MenToring MaTTers
Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Chairs: Marsha Moses - Law Offices of Kubicki Draper and Abraham Shakfeh - Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig, LLP
“You can’t cross the sea
merely by standing and
staring at the water.” There
is a sea of opportunities
I
n the legal profession,
entering into a new endeavor
is like learning to swim. You
can either jump right in and
figure it out, or take baby steps,
learn the strokes, and stay afloat.
With either option, like swimming,
it’s most effective when you have
someone there to help motivate
you, direct you, and see to it that
you reach your goal. That person
is a mentor.
A meaningful mentorship
relationship requires trust and
compatibility. In many different
firms and organizations, mentors
are assigned based on common
interests, experiences, diversity, or
practice areas. Other mentoring
relationships, like many of mine,
form organically. No matter how
the relationship is formed, the key
is the ability to have someone
available for professional guidance
or even personal advice. Today,
mentorship is often talked about in
tandem with the phrase “sponsor.”
A sponsor is a person, often one
who has obtained a higher level of
success within your profession, who
advocates for you when you’re not
in the room.
*
*
*
Joseline: I was so pleased to
serve as a mentor to Brielle as she
embarked on her career. Her story
shows the power of building these
kinds of relationships and is worth
reading.
48
within our profession.
Brielle: I was blessed to enter
into the profession with mentors
who have been instrumental in my
professional development. I met
Joseline while interning at the
federal courthouse during law
school. While I was only at the
courthouse one day a week, she
made sure the experience was
completely worth it by giving me
tips on legal writing, showing me
how to become a more persuasive
writer, and allowing me to tag
along during events for law clerks.
From there I went on to become
one of the first scholars in the
Diversity Access Pipeline, Inc.’s
Pilot Scholarship Program, a
program led by Joseline. While
interviewing for the program,
I met my first sponsor, Judge
Catherine P. McEwen. When we
first met, I did not know I would
soon become a bankruptcy attorney
at Bush Ross, P.A. Later, when she
swore me in to The Florida Bar,
we reminisced about our first
encounter. A few weeks later,
when an opportunity presented
itself to assist Judge Colton’s
chambers as a temporary law
clerk, Judge McEwen thought of
me and encouraged me to apply.
Now I serve as a federal judicial
law clerk. As I reflect on my years
in law school, I know that having
met Joseline as a mentor and
having her advice and guidance
led me to this seat. Even writing
this article came about through
our mentorship relationship.
*
*
*
As someone once said, “you can’t
cross the sea merely by standing
and staring at the water.” There is
a sea of opportunities within our
profession. Some you know because
you’re in the right place at the right
time, and others because someone
led you to them. With the help of
strong mentors, you won’t have to
just stare at this sea. Not only, can
you cross it, but you will have
someone swimming beside you, and
that will just
make you more
eager to get
across and
help the next
swimmer along.
Authors:
Joseline J.
Hardrick -
WMU-Cooley
Law School &
Brielle F. Tucker
- U.S.
Bankruptcy
Court, Middle
District of
Florida
Don’t miss the next Diversity Committee update!
JAN - FEB 2020
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HCBA LAWYER