I am proud to announce the rollout of the Philadelphia Women in IP Mentoring Program as the chair of this exciting program. This program is sponsored by the Women in Intellectual Property Subcommittee of the Philadelphia Bar Association, and seeks to facilitate and promote mentorship for women IP practitioners at various stages of their careers.
Women in IP law are a supportive, enthusiastic group, but one that is lacking in numbers, which is reflected in Law360’s Glass Ceiling Report: 2015. Women in IP need to know that this is a field where they can succeed. Having a support system can make or break any career. And in IP law, where the women are still a minority, mentorship is particularly crucial. Yet for a variety of reasons, mentoring relationships are hard for women to cultivate.
To that end, Cynthia Dahl and I have been building an ensemble where local attorneys can leverage their experiences to help each other – the Philadelphia Women in IP Mentoring Program.
Who should sign up as mentees?
We are interested in helping: IP practitioners at various stages of their careers; law students that are considering practicing IP law upon graduation; junior law firm associates that recently entered the field; senior associates that may be ready for the next chapter in their career; or even seasoned practitioners that need a sounding board.
Whether you are currently in law school, have recently entered the IP field, or are striving to advance your career in IP, we look forward to helping you find an empowering mentor.
Who should sign up as mentors?
Seasoned practitioners in the field of patent, copyright, trademark and other IP areas. Potential mentors include in-house attorneys, law firm practitioners and law school professors.
Join the program as a mentor to empower women in the field of IP, to become a key to their career success, and to meet other inspiring women and men in the profession.
Depending on participation, each mentor may be paired with one to three mentees. If you are not sure about how much time you can spend on mentoring, feel free to start with just one mentee.
We encourage the mentor to speak with each mentee at least once per quarter. Feel free to meet over lunch, coffee or chat over phone or email.
Alternatively, you could sign up as an “ad hoc” mentor. When a mentee seeks advice in a specific area that you have identified as one of your specialties, the program will direct the mentee to you.
How does pairing work?
Each mentee and mentor will fill out a brief survey, and the program will identify a suitable mentor based on common interests, geographic location and experience level.
Sold! But how do I get started?
Please fill out a brief sign-up survey via the link below by December 15, 2015, if you wish to be part of the initial around of pairing.
- Mentor sign-up survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y53WN8J
- Mentee sign-up survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2DTKYW8
Regardless of whether you participate in the program, please join our LinkedIn® Group ( Philadelphia Women in IP Mentoring Program )
Contact Information
Phone: 215-558-5719
Email: myang@condoroccia.com