WSBA MentorLink connects members to a variety of mentoring opportunities organized by local bar associations, practice area or type, cultural or community affiliation, and other organizations and WSBA programs.
The listings below are not exhaustive; we will make ongoing updates to the listings and links on this page. Please send updates, corrections, and suggestions to mentorlink@wsba.org.
Search By Category
Geographic Location
(County bar associations)
Mentoring type: Informal
Events: No
Mentor list: No
Contact: Steven Sackmann, steve@sackmannlaw.com
Benton and Franklin Counties Bar Association
Mentoring type: Informal
Events:
Monthly bar meetings third Tuesday of month
Mentor list: No
Contact: Jennifer Azure, jennifer@azurelawoffice.com
Clark County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Formal
Events:
Social, fun, and networking events
Mentor list: No
Contact: Arin Dunn, arin@arindunn.com
East King County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Informal
Events:
No
Mentor list: No (has member directory which can be sorted by Referral Area)
Contact:
Contact specific referral listed in legal area of interest
Jefferson County Bar Association
Mentoring Type: Informal
Events:
Monthly Bar Meetings (every second Thursday of each month)
List of Mentors: No
Mentoring Contact: Rafael Urquia, rafael@urquialaw.com
Lewis County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Informal
Events: Bar meetings (see calendar); annual summer social
Mentor list: No
Contact: Jennifer Groberg, reception@chehalislaw.com
Okanogan County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Informal
Events: Bar meetings (first Tuesday of month)
Mentor list: In development
Contact:
Candice Cochran, okanogancountybarassociation@gmail.com
Pacific County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Informal
Events:
Occasional bar meetings
Mentor list: No
Contact: Elizabeth Penoyar, penoyar001@comcast.net
Skagit County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Informal; program in
development with Volunteer Lawyer Program
Events: TBD
Mentor list: No
Contact: John
A. Shultz, shultzja@comcast.net
South King County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Informal
Events:
Monthly meetings (see calendar)
Mentor list: In development
Contact: info@skcba.org
Spokane County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Formal (in development)
Events: Varies (see calendar)
Mentor list: In development
Contact: Kristina Ralls, Kristina@spokanebar.org
Stevens County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Informal
Events: Bar Meetings and CLE Seminars
Mentor list: No
Contact:
Mathew Enzler, mathew.enzler@gmail.com
Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Formal (under development)
Events: (unknown)
Mentor list: TBD
Contact: Wendy Zicht, attyzicht@earthlink.net
Walla Walla County Bar Association
Mentoring type: Informal
Events: New-attorney meetups (periodic)
Mentor list: No
Contact:
N/A
Practice Area or Type
(Specialty bar associations and sections)
American Immigration Lawyers Association - WA Chapter
Mentoring type: Formal (via New Member Division and Chapters)
Events: Brown bag CLEs, happy hours, lunches, and other gatherings
Mentor list: Yes
Contact: Brad Brown, Bradleybrown360@gmail.com
Washington State Association for Justice
Mentoring type: Formal
Events: Series of small group Q&A events;
Regular roundtable meetings by county
Mentor list: Yes
Contact: Sheila
Thomsen, sheila@washingtonjustice.org
Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Mentoring type: Informal (second chair and one-on-one)
Events:
Seminars, list serves and committee work
Mentor list: Yes
Contact: info@wacdl.org or call 206-623-1302
Washington State Society of Health Care Attorneys
Mentoring type: Informal
Events: Conferences, seminars, and networking
receptions
Mentor list:
No
Contact: wssha.general.operations@gmail.com
WSBA Sections
Offer list serves, seminars, publications, and/or networking opportunities. Some sections also offer formal mentoring
opportunities or are open to helping mentees find help via informal means. More formal/structured offerings include:
WSBA Litigation Section
Mentoring type
: Formal
Mentoring contact:
Shane Seaman (for mentors), shane@crossoundlaw.com; or
Sydney Safley (for mentees), sydney@lawhg.net
WSBA Low Bono Section
Mentoring type: Coffee House Mentoring Program (CHAMP) monthly small-group
sessions
Mentoring contact:
Mark Baumann, office@markbaumann.com
Cultural or Community Affiliations
(Minority bar associations and programs)
ABA Commission on Disability Rights - Mentor Program
Mentoring type: Formal
Events: N/A
Mentor list: Yes
Contact: Patrick Dennis, Patrick.Dennis@americanbar.org
The Asian Bar Association of Washington (ABAW)
Mentoring type: Formal
Events: Quarterly meetings for members
Mentor list:
Yes
Contact: Phil Chu, pchu@kingcounty.gov
