Page 15 - JanuaryFebruary26 Report

s u c c e s s
by the Numbers
Over the last two decades, the Lawyer to Lawyer
program has enjoyed a continuously high rate of
satisfaction among program participants.
The 2024 Program Report shows that for the years
2020-2022, 99% of both surveyed mentees and
mentors indicated that they would recommend the
program to other lawyers.
When asked if the Lawyer to Lawyer Program
positively impacted their professional future,
mentees report very high marks.
98% are better prepared for the practice of law.
99%learned about legal customs.
86%built collegial relationships with other members
of the bar.
98%are better equipped to deal with ethical and
professionalism considerations in their daily
practice.
96%have more practice knowledge about the
practice of law.
Mentors also report beneficial outcomes
both personally and professionally.
87%stated that their participation in the Lawyer to
Lawyer Mentoring Program contributed to an
increase in their job satisfaction
92%indicated that the program contributed to an
increase in their professionalism
97%of mentors indicate they will maintain a
relationship with their mentee beyond the
mentoring term.
Who is eligible for the Program?
To participate, NEW LAWYERS must:
•
Be admitted to practice law in Ohio
•
Submit a New Lawyer Application within 60 days of their
admission ceremony
•
Practice law in Ohio or intend to practice law in Ohio
•
Be subject to the new lawyer training requirement under
Gov. Bar R. X
To be an eligible MENTOR, you must:
•
Be admitted to practice law for not less than five years
•
Be registered active or corporate
•
Have a reputation for competence and ethical and
professional conduct
•
Be in good standing
•
Satisfy additional eligibility requirements including no active
disciplinary actions pending and minimum professional
liability insurance coverage.
How Do I Join Lawyer to Lawyer?
Participants can register for the program online subject to
approval by the Commission and as administered by the Ohio
Supreme Court’s Office of Attorney Services. Mentees can
either select a pre-approved mentor from the Lawyer to Lawyer
Program’s active pool, or they may identify an unregistered
attorney mentor known to them. Would-be mentees may also
approach any attorney or judge who is not on the Pre-Approved
Mentor List and ask him/her to be their mentor. If the mentor
agrees, he or she needs to complete the Mentor Application online.
The Commission’s Pre-Approved Mentor List contains indi-
vidual mentor information, including areas of practice, size of
firm or legal organization, geographical location, educational
background, bar association membership, civic activities, hobbies
and interests, and special skills. After searching the Pre-Approved
Mentor List, a new lawyer may submit his or her top three mentor
nominations in their New Lawyer Application.
The Lawyer to Lawyer Program has enjoyed decades of success
because of the energy and enthusiasm brought to the relationships
by the new lawyer mentees and the experienced practitioners
who serve as mentors. I encourage CBA members old and new
to participate in this important program. I’d be hard-pressed
to think of another program that enjoys a 99% satisfaction and
success rate and provides an opportunity to develop a lasting and
mutually beneficial relationship among practitioners.
For more information visit the Ohio Supreme Court website.
Laura Welles Wilson is an attorney at Freking Myers & Ruel, LLC. She co-chairs
the CBA’s Professionalism Committee and was Chair of the Ohio Supreme Court
Commission on Professionalism for 2025. When she’s not working you can probably
find her enjoying a walk or slog on the trails in and around her neighborhood or at the
Cincinnati Nature Center.
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