Vol 30, No. 6, #6. From the President.

• Author: Author: Gay V. Woodhouse

Wyoming Bar Journal

2007.

Vol 30, No. 6, #6.

From the President

Wyoming Bar JournalVol 30, No. 6, #6Issue: December, 2007Author: Gay V. WoodhouseFrom the President . . .On Veterans' Day, I received a call from a bankruptcy attorney from North Carolina asking if I could help her paralegal's daughter who had been arrested the day before on a domestic violence charge. After hearing only a few facts of the case, I volunteered to go to the jail to see the daughter and call the mother back. Two days later, mother and daughter were returning to North Carolina with the legal issues resolved and the daughter was on her way to get some much needed help in a nurturing and supportive environment.

Why did I instantly want to do this? Why did I feel compelled to volunteer even before getting my retainer in the bank? I think it stems in part from wanting to be a knight in shining armor, to jump into the fray and help people who cannot help themselves, to look in the mirror at the end of the day knowing that I helped someone.

This column appeals to the basic desire in attorneys I know who want to help others. The Lawyer Mentoring Committee which is Co-Chaired by Tom Long and Natalie Winegar is looking for people throughout the state to act as mentors for newly admitted attorneys, called protgs, who need an attorney they can trust to assist them through the process of learning how to become great lawyers. The actual time commitment is not that great - the mentoring guidelines ask that the mentor spend one hour per quarter in a face-to-face with the protg; and be available as needed between those meetings.

At a meeting with Tom Long and Natalie Winegar last week, Tom asked what incentive we could give to the mentors. We learned that we could not give continuing legal education credits or pro bono credit for this work; however, I assured Tom that we would have no shortage of attorneys who would be willing to serve as mentors.

Here are some of the reasons I believe Wyoming attorneys will want to participate as mentors in the Lawyer Mentoring Program:

1) When we help new lawyers learn to practice skillfully, it improves the image of lawyers universally;

2) It's a way to pass on what has freely been given to us;

3) It gives us a sense of being needed;

4) Let's face it - it's flattering to have someone ask us for advice;

5) We have a sense of gratification...