Raising the Bar Mentorship Program
Take the next step in your legal career. Program Runs Fall 2025-Spring 2026
The Raising the Bar Mentorship Program connects law students and new lawyers (within their first three years of practice) with experienced attorneys in the Chicagoland area. Designed to foster professional growth and stronger connections within the Federal Bar Association (FBA), the program provides mentees with valuable career guidance, insight into the practice of law, and a friendly face at FBA events.
Why Join Our Raising the Bar Mentorship Program
Benefits
The Raising the Bar Mentorship Program offers law students and new attorneys the chance to gain real-world advice and strategies to navigate the early years of practice. Participants will build lasting connections with practicing attorneys in the Chicagoland legal community and have a friendly face at FBA events while learning how to get more involved in the association.
How It Works
The program is open to FBA members, who can apply as either a mentor or mentee. It begins with a Kick-Off Networking Event in Fall 2025, where all participants will meet and mingle. From there, each mentor-mentee pair sets its own schedule, with meetings encouraged at least every other month (whether virtually or in person), so the relationship naturally accommodates busy professional lives.
Program Timeline
Enrollment opens in Summer 2025, with the program officially launching at the Kick-Off Event in Fall 2025. The mentorship program runs through May 2026, but participants are encouraged to continue their relationships and correspondence beyond the official timeline, creating connections that last well into their careers.