Today, law students are primarily sculpted in classrooms, with the chances for out-of-class experience strewn throughout summer work, school clinics, and externships. But becoming a lawyer in the U.S. was originally premised on the experience of apprenticing. Direct observation, hands-on work, with a touch of baptism-by-fire-shaped lawyers. On a broader level, apprenticing was premised on mentorship. Though law students must endure the modern right of passage that is the dreaded 1L year spent in structured doctrinals, mentorship has remained a mainstay of a legal education. 

“Networking” is a daunting word for most in the professional world and known all too well by those in the legal field. Law students understand early on that building a network is a crucial part of forming their careers. But mentorship is just as important as – and in fact both encompasses the nature of and is an expansion of – networking. As a remnant of early legal education, having mentors from the moment you start law school until your last day of retirement at that fancy law firm you started is vital to success in the legal field. Having a network is important, but having people in your corner to guide the ship that is your career journey is what makes your network rich.

This idea may be intuitive, but I emphasize it because (1) maybe it’s not intuitive (!), and (2) you can find every tip or trick to help you navigate networking, but seeking out mentorship can seem elusive. Let’s start here: Mentors can be anyone. You do not even have to be interested in the field your mentor practices in to find someone who provides you with the guidance and support a mentor does. In fact, having a variety of mentors who practice in different fields can enhance your overall understanding of what career options are available for you.

A mentor can be younger than you! As is expected with a law school class blending “K-JDs” and us older students who took a pitstop or 3 before starting law school, you may find yourself getting legal writing edits or interview tips from someone 3 years younger than you. This is precisely what makes mentors such a unique relationship in the legal world. 

The many mentors I had throughout my first year of law school came to me in both formal and informal ways. I encourage anyone looking for mentors to start looking through the more formal options, such as organizations where you are a member. Upon starting my 1L year I had mentors from the Black Law Students Association, the Public Interest Law Foundation, and LAHANAS. Having those connections arranged by the organizations I was passionate about was crucial, and paired me with some of the most helpful and wonderful people who helped me get through 1L year. And by getting through, I mean they helped me apply to jobs, discuss career paths, calm down when I was nervous for exams, encouraged me to apply for leadership positions and write on to law review – frankly the list is never-ending. 

Having formal mentors made it easy for me to meet people at my summer internship and new students at BC Law who could provide me with mentorship in more informal ways. For example, moments when I needed guidance on how to choose my classes or what to wear to an interview have become some of the most helpful moments for my development in law school. I encourage my fellow law students to think about ways to keep forming connections with the people around you – and not simply because you have a certain job in mind, and you think networking with that one person will open all the doors for you. I encourage you to seek out deeper connections with your peers, professors, summer employers, future co-workers, or that retired lawyer you know! 

Apprenticing and mentoring is foundational to how lawyers grow and learn from each other, and it doesn’t stop as you go through your legal career. If you want a place to start in seeking out a mentor, my door is open!

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Haley Cole is a second-year student at BC Law. Contact her at colehc@bc.edu.