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Why law firms should do reverse mentoring
In anticipation of the Women in Law Awards, Lawyers Weekly spoke with two finalists from the Mentor of the Year category about the concept of reverse mentoring, why it is important and what benefits will emerge from such an initiative.
Jerome Doraisamy
Clayton Utz special counsel Jennifer Harris said she is increasingly seeing reverse mentoring at her firm and with clients, albeit on an informal basis.
Mills Oakley partner Dr Teresa Nicoletti said it “certainly has a place” in law firms and should be done to complement more traditional mentoring schemes.
“Most of my mentoring relationships apply the ‘reverse mentoring’ approach informally anyway, and I would imagine that most mentors do the same,” she said.
“For example, while my main role as a mentor is to facilitate the development of my mentees’ careers, I also make a point of flipping the relationship and asking them for their feedback on how the team and the firm is operating, and what their ideas are about how we can do things better.”
There are also genuine benefits to mentees in broader skill development, she continued, and has a positive impact on employee retention if workers feel included and valued.
“It is too easy for junior lawyers to feel like a commodity who is just there to churn through work and is not truly valued for their contribution,” Dr Nicoletti argued.
“Developing a person’s career is not just about developing their core legal skills … it’s about developing the person as a whole and nurturing a well-rounded individual who has the confidence to express their views and ideas, and the leadership skills to share an idea, successfully pitch its merits, own it and drive its evolution and development, perhaps into a new way of delivering legal services or a tangible product.”
Ms Harris agreed that it can be incredibly powerful for younger lawyers, and added that this can be achieved through more than just reverse mentoring.
“Young people have rich experience and knowledge to share and when you create a forum for the sharing of that knowledge, it’s a dynamic environment of two-way learning.”
It also helps to enhance diversity in teams, she said: “I have really benefitted from my experience with early career lawyers and it has shaped how I deliver legal services to my clients,” she reflected.
“It’s less about hierarchy and more about human connection, learning and a commitment to constantly evolving.”
Dr Nicoletti noted that law firms are currently operating in a market where competition for legal services is consistently increasing and clients are always looking for law firms that can provide a value-add in delivering services in a way that is truly beneficial to a business.
“Staying ahead of the pack is becoming more and more important, as is retaining high-quality staff. We are missing an obvious opportunity if we don’t capitalise on young and fresh ideas which are in tune with the technologically-focused environment we are operating in,” she posited.
And while this may be challenging for some, law firms need to shift perspective to greater openness in creating more inclusive cultures, Ms Harris said in support.
“We have to make sure that our young people feel empowered to take the role of mentor in the mentoring relationships with senior team members. The flow of experience and sharing of knowledge is [increasingly] happening, driven by the fact that the way we practice law and deliver services is changing,” she concluded.
“Age does not give us experience; life gives us experience. Both of you bring a different experience to the table which enriches both of you. Reverse mentoring just formalises that.”
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. In June 2024, he also assumed the editorship of HR Leader. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
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