Building relationships and Expanding Your Network
The path to success for most lawyers is paved with relationships where colleagues offer each other guidance and opportunities. We know from listening to attorneys of color that not everyone has opportunities to build authentic relationship with key decisionmakers and leaders. In order to retain and advance more attorneys from diverse backgrounds, we need a better method to build relationships with law students and attorneys of color who are newer to the profession. This is where TCDIP reimagined the traditional mentoring model.
TCDIP Connect: Reimagining the Traditional Mentoring Model
In the fall of 2019, more than 50 attorneys, law school professionals, students, and professionals from outside the legal industry participated in TCDIP’s first hackathon. During a fun and energetic morning of quick thinking and brainstorming, hackathon teams worked together to develop a sustainable concept for a mentoring program that will be a key piece of TCDIP’s efforts to advance and retain attorneys of color in the Twin Cities.
We harnessed the creative ideas generated from the hackathon to launch the pilot phase of our new mentorship program in 2021. TCDIP Connect brings together attorneys of varying experience levels from TCDIP Members with local law students of color in a small group mentoring model. The goal of TCDIP Connect is to purposefully bring together attorneys from a range of firms and corporations, with diverse levels of experience and areas of practice, to develop professional interconnectedness with multiple people. Learn more about the program by checking out our Mentoring Guide!
A new mentoring guide will be released for 2024 with updated dates and details.
What is the program structure for TCDIP Connect?
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Using a structured small group model, TCDIP Connect brings together attorneys of varying experience levels, local law students of color, and early career attorneys of color. The goal of TCDIP Connect is to develop meaningful professional interconnectedness between multiple people who may not have otherwise crossed paths. We ask all participants to complete a survey that will help us create teams.
Season 3 of TCDIP Connect will run from late October 2024 to May 2025. Over the course of 8 months, each Connect Team will set its own goals, objectives and agenda. TCDIP also provides guided agendas and topics for teams to use if they wish. We ask for an availability of 1-2 hours per month minimum when committing to the program. Teams will have the opportunity to earn points throughout the season by attending events as a group, meeting up for casual conversations, and supporting each other! TCDIP staff will provide guidelines, suggested activities, and support throughout the program.
What are the TCDIP Connect Core Values?
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TCDIP Connect is designed around three core values to ensure each person has a meaningful experience.
- Everyone is a leader. There is minimal hierarchy in the program. Each person can contribute and offer value to others. Your TCDIP Connect Team will include people with varying levels of professional experience and diverse viewpoints. Think about how you can personally show up as a leader, while also encouraging leadership in others.
- Take ownership. You get to make TCDIP Connect what you want it to be. Meaning, your team and overall experience are shaped by how much energy you invest in the program and in others. Think about how you can create a sense of ownership for yourself and for your team.
- Be accountable. With leadership and ownership comes accountability. In a team centered program, everyone is accountable to each other. As you start to develop relationships with your team members, think about how your actions, or inaction, may impact others and the overall team dynamic. Are the expectations that you have for others in line with what you expect from yourself.
Who is Eligible to Join TCDIP Connect?
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TCDIP Connect is open to law students of color attending law school in the Twin Cities, early career attorneys of color, ELG Representatives of all backgrounds, and mid to senior level attorneys of all backgrounds. Other than law school students, all other attorneys are from TCDIP Members. Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about TCDIP’s membership.
All participants should be prepared to serve as mentors and allies for each other. The mentoring program uses a team approach where we all bring our own strengths and backgrounds to the table, and we all have ways to teach and support each other.
Ready to Join?
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Click here to complete our brief application!
Be sure to check out the TCDIP Connect Program Guide! The guide includes an overview, the program’s core values, best practices and tips for building strong professional relationships, and tips about handling interpersonal conflict. The guide is meant to be a resource to all TCDIP Members – you might use it to establish your own internal mentoring program or to refresh an existing initiative.