Vermont Bar Association Mentor Advice Program

VMAP-Mentor-Advice-Program-FAQs

1. What is the goal of the VMAP?

The principal goal of the Vermont Mentor Advice Program (“VMAP”) is to assist new attorneys in Vermont with their transition to the Vermont legal community by providing guidance from experienced mentors regarding practical, ethical and professional issues. VMAP also seeks to promote positive relationships among members of the Vermont Bar Association.

2. How do I apply?

Applications for prospective Mentors and Advisees are available HERE.

3. Who may participate as an Advisee?

• Newly admitted attorney practicing in Vermont for less than 3 years
• Attorney licensed elsewhere before but newly located in Vermont

4. Is this program the same mentorship program required for First-Year Admittees and administered through Attorney Licensing?

The VMAP is separate from the Attorney Licensing Mentorship Requirements for First-Year Admittees, although a VMAP Mentor may concurrently serve as a supervising mentor for the First-Year Admittees if the VMAP mentor wishes. Here is a LINK to more information about the First-Year Requirements for Newly Admitted Attorneys on the Attorney Licensing webpage. 

5. What qualifications are required of Mentors?

Potential Mentors must meet the following minimum qualifications:

• Attorney in good standing in Vermont.
• Practiced in Vermont for at least 10 years.
• Not subject to any disciplinary sanctions in Vermont.
• No suspensions or disbarments from the practice of law in any state.
• A reputation in the local legal community for professional competence and ethical conduct.

6. How many Advisees will be assigned to a Mentor?

The Mentor is agreeing to mentor only one individual at a time. However, Mentors who are willing to mentor more than one individual at a time may so indicate on the application.

7. Is additional training required for Mentors?

No additional training is required of potential Mentors, although we refer Mentors to various resources for guidance, linked HERE.

8. What criteria are used to match an Advisee with a Mentor?

Pairings will be made based upon a variety of factors, including areas of practice, size and type of firm or other legal employer, specific preferences/interests, and geographic location, keeping in mind that geographic location will not be a barrier for an otherwise excellent match.

9. What happens after a match is made?

Once a match has been made, both parties will be notified. Mentors are responsible for contacting the Advisee within two weeks of the notification for purposes of setting up the initial meeting.

10. What should I expect at the initial meeting?

Topics to review at the initial meeting include:

1. Participation Agreement
2. Boundaries of the relationship
3. Avoiding potential conflicts of interest
4. Preferred means of communication
5. Expectations of the relationship
6. Advisee’s goals
7. Ethical guidelines
8. Plans for next meeting

11. How often should Mentor and Advisee meet?

Mentors are encouraged to meet (in person or by telephone/ZOOM/etc.) once a month with Advisees and to be available as needed for email contact.

12. Are communications confidential?

Discussions between the Mentor and Advisee are to be treated as confidential to the fullest extent permitted by law.

13. What are the responsibilities of the Mentor?

The mentoring relationship is solely for educational purposes and professional guidance. Information provided by the Mentor does not constitute legal advice to the Advisee and/or the Advisee’s clients. Mentors are expected to make initial contact with Advisee within two weeks of being notified, and to set up an initial meeting within four weeks of being notified. Mentors are encouraged to meet once a month with Advisee (in person or by telephone/ZOOM/etc.) and to be available as needed for email contact. Mentors are also expected to complete a brief confidential evaluation at the conclusion of the mentorship period.

14. What are the responsibilities of the Advisee?

Advisees are expected to be respectful of the Mentor’s time and professional boundaries. Advisees shall not request case specific advice or employment assistance. Advisees should frame questions in the form of a hypothetical and give anonymous fact patterns in order to maintain client confidentiality and to avoid creating a conflict of interest.  Advisees are also expected to complete a brief confidential evaluation at the conclusion of the mentorship period.

15. How long is my commitment to the program?

Mentor and Advisee agree to commit to a mentoring period of six months with the option to renew by mutual agreement for up to three additional six-month terms. After each six-month term, Advisee shall fill out a brief, confidential evaluation and indicate whether or not they wish to continue participating in the VMAP.  Mentor and Advisee will also be contacted by a VMAP representative at least once during each mentoring period, to monitor progress.

16. What do I do if a problem arises?

Communication is key to a good relationship, so parties are encouraged to try to resolve issues by communicating directly with each other. However, in the event that they cannot work things out, parties should notify the VBA Executive Director.

 

 

 

 

Tips For Mentors (pdf)

Tips For Mentors – There are some “natural born” mentors, but most experienced lawyers can become effective at mentoring with experience and by considering the following tips:

1. Be available for your advisee and be responsive to his or her needs. Let the advisee control how you can help him or her.
2. Be a good listener. Sometimes, the advisee just wants to vet ideas and is not looking for your advice as to what to do.
3. Ask how you can best help your advisee. Identify his or her goals and develop a plan for meeting those goals.
4. Be clear about what you are willing and able to do for the advisee.
5. Take a personal interest in your advisee. Get to know him or her; this will strengthen your relationship.
6. Be open and transparent about what you get out of the relationship. Why are you acting as a mentor?
7. Be a good role model. Practice what you preach. Remember, the advisee will be watching your conduct in both legal and social settings.
8. Encourage your advisee to come to you with issues and proposed solutions and welcome open discussion. Advisees learn more from the dialogue than from a lecture as to what to do.
9. Remember that mentoring encompasses not just substantive legal issues, but also best practices generally, work-life balance, professionalism, civility, and all other issues that impact one’s professional life.
10. Sponsor your advisee, which includes introducing him or her to bar activities, civic and community organizations, other lawyers, clients and prospective clients, and other networks that you may have.
11. Be patient with your advisee, and don’t be judgmental. Remember that you were once where he or she was.
12. Avoid a mentoring relationship that involves your being solely a lecturer. Dialogue is much more productive. When helpful, tell stories about your practice, how you learned from your mentors, and how you apply these lessons learned to your life. Remember “war stories” that are told for “self-puffing” usually are not very helpful to teach a lesson.
13. Do not treat a formal mentoring relationship as a relationship requiring you to check particular boxes. Be flexible. Think outside the “boxes to check.” Find other topics and activities. Let the advisee suggest things to do.
14. Be a receptive audience. You will learn as much from your advisee as he or she will learn from you. 

Tips for Advisees – Advisees can become more effective at getting more out of a mentoring relationship by considering the following tips:

1. Take an active role in the mentoring relationship. Reach out to your mentor and tell him or her your goals for the relationship.
2. Be clear about what you want from your mentor at any given time. Do you want advice right now, a sympathetic ear to listen, or help with problem-solving. Don’t be afraid to ask for civic type work that you want in different situations.
3. When you have an issue to discuss with your mentor, approach him or her not only with the issue but also with what you believe to be an appropriate solution. You will learn more this way.
4. Respect your mentor’s time.
5. Be receptive to constructive criticism and new ideas.
6. Take the lead in setting up meetings.
7. Treat interactions with your mentor as dialogues. Your mentor wants to hear what you think.
8. When your mentor invites you to attend a networking event with him or her, jump at the chance. It is an investment.
9. Be a good listener.
10. Observe how your mentor acts in professional settings. You can learn as much from watching what your mentor does as you can from what he or she tells you directly.
11. Ask questions. Your mentor is happy to explain why he or she acted that way in a particular situation.
12. Do not treat a formal mentoring relationship as a relationship requiring you to check particular boxes. If you treat the mentoring relationship as a task or an assignment, it will become nothing more.