We are dedicated to mentoring our summer associates. Each summer associate is given personal attention that reflects our concern for their development as future lawyers. They are assigned to at least a summer committee member (a partner or senior associate) as well as a junior associate or associate group: the associate mentor serves as a "buddy", able to answer the more "typical" questions a summer associate might have, while the summer committee member is in charge of assignment feedback. By giving our summer associates this kind of steady guidance, Sidley ensures that that these men and women will receive the assistance they need to make sense of, and learn from, the "real-life" scenarios they will encounter.

We believe that an associate's access to and active participation in appropriate mentoring relationships can have a significant influence on his or her career development, as well as career satisfaction. Mentors take an active role in the associate's professional growth as well as his or her adjustment to working at the Firm. While many lawyers act as informal mentors to an associate at the Firm, we believe that a formal mentoring program, with assigned mentors, is usually an effective way to assist each associate in receiving appropriate guidance and feedback from the very start of the associate's employment. To facilitate the mentoring process, the Firm assigns a partner and an associate mentor to each of its incoming associates. The partner and associate mentors typically practice in the same practice group as the new associate, and can offer guidance and information regarding a variety of practice group-specific matters, as well as introducing the associate to Firm administrative processes, lawyers in other groups, and Firm culture, generally.

For example, mentors typically engage in the following activities:

We highly recommend that new associates participate actively in these formal mentoring relationships and make use of the resources that they offer. Mentoring is most effective when both of the participants in the relationship are committed to the mentoring process. The formal, assigned mentoring relationships at the Firm are not designed to replace or diminish the informal mentoring relationships that should arise during the course of an associate's employment. Rather, the formal mentoring program is designed to supplement and enhance the opportunities for professional development and career satisfaction that are available to an associate at Sidley Austin LLP.