CBA Record March-April 2024

THE YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION

Fostering Connection Through Practical Learning: Career Immersion Mentoring Program

By J. Kopczyk

T he CBA-YLS Law Student Career Immersion Mentoring Program pairs young practicing attorneys with second-year law stu dents in the Chicago area. Selected law student members of the YLS receive mentoring and guidance from volunteer members of the bar and gain insights into everyday legal practice through seven themed meetings that focus on practical aspects of the legal profession that law schools do not often cover in depth. The descriptions below demonstrate two valuable experiences that a recent mentee and mentor had through their participation in the CBA-YLS Mentoring Program (note, the mentee and mentor were not paired together).

so I decided to start attending every networking event my school offered. I enjoyed the events and conversations, but I found it difficult to make meaningful connections in brief conversations and crowded spaces. It was often hard to hear the person with whom I was speaking. Also, law students usually outnumbered the attorneys attending the event. I knew that I wanted a mentor but was unsure about how or where to look to find one. I wanted a mentor I could feel comfort able reaching out to for guidance about law school and my career development. I found the CBA YLS mentor-mentee program through my school. After being matched, my mentor and I decided to meet for coffee. Our introduction turned into an hour-long conversation. We have since met once a month. A highlight of the program for me was my mentor’s willingness to explain useful practice skills that were not discussed in depth during my legal courses. My mentor has gone out of her way to ensure that I understand the practical application

of my legal education. For example, while law school professors teach the rules of civil procedure, the application of those rules in practice can be confusing. In November, my mentor told me that she wanted to walk me through the process of initiating a civil case, a basic aspect of legal practice that they do not teach in law school. I found her demonstrative approach particularly helpful. My mentor took the time to print pleadings from one of her prior cases. Starting from the beginning, she high lighted the language she chose to use in the initial complaint, then explained how each additional pleading and dis covery tool helped to build the case. She moved step-by-step through the process. By demonstrating how one stage of litiga tion transitions into another, my mentor showed me how my classroom knowl edge can supply or form a strong base for my practical knowledge. Seeing what I learned in class come to life in practice helped me connect the dots and better understand the litigation process.

A Mentee’s Perspective By Georgia Booth

In spring 2022 I graduated from the Uni versity of Georgia, and I began law school at UIC in Chicago later that year. I knew no one in Chicago when I moved here from South Georgia. Once school began, I connected with my classmates and joined organizations. Soon, it became clear to me that many of my classmates already had some kind of connection to the legal com munity in Chicago. Most had grown up in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs, so at a minimum, they knew someone who knew someone. I felt that I was already falling behind,

28 March/April 2024