In recent years, there has been an increased awareness of the power of mentorship.
An experienced barrister showing a young pupil the ropes, a judge offering career-shaping wisdom, or a more experienced colleague providing a sounding board — mentorship influences legal professionals at every stage.
But what, precisely, makes it so impactful?
Entry to the legal professions
The legal field has often been viewed as an exclusive, somewhat opaque career path. To outsiders, it can feel impenetrable — a world of Latin maxims, ceremonial wigs, and courtroom theatrics that seem straight out of a Dickens novel.
Television dramas shape the way many perceive the legal profession, but their portrayal is often far from the reality of working in chambers or the courtroom. This is where mentorship provides its first invaluable service: dispelling some of the myths and giving aspiring lawyers a glimpse into the actual realities of the profession.
Through structured work experience, informal shadowing, or pupillage, a good mentor takes the time to demystify the system and demonstrate how accessible and rewarding a legal career can be.
Many established lawyers trace their decision to enter the field back to an early, inspiring encounter with a mentor who took the time to explain the inner workings of the profession. A well-placed word of encouragement, a casual remark about a case, or simply the chance to see legal advocacy in action can ignite a passion that lasts a lifetime.
For these reasons, organisations such as the Sutton Trust and the Bar Council work very hard to ensure that talented individuals from all backgrounds have equal access to mentorship and networking opportunities.
Emily Windsor, London-based barrister for Falcon Chambers, articulates the value of mentorship in the legal profession:
“I have always believed that mentorship plays a crucial role in shaping legal careers, and I personally benefited from the generosity of experienced barristers when I was starting out,” Windsor shares. “While in the sixth form, I was fortunate enough to shadow a criminal barrister who took the time to explain courtroom procedure and the nuances of advocacy to me.
“That experience was instrumental in my decision to pursue a law degree and a career at the Bar.
Now, as a mentor myself, I have chance to give something back. These days, there are more structured work experience programmes in place, which are accessible to all. As part of that, we recognise the importance of taking the time to help prospective entrants to the profession, and to offer the information, advice and encouragement that they need.”
Providing a Long-Term Career Compass
But the value of mentorship is not just in recruitment. It is now recognised that it can continue to be highly beneficial throughout a person’s career.
Mentoring provides individuals with the opportunity to better develop within their roles and to identify and prepare for career growth opportunities in the future.
The advice can involve anything from advice on flexible working, or managing particular relationships within the work place, to career development and promotion.
By sharing the benefit of their experience, mentors help more junior colleagues avoid common pitfalls and broaden their horizons.
Mentoring schemes have undoubtedly played a huge role in the numbers of lawyers from underrepresented groups reaching leadership roles within law firms, and at the bar.
The results can also be seen in the profiles of the latest appointments to silk, and at the highest levels of the judiciary. Ultimately, this can only be good for society as a whole.
And the benefits do not stop there. It is widely recognised that the benefits are two-way, in that the process causes mentors to reflect on their own careers, and grow professionally at the same time.
