Karen’s Story
Attorney Karen Grossman
As a part of our ongoing series on former LegalWise participants who are now running their own legal practices, Karen Grossman of Uplifting Legal, PLLC reflects on her experiences and how LegalWise can help aspiring independent legal professionals like you.
Why do you need a mentor?
Starting out as a solo attorney has its challenges. For me, one of the greatest benefits of Legal Wise when I was an advocate, was the connection with mentors. Mentors made me a better attorney. Sometimes all I needed was an answer to brief question. Other times a mentor agreed to letting me take them out for coffee or lunch so I could pick their brain on an issue I was having. More than once, a mentor agreed to be co-counsel with me. That allowed me to provide competent representation as required by Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC) Rule 1.1 and also gave me practical experience in an area of law I was interested in.
How can you find a legal mentor?
Legal Wise can help find the right mentor in a sea of over 10,000 licensed attorneys in Minnesota. Experienced attorneys in many areas of law have indicated their willingness to help attorney advocates connected to Legal Wise. At my request, introduction emails were sent to the mentor and me. Another way I have found mentors is talking with attorneys at CLEs and networking events, exchanging information and asking at the outset if they would be willing to answer questions if they came up in the future.
What can a mentor do for you?
Ask. Some mentors are willing to answer a brief question or two over the phone. Some mentors are willing to share examples of memorandums or forms. These are also found on MCRO. I observed mentors in hearings and then discussed it with them afterward. As I said before, I have co-counseled with mentors. If you co-counsel, remember that your client must agree to the division of fees and services in writing signed by the client (see MRPC 1.5). Ask.
How to get the most out of your mentorship.
Show respect. I find it helpful to understand each mentor's parameters at the outset. I have asked if they would like to to email a list or summary of the concerns I have before we talk. I ask how long they have available and offer to keep my call to 5 minutes if necessary. I set a timer for 15 minutes if they do not tell me a time. I ask if they would prefer to meet over coffee, lunch, or a call. Be sure to respect the mentor by honoring their schedule and time. Do your homework before reaching out to a mentor. Solidify before you speak to the mentor what your key questions or concerns are. Try and find the answers through statutes, case law and even Google so you can speak to the narrow issue.
Have gratitude. I endeavor to show appreciation to the mentor for taking the time to share their expertise with me: orally at the time, in a follow-up email (or text if that is more the mentor's preference), and not as often as I should, in a snail-mail note of thanks. It can be an extra note of appreciation to follow up with the mentor after you have taken their advice and to let them know how it turned out.
In no time at all, you may find yourself as a mentor to others. Attorneys helping attorneys, especially those who are solo and small attorneys without the benefit of a large firm full of attorneys, is what makes all of us better equipped to help our clients.
Attorney Karen Grossman specializes in settling partition actions (property involving persons not married to each other). You can learn more about her practice Uplifting Legal, PLLC online.
