The Women in Business Law Initiative’s Mentorship Program is an annual collaboration between the Berkeley Center for Law and Business (BCLB), the Berkeley Business Law Journal (BBLJ), and various Berkeley Law student-led organizations. We match first-year law students interested in business law with attorneys in industry, from government agencies, and from BCLB partner firms. It is a great opportunity for students to gain advice as they navigate law school and to network with a diverse group of successful attorneys. The program provides attorneys with an opportunity to cultivate relationships with some of Berkeley Law’s brightest.
How the Program Works
The mentorship program is currently undergoing a temporary hiatus. Please check back for future updates.
Traditionally, we accept applications from interested first-year law students and LLMs, and from attorneys working in law firms, industry, and government. We match attorneys and students based on their interests and geographic locations. Please note that while the program was initially founded in 2016 with the goal of providing mentorship to female law students, the mentorship program is now open to students and attorneys of all gender identities.
The program begins with an annual kick-off mixer in late January, followed by a formal matching process. We encourage our attorney-student pairs to meet monthly, recommending a commitment of 2-4 hours every month. We host additional networking, coaching, and social events throughout the year for our mentors and mentees.
“The WiBL mentorship program is a great way to build your network while learning about what it’s like to be a women practicing corporate law. For me, WiBL is a way to pay forward all the invaluable guidance I have received from female mentors throughout my career.”
–Rachel Racine ’15, Attorney at Wilson Sonsini
“I benefited from this mentorship from amazing women a few steps ahead of me, and I want to be a resource for women coming up after me. It makes a world of a difference to see women, especially women of color, a few steps ahead in an industry that is still male-dominated.”
–Janice Dow ’17, Attorney at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
“My mentor was a huge help to me as I made a number of difficult decisions about what I wanted my life to look like post-grad. She was so warm and willing to go into detail about the work that she does and how she decided that it was a good fit for her interests and skill set. She also helped me understand what made her choose her firm and walked me through a list of things to factor in when I did OCI myself. Her advice made an immeasurable difference and prepared me well for such a daunting process!”
–Kim Plumer ’21, JD Candidate, UC Berkeley School of Law