Alumni | IN THE FIELD

Mentor Program Lets Alumni Share Career Wisdom

Students, alumni, and recent graduates at a recent Brooklyn Law School Mentor Program gathering.

Brooklyn Law School alumni well into their careers undoubtedly remember the bar exam jitters, the early career job interviews, and the challenges of being a new attorney.

The Brooklyn Law School Mentor Program, which returned this fall with 144 mentor-mentee matches, gives alumni a chance to answer that clichéd—but ever-interesting—interview question: What advice would you give to your younger self?

Alex Lesman ’05, a Legal Aid Society of New York City staff attorney and a Mentor Program veteran, provides supportive advice to Law School students and recent graduates, but is honest about challenges and disappointments as well.

“I feel strongly that mentoring benefits everyone: the individuals just starting out in a legal career, those doing the mentoring, and everyone in the field,” Lesman said. “Because mentoring helps prepare people to do better work sooner.”

Lesman also sees mentoring as another type of networking. “You never know who you’ll cross paths with in the future and who might be in a position to help you,” he said.

His mentee, Abby Fink ’23, plans to work in public defense in Brooklyn, so Lesman is the ideal mentor, she said.

“He was able to recommend classes to take, different avenues for getting into public defense, and how to approach my job search,” Fink said. “I think students underestimate the value of a mentor who is invested in your success. I plan to continue our relationship even post-law school.”

“I feel strongly that mentoring benefits everyone: the individuals just starting out in a legal career, those doing the mentoring, and everyone in the field.”

— Alex Lesman ’05, Legal Aid Society
of New York City

David Bayer ’13, a National Football League associate labor relations counsel, is another repeat participant in the Mentor Program. He recently mentored Lanie Halpern ’22, now a first-year associate at Fried Frank in the executive compensation/ERISA department.

“As a student and in my own career, I have gotten incredible value from mentors,” Bayer said. “There is no substitute for experience, and even though everyone’s path is different, speaking to somebody who has been in your shoes can be beneficial. I hope to be able to give my mentees a helpful perspective.”

Halpern affirms that Bayer has helped her navigate the job search, helped her prepare for interviews (tailoring answers and questions for each one), and supported her during a “very intense interview process during bar prep.” Halpern encourages students seeking mentors to be thorough on their applications to find the right match in their desired field, as she did with Bayer.

“David gave me effective tips on how I should go about applying for internships/jobs that would make me stand out from the applicant pool,” Halpern said. “He was also always thinking of who he could connect me with, and I have had numerous conversations with people in his network.” Bayer even set Halpern up on a practice interview with one of his friends who had given her a referral.

The relationship is ongoing, although the formal part ended.

“I still ask him for advice even though I have graduated and started a job,” Halpern said.

Pryor Cashman is sponsoring the Mentor Program kickoff event this year, an arrangement facilitated by partner Colleen Caden ’99, also an Alumni Association Board and Women’s Leadership Circle member.

Email Director of Alumni Engagement Sarah Gowrie, sarah.gowrie@brooklaw.edu for information on mentoring.

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