Program Details

We are taking placements on a rolling basis for both Mentors and Mentees (visit intake form tab).

Mentorship Program

The South Asian Women in the Law – Mentorship Program is a free, volunteer based program for self-identifying South Asian females, who are working as lawyers and paralegals, or studying to become one.

This program pairs Mentors with Mentees, and provides access to targeted and concrete mentorship opportunities for South Asian women in the law. Once we receive your intake form, your name will be added to the respective registries for our Mentors and Mentees. Placements take in to consideration the commonly identified areas of legal practice, and interests outlined in your intake forms as well as other needs identified by the Mentee.

Upon placement, you will receive an e-mail notification, which will include contact information and highlights the common ground, which brings you together. Additionally, a number of relevant guiding questions, and an optional sample mentoring agreement will be included in the e-mail notification. The Program will follow up with you at the half-way mark, and at the closing point with a feedback form.

It is important to note, that the mentorship relationship is an ongoing relationship, which may be revisited at any point. The relationship may also be terminated at any time by either party. In such a case, the Program must be informed.

Please note for consistency and clarity, the mentorship relationship begins when the Mentee initiates first contact with their Mentor.

*NEW* for Mentors: Should a Mentee not contact you within 10 days please let the Program know. At this point, if we fail to make contact with the Mentee to address the issue, depending on the waiting list, a new Mentee will be placed with you accordingly, or your name will return to the roster until the next request/placement.

Mentees once placed, should you no longer be in a position to continue your commitment, please inform the Program within 3 days. Mentees who wish to withdraw from the Program but fail to inform the Program of their withdrawal on more than one placement will no longer be able to re-apply to future placements.

The Fundamentals of Mentoring

Mentoring is:

  • Voluntary
  • Confidential
  • A learning relationship
  • An opportunity to develop new skills, competencies and gain experience
  • Focused on the Mentee as the learner and mutually beneficial, and
  • About respect, trust and honesty.

The Role of the Mentor

The Mentor helps the Mentee to develop a greater sense of competence, self-confidence, identity, and enhanced effectiveness in a professional role by encouraging and by counselling.

The main roles of the Mentor include coaching, providing feedback and supporting. She helps the Mentee to learn the ropes, to adjust to work challenges and to prepare for career advancement. The Mentor is a trusted and friendly adviser or guide, and responds to the Mentee in a timely manner.

Some of the Mentor’s roles include:

  • Advising and suggesting,
  • Listening and communicating effectively,
  • Sharing knowledge and experience, and insight on working in the legal profession as a female racialized licensee, and
  • Encouraging the Mentee and respecting the Mentee’s perspective.

The benefits for the Mentor:

  • The Mentor gains personal satisfaction by contributing to the success of the Mentee through sharing her experiences and knowledge, and reinforcing the Mentee’s sense of belonging to the legal community.
  • The Mentor provides support on overcoming barriers experienced by female racialized licensees.
  • The Mentor can take pride in his or her contribution to the legal community.
  • The Mentor has an opportunity to improve his or her relationship building skills.

The Role of the Mentee

The Mentee is one who wishes to acquire new competencies, abilities and to increase her self-confidence and chances of success in the realization of her professional objectives through a mentoring relationship. Once notified of your placement, it is your responsibility to make first contact within 10 days with your Mentor.

The benefits for the Mentee include:

  • Developing new skills and gaining new experiences
  • Preparing for more responsibilities and career advancement
  • Learning to be dedicated to a professional relationship
  • Having an experienced person to exchange ideas with, and concerns related to entering the profession as a female racialized licensee
  • Learning about the field and its benefits from someone with experience, and similar identity factors, and
  • Receiving and learning to apply the advice and guidance provided by the Mentor.

Modified from the Public Service Guide for Mentors (2011)