Volunteering as a mentor

The role of a mentor is a very rewarding one. As the legal profession is often so demanding, we rarely find time to dedicate towards thinking about our own career development, let alone supporting others in the profession. Many of our mentors say they wished they had been able to benefit from a similar opportunity particularly when they were in the early stages of their careers. The Scottish legal profession is known as a tight-knit community and it's fantastic that we have so many enthusiastic members keen to give their time to helping others flourish.

Our ultimate aim is for mentoring to become so well established as a mechanism for peer support, that our mentees become mentors themselves, then maybe even a mentee again if the need arises!

Before being able to match up with a mentee and be 'live' on the online platform, mentors must attend a full day of training which normally takes place at our offices. During the training, you will learn how to develop an appropriate mindset for the role, as well as learning how to structure effective mentoring conversations including how to listen constructively and question effectively. You will learn how to put the mentee at the centre of your sessions, ensure the mentee takes ownership of their own development and manage all aspects of the relationship. This will include how to conduct your first session, how to structure effective mentoring conversations and how to draw the relationship to its end.

On a more ongoing basis, there are various resources available to support you including guides and videos on the online platform. We additionally run supervision sessions to boost your knowledge and refresh your skills and confidence. This also allows you to meet other mentors in the area and benefit from peer-support. 

If you have any questions about becoming a mentor, please contact mentoring@lawscot.org.uk.

Anyone, regardless of the stage you're at in your career, can be a mentor. It's not about having a certain set of experiences or being at a specific level in an organisation. Being a good mentor is about having the right blend of soft skills and being able to apply them at the right time. As a general overview, some positive attributes are:

• Being committed to the mentee and investing the necessary time to assist the mentee’s personal development
• Having good interpersonal and listening skills
• Respecting deadlines and meetings, rescheduling as required in as far in advance as possible
• Delivering constructive feedback in a positive and supportive way
• Understanding the needs and aspirations of the mentee
• Capable of managing the mentoring relationship, tracking progress and if needed, drawing the relationship to a successful close or suggesting an alternative mentor