Mentoring

A mentor can really help you to develop your understanding of a career, assist in growing your network and give excellent tips for successful job hunting (often including CV advice, mock interviews and sometimes work experience!)

Kent Career Mentoring  

The Kent Career Mentoring Scheme can connect you with an alumni who now works in law (or other career areas). You are able to browse and select your own mentor from a dedicated online platform.   To find out more see https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/mentoring Here you will find the details to set up your profile and search for a mentor.

Mentors wanted:

We continue to seek mentors from:

  1. KLS Alumni working in careers which have links to the law such as journalism, Human Resources etc.
  2. International alumni whom have returned to their home countries to work in the legal profession or whom have stayed in the UK to qualify. We have a particular need for mentors in Canada, Hong Kong and Nigeria. There is also a some need for mentors in East Africa, the Caribbean and South East Asia (needs vary every year).

If you would like to get involved please contact Irene Omiunu on careermentoring@kent.ac.uk

Other Mentoring Schemes

LAW

  • Junior Lawyers Division Mentoring Scheme – puts future legal professionals in touch with fellow solicitors.
  • Society of Asian Lawyers mentoring programme is open to any member of the society – it is free to join the society.
  • Young Legal Aid Lawyers have a mentoring scheme
  • Pegasus Access and Support Scheme – the Inner Temple offers a mini-pupillage and skills development programme. Deadlines are usually the first Friday in November but please make sure you check.
  • The Society of Labour Lawyers mentoring scheme – open to students and recent graduates looking to pursue a legal career. The Scheme is not limited to those studying for a law degree.  https://societyoflabourlawyers.org.uk/our-activities/mentoring/
  • Grow Mentoring – GROW pairs aspiring lawyers with professionals who have similar backgrounds or interests in the legal industry. They are a charity and since launching in 2020 they have matched over 1800 mentees with mentors.
  • Society for Visually Impaired Lawyers – has a mentoring scheme for students at any stage of their education (and beyond).
  • Discuss –  Discuss is an exclusive training programme, sponsored by five top City firms and run by Rare, for brilliant students who are interested in City law. The programme is open to students from any discipline in their first year or second year of a four year course at any university. The programme is aimed at students from lower socioeconomic status groups, for example, students who have been in receipt of free schools meals, are the first generation in their family to attend university, or have experienced other forms of social disadvantage.   Find out more here https://discusslaw.co.uk/index.html 
  • SEO London City Solicitors Horizons Scheme – The City Solicitors Horizons (“CS Horizons“) programme, a social mobility initiative to improve access to the legal profession for undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds.   Some of the biggest city law firms take part in this scheme.  This scheme recruits 50 students each year to participate in a programme that will support them over a three year period, from their first year at university to graduation.   The programme goes beyond mentoring and also includes training sessions and a guaranteed work experience placement.   There is a selection process for this scheme.  See their website here for details. Applications usually open in January.   You will find application information here.
  • Aspiring Solicitors Ambassador Scheme –  The AS Ambassadors are able to offer advice and mentoring within all strands of diversity and inclusion.   You will find them featured on the AS website.  Read their profiles and find the person whom you think will be best placed to answer your enquiry.   You are able to send them an email via the AS website.   See http://www.aspiringsolicitors.co.uk/about/ambassadors/
  • The Law Society Diversity Access Scheme – This scheme aims to increase social diversity in the legal profession by supporting promising entrants from disadvantaged backgrounds or those who face exceptional obstacles to qualification. The DAS offers financial assistance, course fees, access to relevant high-quality work experience and a professional mentor.   Applications for the scheme can only be made during the application cycle (usually March/April).   For now, you can find out more here https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/campaigns/diversity-access-scheme
  • The Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship – This scholarship includes mentoring, interview coaching, commercial familiarisation, interview at the firm, and money towards study costs.  This opportunity is available annually via the Careers & Employability Service.   There are some very specific criteria to meet and eligible 1st year students will be contacted by email in December with an invitation to express their interest.
  • https://ipinclusive.org.uk/careers-in-ideas-mentoring-hub/ for anyone considering a career in intellectual property law.   Did you know there are different types of legal professionals who work in IP?   You will find them represented here – but you can also use the website for career advice and exploration.

Other External schemes of interest – not law specific

  • ZeroGravity – this innovative tech company matches students from area of low opportunity to mentors in a range of career sectors, including law.  There are also events, talks, internships.  Seehttps://www.zerogravity.co.uk/uni 
  • Visible Women Connects – VW Connects is a social network and e-mentoring platform to help young women advance in their careers by connecting them with mentors in male dominated industries. Become a mentee to gain invaluable support and insight. Join the network, get connected, #VWConnects   To get involved, visit vwconnects.com or email hello@vwconnects.com
  • IBM Mentoring Scheme – The aim of this scheme is to increase awareness of employability, the recruitment process, key competencies employers are looking for and advice/tips for securing a placement or graduate scheme position. The mentors will either be currently on the IBM placement scheme or will have joined as a graduate and will be encouraged to share their own experiences with their mentees. The scheme is not about encouraging you to join IBM but will give you valuable skills to apply successfully to any organisation. Aimed at second year students considering life after University. You can be studying for any degree subject and don’t need advanced computing skills.   This scheme runs between November and April.
  • Women High Up – This seems to be a relatively new scheme (04/22) but may be worth looking at.   The scheme says that they also cover law.  http://womenhighup.com/