Knobbe Martens’ Shannon Lam, Terra Davis Discuss Importance of Mentorship with Law360

Knobbe Martens partner Shannon Lam, chair of the firm’s Mentorship Committee, and Terra Davis, Chief Diversity and Talent Development Officer, recently spoke with Law360 for the article, “4 Ways Young Attorneys Can Find The Perfect Mentor.”

The article is part of an ongoing Law360 series designed to young lawyers navigate early career challenges.

In the article, Ms. Davis noted that a key to a successful mentoring relationship is for new associates to identify what they’re seeking in the relationship, and to determine how frequently to meet and connect with their mentor. She stated, “Figuring out exactly what it is that you are looking for in a mentor with respect to the time, the cadence and also your goals and expectations are all critical to the relationship that you're trying to build.”

Ms. Lam added that among the things a mentee should consider is whether they are “looking for a mentor who's physically present in your office that you can go knock on their door? Or would you prefer maybe someone that you connect with in a different way, whether that's background or type of work?"

When seeking and selecting a mentor, Ms. Davis counsels young associates to be “brave and bold” and to “think about the types of people who you admire most."

Ms. Davis then spoke about Knobbe Martens’ mentorship program, noting that the firm prioritizes ensuring that mentors and mentees are physically located in the same place—and when that isn’t possible, ensuring that mentees have an opportunity to meet in-person with their mentor at least once before transitioning to a virtual relationship. Ms. Davis noted that the firm encourages associates to spend in-person time with a mentor who is in another office or city, as well as partners to travel to the associate's office.

Read the full article here [subscription required].

Knobbe Martens and its lawyers have been the recipient of numerous mentorship-focused awards and accolades. Just within the last year, Ms. Lam was recognized as a “Woman Worth Watching in STEM” in part for her efforts leading the firm’s Mentorship Committee, while partner Susan Natland and associate Kate McMorrow were named Mentorship Award finalists at the Recorder’s California Legal Awards.