Brandeis Law students mingle with local lawyers thanks to mentoring program at Frost

Several Brandeis Law students had the chance to mingle with local practitioners at an event organized by Frost Brown Todd Nov. 9, 2017.

The firm runs a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity mentoring program for diverse students at Brandeis Law. The program targets first-year law students, but students are encouraged to get involved at any stage in their law school careers.

Students are paired with a lawyer mentor for an academic year. Mentors can offer advice on resumes or interview skills as well as introduce students to other lawyers in town or even provide insight on maintaining a work-life balance.

"The great thing about the program is that students can get out of it what they want out of it," said Sara Abner, a partner at the firm who is co-chair of its sub-committee on mentoring. Abner is also a graduate of the Brandeis School of Law (1990).

In addition to the one-on-one mentoring, the program offers students a chance to participate in group networking and professional development events.

The LCLD's mentoring program operates in more than 30 cities across the country. At Frost, the program comprises 22 attorneys for the 2017-18 academic year — 17 from the firm and five from GE Appliances' in-house counsel team.

The mentoring program is one way to hep foster a diverse legal field, a goal that Abner holds dear.

"It's really important to have the perspective from all different groups of people in the practice of law," she said. "It lends to the practice of law, it betters our society, it enhances everybody."

Abner noted that the program's definition of diversity is broad and encouraged law students who may face obstacles of many kinds to learn more.

To learn more or get involved in the program, email Abner or Frost attorney Rebecca Ragland.