How it works

Each mentoring partnership runs for 12 months.

The programme was established under a memorandum of understanding signed between the Bar Council of England and Wales and the Law Society of Kenya.

It is administered by the Bar Council’s Young Barristers’ Committee and the Law Society of Kenya’s junior representative body.

Information for mentors/mentees

Mentors
  • Any barrister in England and Wales can volunteer to become a mentor.
  • Mentors apply via the Bar Council of England & Wales.
  • Mentors are expected to engage in (at least) monthly catch ups with mentees, focusing on professional development and skills.
  • Mentors have the opportunity to learn about a different jurisdiction and how practice differs from that of England and Wales. And given that it is not guaranteed mentees will be matched with a mentor who is in the same practice area, it is also an opportunity to learn about a new area of practice.
Mentees
  • Mentees apply via the Law Society of Kenya.
  • Mentees are lawyers from Kenya who are at the beginning of their careers.
  • They come from different backgrounds with a range of different disciplines.

Both mentors and mentees are expected to:

  • Agree to the rules of the programme. They are also required to attend a one-hour induction session, which uses the Bar Council's mentoring guide and cards as a foundation, and to be familiar with the Bar Council’s mentoring guidance (which outlines expectations of a mentoring relationship)
  • Commit to meeting with their mentor/mentee once a month during the 12-month period.
  • Sign and abide by a document setting out the rules and etiquette of the mentoring programme.

Applications

The next round commences in September 2024. Applications will open later in the year.

More details about the Bar Council’s mentoring resources are available on our Mentoring page.

For further information, please get in touch via [email protected]