One conversation with the right
mentor can redefine your career!
The BCBA Peer Mentorship Program is a structured initiative that pairs mentors and mentees for a period of 6 months. Through regular meetings and continuous engagement, mentors and mentees will work together to achieve specific professional goals, enhance skills, and build meaningful connections within the legal community.
- Career Guidance: Provide mentees with personalized advice and strategies for career development.
- Skill Development: Enhance specific professional skills through targeted learning and practice.
- Networking: Expand professional networks by connecting mentees with experienced legal professionals.
- Personal Growth: Foster confidence, resilience, and clarity in professional aspirations.
- Leadership Development: Enhance your leadership and mentorship skills.
- Professional Satisfaction: Experience the fulfillment of contributing to the professional growth of others.
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with other mentors and mentees within the BCBA community.
- Fresh Perspectives: Gain new insights from the experiences and questions of your mentee.
- Tailored Guidance: Receive advice and support tailored to your career goals and challenges.
- Skill Enhancement: Improve key professional skills through hands-on guidance and feedback.
- Professional Connections: Build a robust network within the Canadian legal community.
- Personal Development: Grow in confidence and professional clarity through regular mentorship interactions.
Program Duration: 6 months
- Application Period: July 1, 2024 to July 15, 2024
- Matching Period: July 15, 2024 to September 1, 2024
- Match Date: September 2, 2024
- Program Kick-off:
- Milestone: Match Date – Beginning of the program
- Activities: Introduction of mentors and mentees, overview of the program, setting initial goals.
- Initial Meeting Between Mentor and Mentee:
- Milestone: Within the first two weeks
- Activities: Discuss expectations, establish meeting schedule, and set preliminary goals.
- Mid-Program Check-in:
- Milestone: Midway through the program
- Activities: Review progress, address any challenges, adjust goals as necessary.
- Monthly Progress Reviews:
- Milestone: End of each month
- Activities: Mentor and mentee to discuss progress, provide feedback, and adjust plans.
- Final Review and Feedback:
- Milestone: End of the program
- Activities: Reflect on the mentorship experience, evaluate outcomes, provide feedback on the program, and discuss future steps.
For Mentees:
- Complete the Application Form: Fill out the Mentee Application Form, providing your personal and professional details, mentorship goals, and preferences.
- Selection Process: Applications will be reviewed, and mentees will be matched with mentors based on their goals and preferences.
For Mentors:
- Express Interest: Fill out the Mentor Expression of Interest Form to express your interest in becoming a mentor.
- Review and Approval: Our team will review your application and match you with a suitable mentee.
- Brazilians with a Lawyer’s License in Any Canadian Province: Brazilian Bachelor of Law who have obtained a lawyer’s license in any Canadian province.
- NCA/LLM Students: Brazilian Bachelor of Law currently pursuing or who have completed the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) process or a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in Canada.
- Other Careers: Brazilian Bachelor of Law working in alternative careers, such as paralegals, clerks, assistants, contracts managers, privacy professionals, etc.
- Academia: Brazilian Bachelor of Law involved in academic roles, such as teaching or research, in Canada or aspiring to enter the academic field in Canada.
- Aspiring Immigrants: Brazilian Bachelor of Law with issued student or work permits, or those with issued permanent residency, currently based in Brazil and awaiting to land in Canada.
For Mentees:
- Professional Background: Brazilian Bachelor of Law living in Canada, except for the Aspiring Immigrant category.
- For Aspiring Immigrants Category: Brazilian Bachelor of Law based in Brazil with issued student or work permits, or permanent residency awaiting to land.
- Commitment: Available for monthly meetings for 6 months.
- Membership: Registered member of the Brazil Canada Bar Association.
For Mentors:
- Professional Experience: Brazilian Bachelor of Law with experience in legal recruitment processes, university application processes, law, academia, or alternative legal careers in Canada.
- Commitment: Available for monthly meetings for 6 months.
- Membership: Registered member of the Brazil Canada Bar Association.
The BCBA Peer Mentorship Program values the privacy and confidentiality of all participants. All personal and professional information shared within the program will be handled with the utmost care and protected according to our Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement, which all mentees and mentors will be required to sign to participate.
As part of the BCBA Peer Mentorship Program, we will collect personal data including your name, email, and phone number. This information is collected solely for the purpose of running the mentorship program and facilitating communication between mentors and mentees. By participating in the program, mentors and mentees acknowledge and give their consent for this data to be used accordingly.
Lara Merjane
Corporate and M&A Lawyer at The Ross Firm Professional Corporation
LinkedIn Profile
Lara Merjane is a Corporate and M&A Associate Lawyer at The Ross Firm Professional Corporation. She specializes in complex M&A, commercial agreements, and corporate reorganizations. Lara is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School and has been admitted to the bars of Brazil and Ontario.
Bruna Kalinoski
Intellectual Property Lawyer at Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP
LinkedIn Profile
Bruna Kalinoski is an Intellectual Property Associate Lawyer at Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP with expertise in intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, and technology litigation. She holds an LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School and an LL.B. from the University of Santa Catarina. Bruna has been admitted to the bars of Ontario and Alberta.
