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One of the key elements of student and stagiaire guidance at Davies is the mentoring program. As soon as I started, I was asked to choose a mentor from a very impressive list of lawyers, both male and female, who were willing to pass their knowledge and experience down to us. I followed the advice of older students and stagiaires and looked for a person with whom I would feel comfortable talking and who worked in my preferred practice area, which is corporate and commercial law. I believe I chose well, as I derived great satisfaction from my relationship with Laurence Detière.

The role of a mentor is to facilitate our integration into the firm, to ensure our workload is diversified and appropriate and, above all, to make sure we have a sympathetic ear when we feel worried or discouraged or when we just need to talk. Since some things only come with time and experience, the mentoring systems is there so that young students and stagiaires can benefit from the experience of our predecessors.

All summer long, my mentor and I met once a week. I could talk freely about what I had accomplished and about the files I was working on, and ask the questions that were on my mind. Thanks to these informal meetings, a climate of confidence grew quickly between me and my mentor. Knowing that you can count on someone who went through the same insecurities as you only a few years ago is very reassuring for a young student who has everything to learn about life in a law firm. And having access to sound advice has helped me to develop a more concrete vision of the practice of law.

In fact, my mentoring experience has really made my integration into the firm easier. I learned that my insecurities were normal, that everybody goes through the same thing – and survives! The Davies mentoring program has made it possible for me to develop a close relationship with one of the most important resources a firm can offer to a student: an understanding and experienced lawyer.

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