“…coaching does not mean you give answers. You have to help your mentees get to their own solutions.”
Cathy Lane Goodfellow, KC has been a mentor with the Law Society’s Mentor Connect program since 2015.
Why she became involved with Mentor Connect:
“I have been involved with the Practice Management department of the Law Society for a number of years and have participated in many practice assessments. Law can be a very isolating profession. I have wondered whether early mentorship might have allowed some of these members to have fewer or no interactions with the Law Society. I am happy to give back to the profession and especially like to work with those who want to exchange ideas about work/life balance.”
A bit about her current mentoring relationship:
“This relationship is with a new lawyer who had a difficult article that ended abruptly. We talked about that experience and how one regains personal and professional confidence afterward. Articling and CPLED must be completed, of course, to be entitled to practice law. However, law students need to also identify their own strengths and talents and be allowed to experience personal growth. That is sometimes a difficult realization to get to.”
What she enjoys the most about being a mentor with the Mentor Connect program:
“I really enjoy the coaching aspect. I also learn an incredible amount from my mentees. It makes me feel ‘current’.”
What she hopes her mentee learns from working with her:
“That I am honest and will give them my candid opinion. I hope they get their questions answered in a way that helps them move forward through whatever difficulty or challenge they face.”
What she has learned from working with her mentee:
“That what I say has merit because my experience is very broad and lived. It is humbling to share back and forth!”
If a lawyer is thinking about becoming a mentor, they should know…
“They need to be patient. That coaching does not mean you give answers. You have to help your mentees get to their own solutions.”
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.
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.