"Joining the BBA
Mentoring Program was one of the best decisions I've made in my career. My
mentors (Christina Miller and Kathleen Henry) always made themselves available
to lend an ear, provide insight and give candid advice. Even when this
year's program comes to a close, I know that my mentoring group will continue to
stay in touch and support each other as much as possible." - Michelle-Kim Lee of
Schwartz Hannum P.C.
Michelle-Kim Lee's observations
are telling. Amid Boston's ultra competitive legal market, young lawyers often
find themselves wishing for the type of mentor to whom they can pose these and
other questions: How do I take the next step in my career? How can I expose
myself to Boston's legal community? With whom can I talk about career
advancement or workplace issues? Established in 2009 by the Diversity &
Inclusion Section, the BBA's Mentoring Program is helping to develop the next
generation of diverse leaders in Boston by creating a support system of long
lasting relationships within the legal community.
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"The BBA's Diversity Leadership
Task Force determined that a clear indicator of the career success for lawyers
in general -- and minority lawyers in particular -- is having a supportive
environment" said Mentoring Program Co-Chair Carol Starkey of Conn Kavanaugh
Rosenthal Peisch and Ford. "The program's mission is to help the Boston legal community
continue to become a rich, culturally diverse, inspiring place to practice law
in the great traditions of this country's history."
In the program's two year
history, more than 115 mentees have benefited from the experience and leadership
of their mentors. The Mentoring Program consists of groups of ten mentees (who
have been in practice for 5 years or less) and two mentors, who meet for monthly
meetings to discuss career paths, work/life balance issues and professional
challenges.
"This program creates a place where
young attorneys feel welcomed and are able to gain insight and guidance from
mentors that have struggled with some of the same isolation and questions they
have, and have made it to the other side, resulting in a successful, fulfilling
career," said Program Co-Chair Rachael Rollins of the US Attorney's Office. "In
the 12 years I have practiced law in Boston, I have reaped the benefit of having
amazing mentors, and were it not for them, I would not be where I am today."
Congratulations to the 20 Mentors
who will be honored with the President's Award at this year's Law Day
Dinner:
Ferdinand Alvaro
(Co-Chair) - Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP
Alida Bogran-Acosta - Robinson
& Cole LLP-Boston
Julia Cosentino
- Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
June Duchesne - EMC
Corporation
David Eppley - Rackemann, Sawyer
& Brewster
Kathleen Henry - Choate Hall &
Stewart LLP
Christopher
Kauders - Pre-Trial Solutions, Inc.
Lee MacPhee
- Morrison Mahoney LLP
Christina Miller - Suffolk County
District Attorney's Office
Carlos Perez-Albuerne - Choate Hall
& Stewart LLP
Susan Prosnitz - Rappaport Center for Law and Public
Service
Robert Quinan - Massachusetts Office of
the Attorney General
Richard Quinby -
Craig and Macauley Professional Corporation
Randall Ravitz - Massachusetts Office of
the Attorney General
Rachael Rollins (Co-Chair) - Office of
the U.S. Attorney
Carol
Starkey (Co-Chair) - Conn Kavanaugh Rosenthal Peisch & Ford
William Sinnott - Office of the
Corporation Counsel City of Boston
Gina Walcott - Lawyers Concerned
for Lawyers, Inc.
Adrienne Walker -
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo P.C.
Patricia Washienko - Freiberger
& Washienko, LLC