E-Honora: GRAWA’s Electronic Newsletter

Mentoring Committee Hosts Get-Together
	MENTORING PROGRAM -- Audrey Peartree (center), GRAWA's Mentoring Committee Chair, hosted a gathering of mentors and mentees on Oct. 6. Here, new members Gina Sickinger (left) and Shelly Fagan pause for a photo. Click here for additional pictures.

“This was our first ‘group' program and the response was great,” said Audrey Peartree, chair of GRAWA's Mentoring Committee, speaking about the October 6 get-together held at her home. “Last year we had about 22 mentors/mentees paired up, and this year we actually have more mentees than mentors -- so I'm looking for more volunteers.

My sense is that many of the mentees are interested in finding out how more established attorneys have met the challenges of work/life balance, and they'd like to see at least one familiar face at a GRAWA event.”

 “I am so pleased that GRAWA has initiated a formal mentoring program,” added Catherine Callery, one of the volunteer mentors. “Having a mentor help a new attorney navigate the legal community, to learn who's who and find out what things really mean can be invaluable, especially for younger women. GRAWA connections have done that for me in an informal way over the years -- and still do.”

In 2002, the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York introduced a statewide mentoring program entitled LINK. At the WBASNY level, the idea was to “link” association members with third year female law students and first year female law graduates. At the WBASNY website (www.wbasny.org) some of the listed benefits of LINK include: (1) transitioning from law school to the practice of law; (2) identifying resources; (3) making strategic alliances and networks; (4) evaluating professional opportunities; (5) creating and navigating a career path.

“Since there's no law school in Rochester , we focused our efforts on new graduates or lawyers new to the area,” said Liz Wolford, past GRAWA president who helped launch the local Mentoring Program when Judge Marian Payson was serving as president.

Cecily Molak chaired the program when Wolford became president and last year Valerie Johnson, Bethany Centrone and Amy Cote served as co-chairs.

Current GRAWA President Denine Carr, who also participated in the group get-together, said, “I've heard a few of our members say they don't think they have anything to offer some of the newer attorneys who are looking for mentors. I think this is another example of women selling themselves ‘short.' Anyone with eight or 10 years of professional work experience -- whether practicing law, teaching or working in a corporate setting -- can provide professional guidance for our younger members. Certain things we may take for granted may be nuggets of wisdom to someone just starting their career.”

“A mentor does not have to practice in the same area of law as their mentee -- hopefully that type of mentoring is happening within some of the firms,” added Peartree. “We want our new GRAWA members to feel comfortable coming to programs and events throughout the year --to feel that they will know someone, and at the same time provide them with a person to talk to about office politics, career options, or fun places to go in Rochester . Some of our new members are new to the area and want to know where to eat and where to shop.”