Mentoring Programme 2017

Our 2017 Mentoring Programme

As part of Women in Law Hong Kong’s commitment to enhancing the profiles, skills and networking opportunities to women in the legal field, we are delighted to launch, for the second year running, the WILHK Mentoring Programme. This year's Programme builds upon the lessons learned from the previous year, and is focused on empowering participants with key skills to navigate their legal career. We held an information session on Wednesday, 1 March 2017 kindly sponsored by FTI Consulting.

At the information session, Ka Yin Au Yeung, Senior Associate at Hogan Lovells and Chair of the WILHK Mentoring Sub-Committee explained what is involved in our 2017 Mentoring Programme. Some of our 2016 mentors and mentees kindly shared their thoughts on mentorship and the WILHK Mentoring Programme. The panellists were:

1. Allan Wardrop, Partner, Hogan Lovells (Mentor, Class of 2016)

2. Yolanda Lau, Associate, Addleshaw Goddard (Mentee, Class of 2016)

3. Erika Evasdottir, Head of Legal and Compliance, Asia Pacific at Folger Hill Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited (Mentor, Class of 2016)

4. Gwenlynne Lee, Registered Foreign Lawyer, Latham & Watkins (Mentee, Class of 2016)

The panel discussion was moderated by Susan Wong, Senior Legal Counsel at Standard Chartered Bank and Vice Chair of WILHK Mentoring Sub-Committee.

We have to do something about female attrition in private practice - across the industry we are bleeding female talent every year. The WILHK programme is, so far as I am aware, unique – it gives a young female lawyer the opportunity to seek impartial advice and guidance from someone she trusts without that advice being prejudiced by organisational baggage. This is why I wanted to get involved. If I can help just one person stay in the industry and make private practice more diverse, it will be worthwhile. – Allan Wardrop (Mentor, Class of 2016)

As a mentor I find it fascinating to see how this generation deals with people - it's very different. There truly is a generational gap; it's not just gender but culture and age plays a role too. One of the most important skills you can acquire is to learn to relate to very different people with whom it seems you have no chemistry. – Erika Evasdottir (Mentor, Class of 2016)

Application Forms for Mentors and Mentees can be downloaded from the two links directly below. Applications should be submitted to mentoringprogramme@wilhk.com no later than 20 March 2017

2017 WILHK Mentor Application

2017 WILHK Mentee Application

TWF Partnership

The Programme builds upon our partnership with The Women's Foundation (TWF) in 2016 to deliver best practice mentoring techniques and support to all mentees and mentors in the pilot programme. For further information about TWF, see www.twfhk.org.

Unique Programme and Objectives

A first

The WILHK Mentoring Programme is the first of its kind to create a cross-legal profession mentoring programme in Hong Kong, pairing legal professionals (including lawyers, in-house counsel and other legal support staff)with mentors from other law firms and companies.

Why?

How?

Too often we hear of women taking themselves off the partnership/directorship path too early because they cannot see themselves making partner/director or balancing the demands. Law firms and companies on the other hand are committed to fixing the 'leaking pipeline' but in some cases are unsure of where to start or what the true issues are.

WILHK recognises that legal professionals do better and stay in the profession longer when they feel supported and can actually observe others achieving their professional goals and feeling fulfilled in their personal life.

Benefits?

We have created the WILHK Mentoring Programme to empower the profession so that legal professionals feel understood and properly supported to reach the highest levels of the legal profession. The pilot programme will involve both male and female mentors and female mentees, recognising the importance that we all play in creating a successful solution.

WILHK will provide workshops, guidance and has a team dedicated to creating a network of support for the WILHK Mentoring Programme which will include:

One-one-one mentoring, matched based on preferences and a "speed match" event;

A structured event programme, with regular formal and informal networking events, seminars and soft-skill workshops to engage and strengthen skills.

This unique programme has been designed to achieve:

Openness, for mentees they will receive guidance from more experienced practitioners outside of their own firm/company so they can be more open about their professional issues,

Understanding, for mentors as well as giving back to the profession, they can also mutually benefit as they will be able to better connect and understand the types of issues that may be facing more junior employees in their own team,

Flexibility, for mentors and mentees, they to choose how and when they will interact and what will be discussed; and

Confidentiality, all discussions between mentors and mentees will be strictly confidential to ensure trust, honesty and openness and will not refer to individuals or case names.