CBA Record March-April 2024

THE YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION

The Importance of Mentorship: Pay it Forward, and Play the Long Game By Martin D. Gould

CBA YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION Chair Martin Gould Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley First Vice-Chair Kenneth Matuszewski Goldberg Segalla LLP Second Vice-Chair Gavin Phelps Phelps, LLC Member Service Manager Kernisha Padilla Latham & Watkins LLP Public Service Manager Alexander Passo Latimer LeVay Fyock LLC Project Officer Aleksandra Petrovic Damisch & Damisch, Ltd Project Officer Stephanie Moon Armstrong & Teasdale LLP Secretary/Treasurer Alexander Passo Latimer LeVay Fyock LLC Co-Editors in Chief YLS Journal Jacob Berger Tabet DiVito & Rothstein Nikki Marcotte Kirkland & Ellis LLP Vice Chair of YLS Journal Joanna Kopczyk Latimer LeVay Fyock, LLC Co-Editors in Chief @theBar Blog Brian Bentrup Pluymert, MacDonald, Hargrove & Lee, Ltd. Teresa Dettloff Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office YLS Administrative Director Emily Anderson

Throughout my career, I have found that I’ve received some of the best advice from (and made some of my most mean ingful connections with) people with whom I have very little—and sometimes nothing at all—in common. It was only through an insatiable desire to listen, to learn, and to broaden my horizons that I was able to push beyond the bounds of my comfort zone to reach where I am today. But I know this journey is far from over for myself—in fact, I am not sure that the journey will ever reach a final destination. Indeed, there is always something more to learn and new heights to reach. I encour age you to adopt the same mindset as you traverse your legal journey. Regardless of the length of your career, if you think back to that first day of being a lawyer—or stretch even further back to that first day of law school—you will likely amaze yourself with how far you have come and how much you have learned. But very few of us, if any, can attribute that to our work alone. It was likely done alongside and with the help of those who have done so before. It is rarely just a single person, but a group of people, a community, that has come together and helped shape who you are as a lawyer and who you are as a person. The Chicago Bar Association operates in the same way, but on a much larger scale. Even as I write this column, the voices of dozens of mentors and colleagues ring in my ears. In fact, some of them have helped me put together this incredible issue. And for that, I want to personally thank Jacob Berger, Nikki Marcotte, J. Kopczyk, and the rest of the CBA Editorial Board for all of their assistance with this issue and gath ering together these voices to help pass on the legal, and life, lessons they’ve learned

P rofessor Stuart Maudsley of the Receptor Biology Lab at the Uni versity of Antwerp has been men toring young scientists for many years. In his article Why Scientists Need Great Mentors, he shared his thoughts on the importance of having many mentors: “I had numerous mentors I would go to for advice on different aspects of science. Never limit yourself just to one voice... look for wisdom in as many different places as you can find it.” I believe the same is true for lawyers. It certainly has been for myself and my colleagues, but I am only one voice. This issue of the CBA Record contains advice from law students and lawyers from many different practice areas who are at many different stages of their careers. The Chicago Bar Association comprises law yers with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and expertise. Beyond just a single voice from a single practice area or stage of their career, we have put together a symphony of voices from diverse back grounds. Together, we hope their advice harmonizes into something that can be helpful for young lawyers and experienced practitioners alike.

24 March/April 2024