The One-to-One Program Mentoring Plan includes eight categories of activities and experiences that should be used as guidance for the mentee and mentor during their meetings, whether virtual or in person. Each category has multiple activities. At least 1 category along with an activity should be discussed during your monthly meeting and indicated on your monthly report submission. This Mentoring Plan is to be used as a guide and may be adjusted throughout the mentoring term based on the mentee’s needs and experiences. 

At your initial meeting you should introduce yourselves, discuss each participants expectations and to set future meetings. The mentor and mentee will discuss the mentee’s professional goals, interests and practice area(s) to develop activities using the Mentoring Plan and determine which activities they will include. The mentor will be prepared in future meetings to share relevant tools, resources, organizations, CLE presentations, and similar external tools that may be available to the mentee. 

A successful mentoring relationship is grounded on communication, trust, and candor. Whether meeting in person or virtually, please make sure you meet in a “place” that will allow for open, yet private communication. Keep in mind that communication includes both verbal and non-verbal components.

The Mentoring Plan: Eight Discussion Categories

Initial Meeting

• Mentor and mentee will review the Mentoring Plan document before this meeting so they are prepared to discuss it together.
• The pair will schedule future meetings and determine a plan for completing the curriculum.

Introduction to the Legal Community

• This category focuses on mentee meeting mentor's colleagues, members of local and affinity bars, State Bar sections and committees, judiciary members, court personnel, and clerks. The discussion will focus on potential advantages to organization involvements, pro bono legal opportunities, and volunteer opportunities outside the legal field.

Professionalism

• This topic focuses on the areas of professionalism most relating to the mentees current practice area and areas of interest. The mentoring plan offers resources and discussion topics in a variety of practice areas and covers conversations like communicating with colleagues, staff, and clients; communication with opposing counsel; standards of conduct in public v. private settings; and increasing awareness of barriers to access to justice.

Law Office Management

The State Bar of Arizona offers free and confidential advice on all aspects of law office (law practice) management through Practice 2.0 at 602-340-7332. ALL mentees should schedule a 30-minute virtual consultation with the Practice 2.0. Mentors may join the consultation call at their mentees request. 

• Time/case management
• Financial recordkeeping
• Working with interoffice personnel
• Use of technology in practice 

Practice Development

• The practice development category is for the mentor and mentee to discuss how to develop a legal practice in an effective manner, including conversations on how to effectively and ethically market legal services, turning introductions into opportunities, identifying and creating an ideal target client list, and best practices for leveraging their network.

Legal Ethics

• These discussions include ethics in private, government and corporate practice and cover common complaints the mentee should recognize and avoid. This category includes many resources for addressing complicated ethical issues.

Member Well-Being

• A particular favorite among attorneys at all stages of their career, this category covers discussions on best practices for work life integration into the legal practice and practice area specific strategies for dealing with vicarious trauma, work stress, and burnout.
• This category also includes learning appropriate ways to speak with your colleagues or supervisors about job stress or personal issues impacting your abilities at work. Further, pairs discuss how to balance ethics with stress management when speaking about work to partners, family, or friends.
• Mentors should ensure their mentee knows how and when to use the free and confidential State Bar Member Assistance Program (MAP) at (602) 340-7334.

Professional Development

• Mentor will help mentee explore different areas of practice, develop long-term goals, identify potential leadership opportunities, and understand performance reviews and feedback.
• Mentor will also encourage mentee in their career successes and help them learn to advocate for themselves in salary negotiations, potential job promotions, career changes, and marketing themselves with an up-to-date resume and website.

The Mentoring Plan includes more mentorship resources for general mentorship and for each discussion topic specifically.

The Mentoring Plan: Monthly Report Submissions

 Each pair will receive a personalized version of the Monthly Report Submission Form from the Mentor Manager when they are matched. 

Mentors and Mentees will fill this out after each meeting and azbarmentor@staff.azbar.org for filing. Each submission must include the date the pair met and identify which of the eight categories they discussed. Pairs should also include a general description of their conversation, how things went, and impressions of the advice they gave or received throughout the meeting. 

This form must be submitted each month by the 15^th of the month following your meeting to obtain CLE credit. For example, if your meeting is June 5, you must submit the form by July 15. Please email the monthly submission form and cc your mentor partner to azbarmentor@staff.azbar.org.