Women’s Law Association Sponsors Mentorship Program

November 23, 2004

Law Students, faculty, alumni and prominent women lawyers from the Columbus, Ohio area crowded the Capital Street entrance to Capital University Law School last week. They had gathered to begin this year’s Women’s mentorship program sponsored by the Woman Law Association (WLA) at the Law School.

At the event, law students were paired with a mentor from the central Ohio legal community. After the initial meeting, mentor-student pairs are encouraged to meet in a casual setting and a professional setting.

To solicit mentors for the program, Daphne Kackloudis, chair of the Mentorship program and third-year law student at Capital, e-mailed central Ohio attorneys including law professors. Student participation was open to second- and third-year law students who are due paying members of the WLA. Additionally, the second and third-year students must participate in an internal mentorship program by mentoring first year students.

“We expect to have a good number of mentor-student pairs maintain the relationship after the initial event,” said Kackloudis. “Mentors provide students with advice about the legal profession and the relationship can also create or foster a career network.”

Each year, the WLA at Capital University Law School successfully pairs about 15 to 20 law students, many of whom return to participate a second time. This year, mentors included a majority of Capital University Law School alumni.