Trial Court Administrator
In 2023, 50 organizations across the state used the Commission’s free, open-source mentoring curriculum as the foundation for their lawyer mentoring programs.
Since we began developing our professionalism-based curriculum for attorney mentoring programs in 2011, it has been used by law firms, bar associations, government offices, law schools, court districts, professional organizations, and a corporation.
Illinois’ 17th Judicial Circuit Court — which serves Winnebago County and Boone County — was part of the pilot program and one of the first court districts to use our mentoring curriculum. A Local Rule in the 17th Circuit now requires all new attorneys working or living in Winnebago County or Boone County to participate in its mentoring program.
We spoke to Tom Jakeway, Trial Court Administrator in the 17th Circuit, about the program and its impact on local attorneys.
The 17th Judicial Circuit has been part of the mentoring program since the 2009 pilot. Why has your court made mentoring a priority?
The 17th Circuit Court has a knack for innovation. By pioneering efforts, our Mandatory Arbitration Program was piloted in 1987, we established a Drug Court in 1996, and we debuted our Mental Health Court in 2005.
Professionalism is another deliverable in this same pioneering spirit. On a local level, it was the visionary project of two lead pioneers and former 17th Circuit Chief Circuit Judges, Justice Kathryn E. Zenoff and Judge Janet R. Holmgren.
Back in 2006, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism chose the 17th Judicial Circuit Court to design and test programs aimed at boosting civility and professionalism in law practice.
Working together, the court, the Winnebago County Bar Association, and the Boone County Bar Association created some groundbreaking professionalism initiatives. Components include development of a Statement of Professional Aspirations, Peer Review Council, and Mentoring Program for all newly licensed attorneys.
Our Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring program kicked off with its first batch of attorney mentees in 2011. As a legal community, we’ve made mentoring a priority for all newly licensed attorneys in our jurisdiction because we believe that through structured education and support, we can actively cultivate and sustain civility, inclusion, and professional integrity as expected cultural norms.
Who is eligible for the mentoring program?
Attorneys with less than five years of experience are eligible to join as mentees, while those with five or more years of experience can take part as mentors.
What impacts have you seen from the program on local attorneys?
Since inception, the Mentoring Program has welcomed over 270 new attorneys to our legal community. This process serves as an onboarding experience, designed with the same intent as onboarding in any organization. Every new attorney in our jurisdiction has been personally welcomed and guided by a more seasoned member of the bar.
A particularly noteworthy outcome of this program has been the mutual exchange of knowledge between mentors and mentees. Mentors have often been pleasantly surprised by the fresh perspectives their mentees bring.
As for lasting impact, it is truly rewarding to see former mentees from the program now stepping up to mentor newly admitted members of the bar. This commitment reflects the value they found in their mentoring experience and demonstrates their dedication to giving back by guiding the next generation.
How does mentoring benefit the 17th Judicial Circuit as a whole and the people it serves?
The 17th Circuit’s Aspirational Code sums it up beautifully: “… our primary obligations to clients and the legal system will best be served in a professional environment of mutual trust and respect… A community’s confidence that justice is available to all its members is a priceless public good. Essential to achieving that good is a healthy, efficient and dedicated bench and bar.”
Why should other Illinois judicial circuits administer the mentoring program?
Both the bench and the bar have shared interests in upholding the integrity of the judicial branch and better serving the needs of the public.
Collaboration between the bench and the bar on these issues will foster innovation through diverse perspectives.
When courts administer a mentoring program, there is an opportunity to collaborate and introduce — early in an attorney’s career — how important civility and professionalism are to the profession and the integrity of the judicial branch.
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