The ANU College of Law MomentuM Mentoring and Professional Development Program pairs ANU Law students with experienced industry professionals. Our mentors come from different law backgrounds, have various levels of experience and specialise in several different topics. Mentors are either located within or outside of Australia.

The program is designed to support student’s professional development and personal growth by engaging with an experienced, knowledgeable mentor. Being able to draw upon an experienced industry member will expose students to new insights, allow them to expand their knowledge and work on deepening their skills.

The program is open to all active ANU Law students who are interested in receiving mentorship from an industry professional in the legal field. Students need to apply to the program and will be paired with a suitable mentor. Participation in this program is possible either in-person or remotely.

The MomentuM Mentoring Program uses the mentee-driven approach. As the primary beneficiaries, mentees need to drive the relationship with their mentors. With the support of the program facilitators, students are expected to take ownership of their mentoring journey and actively work towards their mentoring goals.

For more information on the Program, please click here to view our MomentuM Mentoring Handbook.

You can also read our Frequently Asked Questions section below.

Becoming a Mentee

Benefits

Being mentored is one of the most valuable and effective developmental opportunities students can participate in. Having the guidance, encouragement, and support of a trusted and experienced mentor can provide a mentee with a range of personal and professional benefits, such as:

• Personal growth such as increasing self-confidence and self-awareness;
• Professional skill development;
• Growth of your professional network within your industry;
• Exposure to new and different perspectives;
• Guidance for career development.

Commitment and expectations

The Momentum Mentoring program is mentee-driven, meaning that mentees are expected to drive the mentoring relationship. It is important to understand the expectations as a mentee as well as what is reasonable to expect from a mentor during the program.

• Attendance at the induction session and any workshops scheduled during this program;
• Taking responsibility for scheduling the mentoring meetings;
• Commitment to mentoring meetings, which means not cancelling or rescheduling unless absolutely necessary;
• Meeting preparations with an agenda and discussion points;
• Respecting the mentor’s availability and work commitments;
• Openness to new ideas and constructive feedback, active listening and asking questions; and
• Behaving in a respectful and professional manner.

Student Profile

Hear from one of our 2023 MomentuM mentees, Aryan Shresth about their experience with the Program. Click here to read more. 

Aryan Shresth (left) is an ANU Bachelor of Laws (Hons)/Politics, Philosophy and Economics student who recently participated in a mentorship program with alumnus Dhinesh Thanenthirarajah (BEc/LLB (Hons) ’20).

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for this program?

The program is designed for active ANU Law students. If you are studying a Law degree, you are encouraged to apply.

How do I apply?

In the application form, you will be asked a series of questions regarding your details and mentor preferences for the program. You will also be asked to submit a short (1 minute) video with a brief self-introduction and describing what you wish to get out of the program. This video will be sent to your mentor.

How does the program work?

Students are paired with an Industry Professional as a mentor. After the application date closes, our Careers & Employability (C&E) team will work to match you with an appropriate mentor for the duration of the program in 2024.

There will be an introduction event at the beginning of the program for you to meet your mentor. From there, it is your responsibility to drive the mentorship by contacting your mentor and scheduling meetings.

To help you with this step, our C&E team will send out a monthly email with tips and suggestions for topics you can discuss with your mentor.

At the end of the program, we will host a special networking event for all mentees and mentors to re-connect and meet up with other mentors/mentees.

How do I contact my Mentor?

We will provide you with their contact details via your ANU email address. If there are any issues, please contact us on enquiries.law@anu.edu.au.

How often should I contact and or meet up with my Mentor?

We expect students to meet up with their mentors once a month. However, it is between you and your mentor to agree on the frequency, duration and mode of your meetings.

It is important to note that mentees should be committed to the meetings, which means not cancelling or scheduling unless absolutely necessary.

What should I do if my Mentor doesn’t reply to me?

As our mentors are working professionals, they may not be able to respond immediately. We ask that you wait an appropriate amount of time before re-contacting them again.

If they still do not respond, please contact our team and we will look into it.

I am having issues with my Mentor and I’m not sure what to do.

If you are having issues or feeling uncomfortable, please stop contacting your mentor and reach out to our team immediately.

You can call us on +02 6125 3483 or email enquiries.law@anu.edu.au.

I have unexpected work/study commitments. What should I do if I can't continue with the Mentoring Program?

Students are advised upon application that they should be able to commit a certain amount of time towards their mentorship.

As the program goes for most of the year, your mentors understand that there will be peak periods when you will be unable to meet up as frequently.

It is your responsibility to communicate any changes to your mentor ahead of time. By doing so, you can re-arrange to meet them at a later time.

If you are no longer able to commit to the program, please contact our team on enquiries.law@anu.edu.au or call us on +02 6125 3483.

Enquiries

For more information on clinical courses at the ANU College of Law, please contact the Careers and Employability team.

Email:enquiries.law@anu.edu.au

Phone:(02) 6125 3483