcoming presentations.
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Offering central locations in Denver and Las Vegas, LawBank is the premiere community for independent law firms. The collegial, shared office environment is home to attorneys of all experience levels, ranging from fresh out of law school to those with decades of legal practice. Members have access to a variety of office spaces and resources, including Continued Legal Education, business advisory, and mentor and co-counsel relationships. If you are seeking a total office solution that caters to the unique needs of solo and small law firm owners, contact LawBank to schedule a virtual or in-person tour.
