Colorado Mentoring Program

Colorado Mentoring Program

Objectives:  The objectives of the Mentoring Program can be viewed broadly as promoting pride in the profession; excellence in service; and strong relationships with the bar, courts, clients, and the public, through teaching the core values and ideals of the legal profession and the best practices for meeting those ideals.  

 

Qualifications:  To qualify as a mentee in the Program, you are not required to be a member of a Bar association, but you must be in your first three years of practice following admission to practice law in Colorado or within your first year of practice in Colorado if you have been in practice three or more years in another jurisdiction.  Mentees can petition for inclusion in the program if they do not fit into either of these two categories.

Curriculum:  The 12-month Mentoring Plan curriculum is developed by the mentee and mentor, but must cover certain subject areas, including an initial planning meeting between the mentee and mentor;  personal and professional development; the Colorado Bar and legal community; history and importance of the legal profession; and professionalism and civility.  The typical Mentoring Plan involves monthly in-person meetings between the mentee and mentor, which last 1-2 hours.  The Mentoring Plan can be developed by the mentee and mentor to best suit their schedules and needs.

Benefits:  The Mentoring Program has been endorsed by the Chief Justice Commission on the Legal Profession and the Colorado Bar Association.  Each mentee and mentor will receive 15 free CLE credits, including 2 ethics credits (at NO CHARGE) upon successful completion of the Program.  While the Program has components that include group activities, an emphasis is placed on the one-on-one professional relationship between the experienced lawyer and the new lawyer because this is one of the best ways to pass on the values, ideals, and best practices of the profession. 
 

Anyone needing a mentor who is not part of another program around the state can fill out the application to the right and send it in to the address on the application.  You will be run through the program with pairs from the Denver Bar Association mentoring program.  Applications are due by November 15, 2012.  For additional information you may contact Melissa Nicoletti at melissan@cobar.org. 
 

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For additional information on the program please go to www.cobar.org/mentoring or e-mail Melissa Nicoletti at melissan@cobar.org