Lincoln's Inn logo

Practising Members’ Mentoring Scheme

The Inn’s Practising Members’ Mentoring Scheme gives practising members the opportunity to gain insight and advice from other practising members.

Two Lincoln’s Inn members seated in the Ashworth Centre at a workshop, both are smiling. The barrister on the left, an older man with short grey hair, is wearing a navy blazer over a checkered shirt. The member on the right, a younger man with dark hair and a beard, is dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and black tie. Both are wearing name badges.

Mentoring has a long tradition at the Bar and is considered one of the most effective ways of building and developing a career within the profession. Mentoring is not just about sharing knowledge; it is a mutually rewarding experience that fosters personal and professional growth for both those involved.

Learning does not stop once you are practising, and the advice you need may evolve as you gain more experience. The Inn is therefore proud to offer this opportunity for its practising members and aims to match members who are in need of specific advice with other members who have been through similar experiences or have knowledge that would be useful.

Please note, this scheme is exclusively for Called members of the Inn who have completed pupillage and are currently practising at the Bar of England and Wales. Student members currently studying for the Bar Course can visit our Student Mentoring Scheme page to learn more about the support available to them.

Areas of interest to mentor/request mentoring in

The areas of interest that members can request mentoring in or offer to mentor in are:

  1. Applying for silk
  2. Building practise
  3. Bullying and harassment
  4. Caring responsibilities (parental or adult caring responsibilities)
  5. Changing practice area
  6. Moving from the employed to the self-employed Bar
  7. Judicial posts
  8. Moving chambers/employer
  9. Parental leave
  10. Probationary tenancies
  11. Returning to practice
  12. Moving from the self-employed to the employed Bar
  13. Members can also request mentoring, and offer to mentor, in experiences of protected characteristics. For example, you may be looking for advice from a member who identifies as being part of the LGBTQ+ community and how they navigate this within their professional life. The application form has a free text box that allows you to state your own details on this area of mentoring. Please be aware that we may not have mentors available in the specific area you describe.

How it works

1. Practising members apply to mentor or to be matched with a mentor using the following application forms:

2. The Inn will process your application and notify you if you have been successfully accepted as a mentor or accepted to receive a mentor.

3. As a mentor, once you have been accepted, your details will be inputted into our database, and you may be matched with a member seeking mentoring as we process applications each month. Mentor’s will only be matched with one member at a time.

4. As a member seeking mentoring, we will input your details into our database and generate the most appropriate match based on the areas you are seeking to be mentored in.

5. When you are matched with a mentor or a member seeking mentoring, you will receive an email with their details. It is then up to you both to organise a meeting, via phone, online or in-person, as you see fit. The number and frequency of these meetings is to be decided between you.

Apply

Become a mentor

Apply here to be a mentor for the Practising Members’ Mentoring Scheme.

You will be contacted by email once your application has been processed.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact the Member Engagement Team: [email protected]

Receive a mentor

Applications to receive a mentor from the scheme will open in January 2025.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact the Member Engagement Team: [email protected]

FAQs

Who is eligible to be a mentor on the scheme?

Any member of Lincoln’s Inn who has been Called to the Bar, completed pupillage and are currently practising at the Bar of England and Wales.

Who is eligible to apply for a mentor from the scheme?

Any member of Lincoln’s Inn who has been Called to the Bar and has completed pupillage.

How long will it take for my mentor application to be processed?

We aim to process new mentor applications at least once a month. You will be notified when your application has been approved or not. Please note, once your mentor application has been approved, you may not immediately be matched with a member seeking mentoring. Once you have been matched with a member, you will be notified by email.

How long will it take to receive a mentor after applying to the scheme?

We aim to process new applications to receive a mentor at least once a month. Once you have been matched with a mentor, you will be notified by email. Please note that we may not always have any mentors with availability in the area you are seeking mentoring in.

How long should the mentoring relationship last?

The length of the mentoring relationship can be as short or as long as is convenient for you both. You may find that one meeting is sufficient, or you may wish to meet a few times over a period of weeks or months. We ask that participants on the scheme manage expectations at the beginning of your mentoring relationship, so both participants are aware of each other’s capacity. We also ask that mentors inform us of when their mentoring relationship has concluded so that we can re-assign them to another member.

Members
Useful Resources
Contact details