ISBA Mentor-Match Program for CLE for In-House OAG Mentoring
The Worksheets referenced in the sections below are intended to be resources for facilitation of additional discussion between Mentor and Mentee related to the activity or experience, but are not required to be completed. The Worksheet for a required activity or experience should be referenced while completing such activity or experience. The Worksheets are located at .
Mentoring Plan Activities And Experiences
First Quarter – Attorney-Client Privilege,
Professionalism/Civility and Pro Bono
At least one additional activity or experience from this section must be elected in addition to the discussions about Attorney-Client Privilege, Professionalism/Civility and Pro Bono.
I.
/ Elected / Activity or Experiencea)
/ Discuss the general organization of the office and their function and Mentor's history with the office. If not already familiar, introduce the Mentee to attorneys in different sections/divisions with whom the Mentee may work. See Worksheet B.b)
/ Attend an organized bar association event together (meeting, luncheon, social outing, etc.) and discuss local, state and national bar association opportunities and the advantages of being involved in bar association activities or introduce, as feasible, the Mentee to other lawyers in the community through attendance at local bar association meetings or otherwise.See Worksheet C.
c)
/ Develop and co-present a CLE or co-author an article for a bar association publication.d)
/ Escort the Mentee to external constituency group meetings/hearing as applicable to practice area and, to the extent appropriate, introduce Mentee to members of the selected body. See Worksheet D.e)
/ √required / Discuss customary rules of civility and etiquette among lawyers and judges in the community. See Worksheet E. (ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS/PROFESSIONALISM/CIVILITY)
f)
/ √Required / Discuss the difference between practicing law in the public vs. private sector including the difference between the client. Mentor to communicate the attorney-client/agency relationship within the public sector as Deputy Attorneys General are to represent the interests of the State specifically. See Worksheet F. (PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE PRACTICE)
g)
/ √required / Acquaint the Mentee with Legal Aid, local pro bono agencies and other opportunities for lawyers to engage in pro bono activities and civic and charitable work. Discuss how to get involved in these opportunities through the office or otherwise and why one finds time, despite a busy practice, to engage in volunteer service. See Worksheet G. (PRO BONO AND IOLTA DISCUSSION)
h)
/ √required / Have a meaningful discussion about the Rules of Professional Conduct and Indiana Rules for Admission to the Bar and the Discipline of Attorneys, making suggestions of practical applications of the concepts expressed therein. See Worksheet H. (ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS / PROFESSIONALISM/CIVILITY)
i)
/ (i) Participate together in a community service project (supported by the OAG) OR (ii) work together on a pro bono projectSecond Quarter - Personal & Professional Development And Ethics
At least one activity or experience from this section must be elected in addition to a discussion about substance abuse and mental health issues.
II.
/ Elected / Activity or Experiencea)
/ Discuss the Mentee's long-term career objectives including other public sector professional opportunities and identify ways to meet those goals. Discuss the OAG’s in-house CLE program and other professional development opportunities. See Worksheet I.b)
/ Discuss techniques for finding a balance between career and personal life, putting daily pressures into perspective, reconciling job expectations with actual experience and maximizing career satisfaction. *Optional - Plan event that includes spouses/significant other (if applicable) of Mentor and Mentee to discuss work/life balance. See Worksheet J.c)
/ √required / Discuss substance abuse and mental health issues, including possible warning signs of substance abuse or mental health issues; what to do if the Mentee, a colleague or a superior is faced with a substance abuse or mental health problem; and the resources for assistance with substance abuse and mental health issues (e.g. JLAP). See Worksheet K. (SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES)
d)
/ Discuss practical ways to manage law school debt and other long-term financial planning considerations. See Worksheet M.At least one activity or experience from this section must be elected in addition to a discussion about trust accounting and IOLTA.
III.
/ Elected / Activity or Experiencea)
/ Discuss common malpractice and grievance traps (particularly in the Mentee's practice area) and how to recognize and avoid common pitfalls; review firm's policies; meet with firm's counsel to discuss same. See Worksheet N.b)
/ Discuss firm's resources and procedures for dealing with complicated ethical issues, including conflicts of interests. Mentor and Mentee each discuss recent challenges encountered in respective practices and how they were resolved. See Worksheet O.c)
/ √required / Discuss trust accounting requirements and practices and IOLTA; meet with firm personnel responsible for monitoring same. See Worksheet P. (TRUST ACCOUNTING AND IOLTA) This requirement may be satisfied through a group session organized by the firm and attended by Mentor and Mentee.
d)
/ Discuss the appropriate way to handle situations if the Mentee believes another lawyer (both in and outside of the mentee's firm) has committed an ethical violation; the obligation to report misconduct; and the appropriate way to handle a situation if the Mentee has been asked by a client or senior member of the firm to do something that the Mentee believes is unethical or unprofessional. See Worksheet Q.e)
/ √Required / Discuss the grievance process and a lawyer's duty to cooperate with a disciplinary investigation and the OAG policy applicable to this area.
