Participants of the MBA's Tiered Community Mentoring Program met at the John Adams Courthouse on Oct. 24.
The Massachusetts Bar Association's Tiered Community Mentoring
Program entered its sixth year with a kickoff event at the John
Adams Courthouse on October 24. Mentor-mentee teams heard from
several speakers, including former U.S. Senator William "Mo" Cowan,
now of counsel to Mintz Levin.
MBA President Marsha V. Kazarosian welcomed both mentors and
mentees, and conveyed the importance of mentoring in professional
development.
"Any lawyer will tell you that he or she could not have gotten
to where they are today without some help along the way," said
Kazarosian. "For many, that help was in the form of a mentor,
whether it was a senior attorney, law school professor or bar
association volunteer."
Cowan, now of counsel to Mintz Levin, spoke about how failure
played a key role in his career. While a student at Duke
University, he flunked a chemistry exam which made him rethink
being a pre-med major and exposed him to other academic disciplines
where he excelled.
"All my success is because I have failed," said Cowan. "Your
failures are nothing more than the seasonsing that will make your
success taste all the sweeter."
After the speaking portion, program participants met with their
teams before making their way to the State House for a special tour
of the newly renovated office of Governor Deval L. Patrick.
The MBA's Tiered Community Mentoring Program provides high
school, undergraduate and law school students access to legal
professionals, an understanding of the legal profession and an
awareness of the career opportunities available. Participating
schools are New Mission High School, Roxbury Community College,
Northeastern University and Suffolk University Law School.