Last modified: 29 October, 2024
Programme Objective
The objective of the ArbitralWomen Mentorship Programme is to match members of ArbitralWomen with expertise in dispute resolution (“Mentors”) with less experienced practitioner members (“Mentees”) to provide advice and help them to advance their careers in international dispute resolution.
Application
The Mentorship Programme is now closed.
Benefits
In addition to helping to expand the talent pool of potential female general counsel, arbitrators, mediators, experts and lawyers in private practice, the ArbitralWomen Mentorship Programme has many other benefits:
Mentees
- Seek and receive advice and guidance critical to progressing their career in international dispute resolution
- Broaden their knowledge of international dispute resolution
- Enhance and expand their connections with female leaders in international dispute resolution
- Gain knowledge and skills that help them in their daily working life
- Receive tailored insights as to how they can achieve their professional goals
Mentors
- Develop the next generation of female leaders in international dispute resolution
- Improve gender diversity in the future leadership of corporations, law firms and consulting companies
- Enhance and expand their connections to junior female practitioners, arbitrators, mediators and experts
- Develop a larger talent pool of potential female arbitrators, mediators and experts
- Benefit from potential opportunities for reverse mentorship
How the Programme Works
The ArbitralWomen Mentorship Programme links experienced dispute resolution practitioners (general counsel, lawyers in private practice, mediators, arbitrators and experts) with talented, ambitious women with high potential, enabling the latter to benefit from the advice and experience of the former.
Applicants to the ArbitralWomen Mentorship Programme are matched with a Mentor from their jurisdiction, sector or professional background. When a match is confirmed, the mentoring partners meet regularly (such meetings need not be in person), at a frequency that is convenient for both for one year.
Applications must be made by 25 October 2024. Assignments are generally made by the mid of November, effective for a year from the date of assignment. Throughout their mentoring partnership the mentoring partners will review the Mentee’s goals together and the Mentor will provide insights, advice and guidance. The scope of the ArbitralWomen Mentorship Programme and relationship will be forged directly between the Mentor and Mentee, usually based upon the Mentee’s needs and interests. The meetings are confidential.
At the end of each mentoring partnership, the Mentor and Mentee complete programme evaluations. The results of their evaluations are used to improve the programme year after year and increase its effectiveness.
I had the opportunity this year to mentor two bright and ambitious young practitioners from very different backgrounds and sectors. We began by establishing their goals for the mentorship. One mentee was in transition and sought guidance on whether to continue with a law firm or work for an arbitral institution. The other sought practical advice on how to keep her career progressing through a corporate merger. My mentees asked good questions and allowed me to draw both on my experience working for the public sector as well as the private sector in order to provide the most practical advice. We met regularly once a month and the more we got to know each other the more effective the mentoring relationship became for both of us. I also gained perspective and insight from my mentees on certain issues as a result of discussions. I am grateful for the opportunity to coach and support these future leaders in the field of dispute resolution.
Alison Pearsall Senior Group Counsel, Veolia EnvironnementAs a mentor in the ArbitralWomen 2019-2020 Mentorship Programme, I had the opportunity to get to know a fabulous, dynamic woman who I otherwise might never have met. Earlier in her years of practice, she focused on transactional legal work. She now is becoming increasingly involved in arbitration, which is what attracted her to AW and our Mentorship Programme. Our mentorship relationship focused on helping her transition into doing more work as an arbitrator and connecting her with the arbitration community. She asked for advice on how to get involved in various arbitration activities, such as serving as an arbitrator or judge at international mediation and arbitration moots, and I was able to introduce her to people who enabled her to do that. We met infrequently in person (we live in different cities), but we kept in touch by email and saw each other at several arbitration events. Once the Covid-19 pandemic hit, I invited her to some virtual gatherings of a handful of diverse women from the US and Europe. While I was technically her mentor, in many respects I feel she mentored me. I feel fortunate to have been connected to her through the AW Mentorship Programme. There is much to be learned from any mentee, and while the AW Mentorship Programme cycle technically is for a year, the relationship is for a lifetime
Dana MacGrath Investment Manager and Legal Counsel, Omni BridgewayI had the pleasure of mentoring a PhD Scholar in Singapore. Although we were not able to meet in person, we had a number of phone call catch ups throughout the year. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about my mentee’s inspiring career to date. She was interested in learning how to raise her profile in arbitration so we discussed various ways she could approach this. I was especially delighted to assist her in identifying other members of the arbitral community who may be able to assist her with her research. I would recommend participating in the ArbitralWomen program either as mentee or mentor.
Erika Williams McCullough Robertson