Law Society Mentoring Programme

Dr Andrew Godden, Professional Development & Training Lead provides an update to the Mentoring Programme

Background to the Mentoring Programme

The Law Society is committed to providing career development support for solicitors at every stage of their professional journey. Such support is not only important for individual members but has clear benefits for the wider profession in terms of supporting the retention and development of key talent and promoting standards of best practice.

Core to this commitment is the flagship Law Society Mentoring Programme. For 12 years the programme has played a significant role in shaping the personal and professional development of members by connecting them with experienced colleagues who work with them for 12 months to refine and pursue their goals. The scheme also provides networking events throughout the year to help mentees build their contacts and gain valuable insights from high-profile speakers from across the profession, the judiciary, business and civil society organisations.

Scores of solicitors have passed through the Mentoring Programme over the last decade, from trainees to newly qualified members and senior practitioners. Many mentees have forged longstanding friendships with their mentors which continue to this day, while others have volunteered to re-join as mentors having found the learning experience so beneficial the first time around. It is that spirit of continuous peer-to-peer support that we hope to build upon over the next decade and beyond.

Mentoring Programme 2024

Last year saw dozens of new mentees enrol on the programme from private practice and a range of in-house and public sector bodies, along with many new and returning mentors. At the start of the programme, participants attended training and onboarding sessions facilitated by Advance Coaching, our programme delivery partner, and were given a suite of resources to help them chart their progress throughout the year.

The new programme got underway in January with a networking event and wine reception at Law Society House, during which the new entrants were able to meet each other and hear about the experiences of the previous years’ cohort. Attendees also heard from an impressive panel of speakers, including Suzanne Wylie (Chief Executive of the NI Chamber of Commerce), Jude Copeland (Legal Technology Specialist at Cleaver Fulton Rankin) and Lorraine Acheson (Managing Director of Women in Business), who spoke on the theme of ‘Building Connections’.

In September the Law Society then partnered with the Bar of Northern Ireland to hold a joint mentoring event at Law Society House. Speakers included Brigid Napier (Napier Solicitors, past President of the Law Society), Craig Dunford KC, Margaret Magennis (retired solicitor and principal founder of the Mentoring Programme) and Neasa Murnaghan KC. The speakers gave powerful accounts of how they have navigated the challenges, opportunities and changing dynamics of their professions, highlighting the importance of peer-to-peer support for overall wellbeing.

Current and Future Plans

2025 is shaping up to be another successful year for the programme. A record number of mentees have signed up and we are delighted to see several former mentees returning as mentors, continuing the virtuous cycle of collegial support for which the scheme is so well known. A vibrant programme of events is also being finalised, which will provide the new intake with great opportunities to expand their professional networks and learn from senior practitioners within, across and beyond the sector.

Of course, despite its signature status, the Mentoring Programme is only one example of the career development support that is provided by the Law Society. The CPD team continues to deliver a suite of high-quality learning and training content every year in support of the membership. This offering has expanded in recent months with the re-launch of the highly acclaimed Advanced Advocacy Course and the launch of the inaugural Vulnerable Person Practitioner Course, both of which have met with tremendous feedback from solicitors and judicial figures. Exciting new content is in development and the Society is committed to working with the membership to ensure that the CPD programme remains relevant to the career development needs of the profession, both now and in the future.