Mentorship

I had found it critically important to have a good mentor. One of my mentors is Steve. Steve is a partner at a firm in San Francisco. I met him through a mutual friend in my counseling group. Steve told me that he had thought about going to seminary, but went to law school instead. He does real estate work, and particularly enjoys serving religious nonprofits and churches with their real estate needs. He discovered that he could make a positive impact in a different way than as a pastor.

Steve clearly loves his work. "I have had people tell me that they have never seen a lawyer with so much joy in his work. I don't plan to retire. I plan to do this job until I am too tired to do it anymore."

I always make a point to see Steve when I am in the Bay Area, and his counsel has been incredibly helpful. After I didn't get a job with a big firm through the on campus interview process, he reminded me that "not getting a summer associate position is not the end of your career." He was right, and he helped me remember the many reasons that going to work for a large law firm was not for me.

The most striking thing is Steve's heart for service. He told me that lawyers can be uniquely positioned to be voices of counsel and support for nonprofit boards and organizations. He is involved with work supporting orphans overseas and legal services locally. In many ways, Steve exemplifies the kind of lawyer I want to become. I am thankful to have his guidance.