TFP BLOG: July 2010

Friday, July 23, 2010

The Staten Island Outing

The mentors and mentees from our Pilot Mentoring Program spent a fun-filled evening networking while watching a Staten Island Yankees Game -- with all you can eat burgers and dogs. Last evening's B-league baseball game was one of the structured events organized by NYCLA to get mentors and mentees together. The aim of this event was for the mentors (all leaders in the NYCLA community) and the mentees (all future leaders in the NYCLA community) to talk about things other than law and the legal profession ... we all need a break sometimes....

Many thanks to Bari Chase and her staff for organizing a great event!

(I am sorry I had to leave before the fireworks. I heard they were fabulous! And I still can't believe that that ferry ride was a freebie!)

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Mentoring Program Surveys

Thank you, Mentees, for filling out your surveys. We received a lot of valuable feedback and will analyze the results further to incorporate your suggestions as we go forward with NYCLA's Mentoring Program.

Mentors, you should have received your surveys last week. It is time for you to fill them out and return them to us as soon as possible. We need your insights too!

NYCLA DRAFT DEFINITION OF PROFESSIONALISM

By professionalism we mean a group pursuing a learned art as a higher calling in a spirit that it is performing a public service, a service that is indispensible in a democratic nation founded on the rule of law. This calling is no less a public service because it may also be a means of livelihood. Pursuit of a learned art in the spirit of a public service is the essence of being a lawyer. It implies obligations of dignity, integrity, self-respect and respect for others.

The essence of professionalism is a commitment to develop one's skills to the fullest and to apply them responsibly and with the utmost diligence to the problem at hand. Professionalism requires adherence to the highest standards of integrity and a willingness to subordinate narrow self-interest in pursuit of the more fundamental goal of client service. Because of the tremendous power they wield in our system, lawyers must never forget that their duty to serve their clients fairly and skillfully takes priority over the personal accumulation of wealth. Lawyers must be willing and prepared to undertake zealous advocacy on behalf of their clients while retaining enough perspective to provide those clients with considered, well-informed and objective advice.

Although duties to their clients in particular matters are paramount, lawyers must throughout their careers remain conscious of and committed to the goal of improving the profession and the system of justice. This commitment includes taking personal and professional measures to increase the availability of legal services and abet even-handed and efficient application and administration of the legal system for all segments of society.