See Worksheet R.
third Quarter - Law Office Management
At least two activities or experiences from this section must be elected in addition to a discussion about attorney relationships with third parties.
IV.
/ Elected / Activity or Experiencea)
/ Meet with an OAG Chief Counsel to discuss the organization and management of the office. See Worksheet S.b)
/ Discuss the Mentor's approach to and advice for organization and management of clients and projects. Discuss best practices for file and project management. See Worksheet T.c)
/ √required / Discuss practices to maintain client confidentiality. See Worksheet U. (ATTORNEY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THIRD PARTIES)
d)
/ Discuss the OAG’s client intake procedures specific to the Mentee’s area of practice, including the procedures to screen for, recognize and avoid conflicts, anyapplicable billing procedures, and the referral process. Discuss steps the Mentee should take if he or she is concerned about a potential conflict.See Worksheet V.
e)
/ Discuss completing evaluations of other attorneys, paralegals, secretaries, and other office personnel. Discuss professional and appropriate approaches to interviewing/recruiting law clerks and attorneys. See Worksheet W.f)
/ Discuss how to properly supervise your staff in accordance with your obligations under the attorney ethics rule and State’s sexual harrasement rules. See Worksheet X.g)
/ Discuss office politics, including appropriate networking, socializing and personal behaviors, and how these have impacted Mentor's career at the firm. See Worksheet Y.h)
/ Discuss potential challenges or issues which may arise in working with an attorney who is approaching retirement. Discuss how to handle such challenges or issues and the process for informing and transferring clients. See Worksheet Z.Fourth Quarter - Client Communication, Advocacy And Negotiation
At least two activities or experiences from this section must be elected.
V.
/ Elected / Activity or Experiencea)
/ Discuss methods of developing successful client relationships including relevant practical professional experiences in this regard, with an emphasis on effective communication. See Worksheet BB.b)
/ Discuss the responsibilities of the client and the lawyer in decision-making, and the best ways to involve a client in their case or transaction. Discuss how to handle non-legal questions from clients (e.g. media relations, financial isues, political policy, etc.) See Worksheet CC.c)
/ Escort the Mentee to a district court to be trained on the application of audio-visual facilities and it’s usage.d)
/ Discuss how to deal with a “difficult” client. See Worksheet EE.e)
/ Discuss the best practices for maintaining good client communication, and define the attorney/client roles and relationship including State Government’s unique authority under the law. See Worksheet FF.f)
/ Discuss proper legal counseling techniques, and duties and responsibilities of advising clients. See Worksheet GG.g)
/ Discuss appropriate ways (including ethical concerns, etiquette, etc.) for dealing with others on behalf of your client. See Worksheet HH.h)
/ Discuss tips for preparation for and proper behavior during depositions. See Worksheet II.i)
/ Discuss the most important points about negotiation with another lawyer and potential issues associated with negotiations. Discuss the Mentor's techniques and philosophy for negotiating and how to deal with difficult opposing counsel. See Worksheet JJ.j)
/ Discuss relevant issues surrounding effective legal writing and how to continually improve legal writing. Discuss legal writing errors commonly seen by Mentor. See Worksheet KK.k)
/ Discuss the types of alternative dispute resolution (such as mediation, binding and non-binding arbitration, high-low arbitration, early neutral evaluation, court-annexed arbitration, summary jury trials, etc.) and the benefits and disadvantages of each. Discuss the practical application of alternative dispute resolution to Mentee's specific practice. See Worksheet LL.l)
/ Join Mentor for a presentation, court proceeding or a meeting with a prospective client or Mentor and Mentee observe (in person or by streaming video on-line) an appellate argument in the Indiana Supreme Court, the Indiana Court of Appeals or United States district or circuit court or a video-taped deposition of an expert witness and discuss tips and techniques for effective direct and cross examination. See Worksheet MM.