October 2 deadline nears for Counsel to Counsel Mentoring Program
At a moment when AI is the source of significant disruption, hundreds of Florida lawyers are elevating the profession on a digital platform that fosters deeper human connection.
That’s why sponsors of the “Counsel to Counsel” mentoring program are encouraging Bar members not to miss the Friday, October 2, deadline to enroll in the 2026-2027 cycle.
“A source of stability I know is so critical now,” says Mentoring New Lawyers Committee Chair Sharlene C. Stanford Greene. “It’s having someone to talk to, having someone to be there as a safe confidante.”
Taking five minutes to fill out an online form could open the door to what graduates say is one of the most fulfilling experiences of their careers.
“It’s very simple, we really wanted to design this to make it as easy as possible to sign up and to administer,” said Center for Professionalism Assistant Director Katie Jones.
The heart of the program is a MentorcliQ app that matches lawyers based on their profiles. Potential mentees are lawyers licensed with The Florida Bar for five or fewer years. Mentors are lawyers with five or more years of experience.
Lawyers sign up, fill out a brief survey, and the program offers compatibility ratings between mentors and mentees. From there, the mentor or mentee can choose their top three options and the technology establishes the final match based on the responses.
The app provides structure for the relationship, guiding the mentor and mentee through the completion of four milestones – career planning and professional development; lawyer-client relationship; lawyer-Bar relationship; and client development and community involvement.
The program has been growing in popularity since a 2023 launch — from 188 lawyers in the inaugural 2023-24 cycle to 465 in 2024-25 to 602 in 2025-26.
Research shows that mentees are five times more likely to be promoted than lawyers without a mentor. Sponsors also note that mentees gain greater awareness of other approaches to their work by learning from experienced lawyers.
Research also shows that professionals who mentor are five times more likely to advance in pay grade. Mentors expand their professional networks and keep ahead of the latest trends.
Boca Raton lawyer Vanessa D. Sloat-Rogers said she has been drawn to mentoring because she benefitted a great deal from a mentor early in her career.
“Having that extra support was really, really beneficial,” she said. “I thought this was going to be prefect for me, because [mentoring] is something I really enjoy doing.”
The MentorcliQ app was “spot on,” matching Sloat-Rogers with a very like-minded mentee, she said.
“She’s like me, she’s very career and goal oriented,” Sloat-Rogers said. “The first meeting we talked about ourselves, our backgrounds, we outlined our expectations.”
The two hit it off so well, they agreed to meet weekly.
West Palm Beach attorney Adena Hatcher, the mentee, eagerly agreed to keep going after completing the program milestones.
“We did all the assignments, then we created more,” she said. “I’m literally her mini-me, she’s someone I look up to.”
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
