The Victorian Women Lawyers and the Women Barristers Association will work to assist the next generation of female lawyers via the 2010 Law Student Mentoring Program.
The Victorian Women Lawyers and the Women Barristers Association will work to assist the next generation of female lawyers via the 2010 Law Student Mentoring Program.
Now in its third year, the program facili tates the pairing of mentors and students who share common professional interests and geographical proximity, to meet at least once a month.
Running from April 2010 to April 2011, the program aims to encourage the next generation of Victorian female lawyers to gain valuable insights into the legal profession from current practitioners.
Mentors can specify particular students they would prefer to mentor, such as a stu dent from a particular university or with par ticular legal interests.
Justice Marcia Neave AO of the Victori an Supreme Court, who will launch the pro gram at Middletons, has encouraged stu dents in Victorian law schools to participate in the 2010 program.
“Career progression, the culture of law firms and work/life balance are among the hot topics that female law students are con cerned about and that practitioners deal with on a daily basis,” she said.
“Additionally, practitioners seek oppor tunities to develop their leadership skills among their junior peers.”
According to feedback from last year's pro gram, in which 120 pairs participated, the men tors involved said they developed valuable lead ership skills and gained rewarding insights, without compromising their work commitments.
Justice Neave emphasised the “mutual ben efits of interaction between young and more experienced women lawyers” as just one of the many reasons students and practitioners should participate.
