When it comes to increasing the number of self-identified women, non-binary and gender nonconforming, 2SLGBTQI+ and BIPOC persons in the legal profession through mentorship, one-size fits all mentoring hasn’t worked.
While research shows quality mentorship is life-changing, not all mentorship programs create change. Over the years, mentoring programs haven’t adapted. The trend towards coaching or sponsorship gained popularity. But instead of changing the approach, the only thing that changed was the name. In fact, most mentoring, coaching or sponsorship programs follow the same old traditional model. We believe there is a better way.
The Women’s Legal Mentorship Program (WLMP) online mentoring platform takes a different approach to mentoring. We began by changing the conventional mentorship model. We based our mentorship platform design on intersectional feminist and equity principles. Creating legal mentoring choices. We take a multidisciplinary mentorship approach. Focusing on evolving how legal mentorship is both designed, matched and delivered.
Rather than offering the single top-down mentoring model, the WLMP online mentorship platform creates options. WLMP members are in control of their own mentoring experience. It’s a diverse virtual village of mentors including self-identifying female law students, articling students-at-law and lawyers.
We provide all WLMP members with a flexible equitable mentorship platform for every stage of their professional development. Starting from the classroom, to the courtroom and beyond™.
There are two parts to the WLMP mentorship platform. The WLMP Mentoring Community, the WLMP National Student Program. Our legal mentoring platform begins at the classroom level. Then grows with you as you move from the classroom, to the courtroom and beyond™. Providing professional mentorship for every stage of your legal career.
Meeting the diverse legal mentoring needs of all self-identified women, non-binary, gender nonconforming (which includes 2SLGBTQI+ and BIPOC self-identifying womxn) in the law means creating a legal mentorship platform with options for every stage of their career.
Using the WLMP’s virtual mentorship platform, all WLMP members create their own customized legal mentorship experience.
Through the WLMP online mentorship platform, you shape your professional mentoring experience. Choosing when you want to access the WLMP Mentoring Community and from where. You choose what works for you.
Wherever you are in your mentorship journey, the WLMP provides you with a flexible equitable mentorship platform. Helping legal mentors and mentees transform Canada’s legal culture from the classroom to the courtroom and beyond™
Learn more about the benefits of becoming a WLMP member.
Through the WLMP’s members area, our members access the members directory and create their own mentoring circles.
Everyone WLMP member’s mentoring needs are unique. By creating a Canada wide virtual mentoring room of their own, WLMP members can tailor their experience. They can take part in our formal mentoring match program, attend speed mentoring and other mentoring events, or just connect privately through the members directory.
We know mentoring is a powerful resource. It is also very personal. Getting the best out of professional mentoring requires feeling safe. So, you can be your full self. The WLMP’s members are is a completely private mentoring community space. It’s a positive, braver and safe mentoring space. Our mentorship community rules set out the WLMP Mentoring Community’s privacy expectations.
As an online member based mentorship platform, to access the WLMP mentorship community, all WLMP members need to ensure they are in good standing within the legal profession and/or law school, fill out a member profile as well as pay their membership fee. Before any login authentication or access is approved. The WLMP is 100% volunteer run, the approval and authentication process for the WLMP Virtual Mentoring Community takes at least 72 hours during the academic year. From May through to September the authentication process takes longer.
The WLMP also works with IT security professionals to ensure our community is protected. So, you can feel safe. Allowing you to participate fully. And confidently ask for the mentoring you need.