Good Luck

I was asked to participate in a professional group of attorneys who mentor law school students.

While of course the concept is great, in reality it's obviously just a resume/CV builder. What attorney do you know who has time to PROPERLY mentor, unless he or she is a partner?

The "mentoring" I've seen done by associates here is usually just a "hi kid, how's-it-going-we'll-do-lunch-sometime-you-know-the-drill" type of thing because the associate is drowning in work, shackled to a desk, busy putting in hours on the quest to partnership, etc.

Actually, I think the most valuable mentoring exercise might be for the students to hang out with some of our senior partners for a day.

That way, they can envision the types of insane, uptight, alcoholic, miserable human beings suffering from acute @ssholism that they too can become!

I can just hear the welcome speech now...or what probably should be the welcome speech:

"Hi, I'm John Narrowass, the most successful partner at this firm. I'm on my fifth marriage; my kids and step-kids hate me for neglecting them their entire lives even though I send them to expensive private schools; half of them are on drugs; the twenty-something, newest wife is screwing the gardener; I'm a much-hated, drunken wind bag who chases after summer interns
and baits first-years just for sport. All of this could be yours too someday for only the price of your soul!!! We've actually got a contract form for that sort of thing. Upon completion, it gets faxed directly to the Prince of Darkness." (No, not our Executive Director, but Satan.)

All I can say is good luck.