Page 2 - First Year Associates

S2 | Tuesday, OcTOber 13, 2015 | First-Year Associates Handbook | nylj.com
Guidance
Mentor Relationships Provide Valuable Perspective
By John Mascialino and Karen Bray
Developing strong mentor relationships remains a common piece of advice given to young professionals in most industries. For junior lawyers attempting to navigate the unknowns of a new law firm, regardless of size, this advice might be the single most important counsel. Finding and cultivating a relationship with a strong men- tor can mean the difference between under- standing the social and politi cal dynamics of the firm and feeling lost at sea. More impor- tantly, an effective mentor relationship can provide valuable perspective and insight, career guidance and valuable training (for both the mentor and the mentee). But a mentor relationship is more than coffee or lunch every quarter; the mentee must seek out substantive results from a mentor. This article will discuss not only why finding a mentor is so important at a law firm, but also how to effectively cultivate a mentor relation- ship that can provide the benefits essential to enhancing an associate’s professional career.
Why an Associate Needs a Mentor
Many first-year attorneys, fresh out of law school, enter the workplace equipped with a law degree and a strong desire to succeed. Often, that knowledge and desire, even for the most driven, is not enough to ensure a long-lasting and successful career. Most lawyers who have survived and thrived in
JOhN MASCIALINO is a shareholder and chair of Greenberg Traurig’s New York government law and policy practice. KAREN BRAY is a litigation shareholder in the firm’s New York office. Both authors serve as the career development liaisons for Greenberg Traurig’s New York office.
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S8 SocialMedia:PitfallstoAvoid And Paths to Success
By MichAel BoNd
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S10 YoungLawyersCanImpact Their Firm’s Culture
By JAck killioN
FirsT-year assOciaTes handBOOk, new york Law Journal special report: kris Fischer, editor-in-chief
• angeLa TurTurrO, sections editor
• MOnika kOzak, design
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