The Importance of Mentorship
When Joey and I created this platform we had high hopes, but no one expected to see the continued growth and loyal following that Law School Life & Beyond (“LSLB”) has received thus far. So Let me begin this article with a thank you! Thank you to our writers for consistently producing insightful, candid, and intriguing articles, and thank you to YOU, our readers, social media followers, and podcast listeners for continually supporting the LSLB mission.
LSLB continues to grow daily with new writers, new content, and new platforms to connect with. As we continue to expand to provide insight into the hopefully not so mysterious lives of law students, we know more ambitious aspirations lie ahead.
How do we do more? How do we help students that have yet to hear about LSLB? How do we make the process of pursuing a career in law more accessible and simplified for all? These are the questions that were posed by the newest addition to the LSLB team, Anthony Turrin, Head of our newly developed Mentorship Program (the “Program”).
Anthony and I were childhood basketball teammates and attended the same high school, but unfortunately lost touch after beginning our respective University journeys. Despite the passing of several years, thanks to LinkedIn (don’t underestimate how amazing that platform is), we reconnected. Anthony found the LSLB platform and reached out to me with a brilliant proposition. He believed the LSLB platform was the perfect way to bring his idea to fruition.
After learning that Anthony’s goal was to develop a comprehensive mentorship program for high school and undergraduate students interested in legal careers, I was sold! However, as all good partners should do, I first consulted with Joey and we both agreed that Anthony’s idea aligned with LSLB’s mission and plans to expand beyond written articles, podcasts, and social media posts.
So here we are. Anthony has officially joined the LSLB team, as a Senior Member and Head of the Mentorship Program, all while prioritizing his articling position at the General Counsel Office of Aviva Canada.
Now without further ado, let’s explain what the Program entails!
Despite most schools having a team of talented academic advisors, we noticed a partial absence of guidance for students like ourselves, who aspire to enter the legal field. Understanding that every student has their own unique path, our Program is intended to be as open-ended and personal as possible. We want to mend the gap in communication between students interested in law school and alumni who are currently attending law school or have attained standing in the legal profession.
Unfortunately, there are many elementary and high school students who don’t have personal connections to law students or lawyers or don’t feel comfortable reaching out to ask questions. That’s where we come in. Our goal is to be a support system for students who need guidance and clarification about the “unknowns” of getting into law school and pursuing a legal career.
How will the Program work?
High School Mentorship — We are currently in discussions with school boards across Ontario regarding the implementation of the Program as either an ongoing resource to students or a quarterly Q&A session, available on a sign-up basis.
Undergraduate Mentorship — We are currently in discussions with various law societies, paralegal programs, and mooting clubs at post-secondary institutions across Canada regarding the implementation of the Program as a quarterly Q&A session.
How will the Program be executed?
This is where the amazing LSLB team comes in. Joey and I continue to make best efforts to recruit writers that provide diverse perspectives on law school by drawing from their academic and personal backgrounds, current/past institutions of study, and desired/current areas of practice. We currently have writers from seven different Canadian law schools and continue to expand our reach.
The Program will utilize LSLB’s diverse team to provide comprehensive and well-rounded insight into the law school experience. We also plan to connect high school and undergraduate students that have a particular law school of interest with members of the LSLB team that attend or graduated from that particular institution to create a tailored mentor/mentee connection.
We are aware of the amazing variety of LSAT and Bar exam prep courses available in the marketplace. Our goal is not to provide tutoring services, but rather to highlight our personal experiences, be as honest and transparent as possible and distribute our knowledge about how to succeed in post-secondary and graduate studies.
We want to help the next generation of students succeed and clear the fog surrounding post-secondary studies while understanding that there is no perfect mold to enter law school or the legal profession. The Program’s Q&A sessions will address these, along with many other, questions:
· What are the key skills required to succeed in law school? Study habits?
· How to find the necessary work-life balance?
· How to network? How to explore co-op or volunteer opportunities?
· What a day in law school looks like? What a day of practicing law looks like?
Next Steps
We are excited to have had the Program’s first event take place at the Annual Conference of the Law and Business Student Association of Ryerson University on February 6th, 2021 and look forward to the continued growth and expansion of the Program.
Another Thank you!
Without our reader’s none of this would be possible. Again, thank YOU!
If you are a high school or undergraduate student in Canada and want to have your school, club, or organization partner with the Program, we encourage you to reach out to anyone on the LSLB team.
We hope you are as excited as we are about this venture. Remember, if you have any questions or concerns about anything post-secondary or law school-related, we are here for YOU!
Stay well & stay safe.
Ryan and Anthony
You can contact us anytime at Delmarr@uwindsor.ca and anthonyturrin@osgoode.yorku.ca
