CEFLER Mentee Training 2017

On November 3, 2017, the Center for Ethical Formation and Legal Education Reform (CEFLER) held mentee training for 43 students who signed up to be matched with a lawyer or judge in their field.

Dean Natt Gantt and Professor Ben Madison, co-founders of CEFLER, discussed expectations of the program, how and how often to contact mentors, and what mentees should discuss with mentors at their first meeting. Students learned the characteristics of a successful mentee, mentor activity possibilities, and characteristics of a healthy mentor relationship.

Attorney David Johnson

Regent Law alumnus David Johnson ('04), the founder of Virginia Beach Law Group, spoke to the students next.  Law is a second career for Johnson (after retiring as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps). He shared with students what he wishes he'd known when he was in law school, and encouraged students to ask mentors what they wish they had known. Johnson commended the program, explaining that there is a natural mentor-mentee relationship that exists in law and law school is a great time to start those type of relationships.

3L Mentee Katie Malenowsky

3L Katie Malenowsky spoke to students about her mentee experience with a long-distance mentor in Montana.  Katie is from Montana and was thrilled to be matched with someone from her home. Katie shared her experience getting to know her mentor through email and phone, then being able to spend a day shadowing her mentor over Christmas break. Katie keeps in contact with her mentor through semesters and summertime and has had the opportunity to make additional connections and do research projects for her mentor. "The more you put into it, the more you're going to get out of it," she told students.

Lastly, CEFLER mentor program coordinator Diane Hess-Hernandez encouraged students to let the mentor-mentee relationship develop organically and to use the support at Regent Law if mentees have questions or any issues arise with trying to connect with a mentor.

At the end, students had an opportunity to ask questions of any of the speakers.