Mentorship
A key component of FACL Ontario’s commitment to the promotion of equity, justice, and opportunities for pan-Asian Canadian legal professionals is our focus on providing mentorship experiences to our members.
Throughout the year, we provide a variety of networking and social events that connect senior members of the bar with junior practitioners and students. In addition, we offer two dedicated mentorship programs for FACL Ontario members.
Our annual speed mentoring event, the Mentor-A-Thon, takes place in the first quarter of every year. Student members have the chance to connect with experienced members of the bar through a speed mentoring session. Up-and-comers are also given the chance to provide mentorship to the next generation of lawyers. This event has proven to be an excellent opportunity to exchange advice, expand networks, and make connections.
In 2016, FACL Ontario launched a new pilot mentorship program. The purpose of the new program is to provide mid-level practitioners with guidance and networking opportunities to enhance their chances of promotion to senior positions within their chosen sector of law, whether it be partner, senior in-house counsel, Crown prosecutor, etc.
Recently the Mentorship Committee re-launched the FACL Digital Mentorship Lookbook. Our Lookbook features students and lawyers in various practice areas for the purpose of exploring and representing a variety of stories, tips, and experiences that make up our Ontario bar. Our January 2023 Lookbook features retired Tribunal Chair, Gary Yee. See highlights from Mr. Yee’s interview below!
FAQ
Please note that our current mentorship offerings for students and NCA candidates takes place in the form of our Mentor-A-Thon speed mentoring event in the first quarter of each year. FACL Ontario does not currently match mentees with mentors on a one-off basis.
We know the market is tough, especially for students and junior calls. Here are our suggestions for those who are seeking new positions:
Check our jobs board for relevant postings (remember to sign in as a member first);
Network, network, network. FACL Ontario hosts many events over the course of the year with networking components. This is a great way to meet other practitioners in the area(s) in which you are looking. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media (links are at in the upper right hand corner of this page) to get up-to-date notices of our upcoming events, and come out!
Volunteer. This is, in our experience, the best way to make meaningful connections in the legal community. Remember that when someone puts your name forward for a position or acts as a reference for you, she or he is putting her reputation forward with that recommendation as well, and it is hard for someone to confidently do that without having had a meaningful opportunity to get to know you. When you volunteer at an organization, it gives people with whom you volunteer a chance to speak meaningfully about what you are like as a teammate if and when the time comes for that person to put your name forward for a position. Getting involved with an organization is also a great way to show initiative and community involvement on a CV!
We love when our members want to get more involved with the organization. Please contact mentorship@facl.ca.