Korean American Bar Association of Washington
Mentoring type: Formal
Events: Mentorship kickoff and end-of-year social
Mentors list: Yes
Contact: Christine Lee, kabawamentor@gmail.com
Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law
Judicial Diversity Program
Mentoring type:
Formal
Events: Related to program
Mentor list: Yes
Contact:
judicialdiversity@lawyerscommittee.org
The LGBT Bar Association of Washington (QLaw)
Mentoring type: Formal
Events: Meet & Greet Cocktail Hour for matched mentors/mentees;
Other networking events
Mentor list
: Yes
Contact
: Kellen Hade, kellen.hade@millernash.com
Loren Miller Bar Association
Mentoring type: Formal
Events: Related to program
Mentor list: No
Contact: Raina Wagner, president@lmba.net
Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association of Seattle (MAMA Seattle)
Mentoring type: Formal
Events:
Receptions for mentor/mentee matches
Mentor list: Yes
Contact: mentoring@mamaseattle.org
Slavic Bar Association of Washington (SBAW)
Mentoring type: Informal (mostly Puget Sound)
Events: Periodic social events for networking and mentoring
Mentor list: No
Contact: slavicbar@gmail.com
The South Asian Bar Association of Washington (SABAW)
Mentoring type: Formal
Events:
Speed Networking event(s) in development
Mentor list: Yes
Contacts: Rania Rampersad, rania.rampersad@gmail.com
The Vietnamese American Bar Association of Washington (VABAW)
Mentoring type: Formal
(mostly Western Washington)
Events: Networking events In development
Mentor list: No
Contact:
Nancy Pham, nancylypham@gmail.com
The Washington Attorneys with Disabilities Association (WADA)
Mentoring type: Informal
Events: No
Mentor list: No
Contact: Jonathan Ko,
jonathan.ko@gmail.com
Law School Opportunities
The Alumni Services Office of your law school may be able to connect you to a fellow alum in your area and/or help locate an available mentor.
Gonzaga School of Law Alumni Services
Gonzaga School of Law Solo Practice Incubator Program — This 12-month program partners a seasoned attorney with a recent law school graduate to help them build a solo practice with a particular emphasis on practicing Elder Law in Spokane.
Seattle University School of Law Alumni Services
Seattle University Low Bono Incubator Program — Mentorship and 12 months of support for four new alumni, helping them create sustainable, successful low bono law practices. A low bono practice is built around serving clients of moderate means by offering reduced-fee legal services. For further questions, contact atji@seattleu.edu. This program is MCLE-Accredited.
University of Washington Law Mentor Programs
Public Service/Pro Bono Focus
Public service programs and clinics are another way to gain access to mentorship, while gaining hands-on experience. You can earn MCLE credit for providing pro bono legal services through a qualified legal service provider (QLSP).
Benefits Law Center
Mentoring Type: Formal and Informal
Mentor List: No
Events: Yes
Contact:
alex@benefitslawcenter.org
LAW Advocates
Mentoring Type: Formal and Informal
Mentor List: No
Events: No
Contact: Nikki D'Onofrio, nikki@lawadvocates.org
Lavender Rights Project
Mentoring Type: Informal
Mentor List: No
Events: Yes
Contact: info@lavenderrightsproject.org
Snohomish County Legal Services
Mentoring Type: Formal and Informal
Mentor List: Yes
Events: Yes
Contact: Adele Gavin, adeleg@snocolegal.org
Spokane County Bar Association
Mentoring Type: Formal and Informal
Mentor List: In progress
Events: Yes
Contact: 509-477-6123 or vlp@spokanebar.org
Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services
Mentoring Type: Formal
Contact: Bonnie Aslagson, attorney@tcvls.org or 360-890-4954
TCVLS provides legal advice and representation to low-income clients on a variety of civil legal issues. Volunteer attorneys can gain experience in a new area of law by taking on
full- or limited-scope pro bono representation of TCVLS clients, and TCVLS will match volunteers with mentor attorneys who are experienced in that area of practice. Mentors and mentees can report their pro bono hours for MCLE credits.
Wayfind/Nonprofit Assistance Center
Mentoring Type: Formal
Mentor List: No
Events: Yes
Contact: Brenda Tausch Lapora, brenda@wayfindlegal.org
WSBA Call to Duty
Volunteers commit to serving Washington veterans.
WSBA provides access to tools, resources, and more experienced attorneys. Volunteers may also commit to mentor others who take pro bono cases that serve veterans.
WSBA Moderate Means
The WSBA Moderate Means Program is currently
recruiting attorneys to accept free referrals for reduced-fee work in family, housing, and consumer law cases. Volunteers gain increased access to mentoring and peer support opportunities.
Volunteer Opportunities through Local Providers
For information about additional bar associations and legal organizations that may not have a mentoring opportunity listed here, please visit the Legal Community pages.
