Mentoring

Upon entering the firm, each associate is assigned a practice group mentor. To ensure that the progress of women and diverse lawyers is closely tracked and supported, both the Diversity Committee and the Women’s Committee have mentoring programs, in which one or more minority or female partners meets professionally and socially with a number of minority or female associates to provide mentoring and to teach mentoring skills so that associates can become good mentors to the next generation of associates. Members of the Diversity Committee complement the firm’s associate mentoring program by acting as informal mentors to minority associates outside of their practice groups and assisting them in the development of their legal skills.

Washington, D.C. Summer Mentor Program

The Washington, D.C. office facilitates a formal mentor program for rising, second-year diverse law students who have secured summer internships in D.C. The program, launched in 2010, is intended to provide career development strategies and an understanding of D.C. law firms. Mentors and mentees meet informally to discuss relevant topics such as the fall recruiting and summer program processes, interviewing best practices and questions related to practice area selection. All program participants are also invited to attend a formal workshop conducted by Sidley lawyers and recruiting staff.

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