A Mentor Moment with Max Blitt, KC
“As a mentor, you can make a significant difference as to whether a new lawyer embraces our amazing profession or decides to look elsewhere.”
Max Blitt, KC has been a mentor with the Law Society’s Mentor Connect and Mentor Express program since 2017.Â
Q: Why did you get involved with Mentor Connect and Mentor Express?
A: “As a young lawyer, I was fortunate enough to have amazing mentors that took me under their wing. Lawyers such as Betty Bolton and Edward McCormick KC. The pace of law when I started in the mid-1970s was not as fast as today, but the pitfalls were always there. I learned by watching counsel at trial and being coached when I needed it. My mentors had solid moral compasses that I learned the value of. After being mentored by such individuals, I knew I had to give back to our profession. As a mentor, you can make a significant difference as to whether a new lawyer embraces our amazing profession or decides to look elsewhere. I still keep in touch with the articling students and mentees that I have had the benefit of working with. I also need to mention that the mentorship program is not a one-way street. The mentees I have worked with have taught me as well. Especially in the area of technology. I would highly recommend the mentorship program to senior lawyers. You would be surprised by the knowledge and experience you have gained over the years that you can share.”
Q: Tell us a bit about your current mentoring relationship:
A: “In my current mentor relationship, we meet on a regular basis to talk about the practice of law, but just as important about work / life balance. My wife and I go out socially with my mentee and their fiancée. Each social meeting lasts a few hours which is a testament to how well it works. There is much to share and I believe all of us benefit. It is a relationship that will continue long after the mentorship part comes to an end.”
Q: How long have you been involved in mentorship?
A: “Since 2017.”Â
Q: What do you enjoy the most about your role as a mentor?
A: “I enjoy making a difference in the professional life of my mentee. It is gratifying to know that by being available, I can assist them in avoiding costly errors and how to avoid difficult situations.”
Q: What do you hope your mentees take away from working with you?
A: “A solid ethical framework to perform the practice of law. We only have our reputation in this profession. That reputation applies whether we are dealing with our clients, fellow lawyers or the judiciary. We must never compromise that trust.”
Q: What have you learned from working with your mentees?
A: “Optimism, technology and new ways of looking at the practice of law.”
Q: If another lawyer is thinking about becoming a mentor, what should they know beforehand?
A: “Know that you have a contribution to make to a new lawyer’s career. You will find it to be one of the most satisfying parts of the profession that you can become involved in.”
The Law Society of Alberta offers Mentor Moments to acknowledge the contributions made by volunteer lawyers in their mentorship programs and to encourage other Alberta lawyers to consider participating. Read more Mentor Moments.
We do not attempt to verify mentors’ statements in their Mentor Moment profiles and the opinions expressed are solely their own. The Law Society of Alberta does not endorse any individual profiled or contents provided.