Pathways to Practice Legal Mentoring

Shape the future of Law: become a mentor

At the University of Nottingham, we believe that meaningful connections between students and industry professionals can shape futures. That’s why we’re so proud of our Pathways to Practice mentoring scheme, which connects ambitious Law students with experienced barristers and solicitors. It’s about providing our students with support, advice, and encouragement from someone who’s already out there doing the job. This is the kind of mentorship that not only clarifies the path forward, but also makes people feel more confident walking it.

What is the Pathways to Practice mentoring scheme?

A virtual mentoring scheme connecting students from the University's School of Law with practicing solicitors and barristers. Whilst provisional deadlines are provided for completing mentoring meetings, the scheme is designed to be flexible to fit busy schedules. Mentoring can involve:

One to one video calls between mentors and students
Signposting students to relevant work experience opportunities
And/or directly organising work experience opportunities*

*While we welcome work experience offers, the primary purpose of the scheme is to facilitate conversations between mentors and students. As such, you do not need to provide a work experience opportunity to become a mentor.

Check out the Mentor Role Description: Pathways to Practice Mentoring Scheme

Already a mentor or mentee on the scheme? Check out the Mentoring Handbook for all the guidance you need!

A welcome message from Olympia Bekou, Head of the School of Law and Professor of Public International Law.

Testimonials

Mentee: With aspirations of becoming a solicitor, I wanted to understand more about the variety of roles available, and how I might prepare myself. Being partnered with a commercial lawyer in the Government Legal Department was a fantastic opportunity to explore this in a practical way.

My mentor John-Paul provided invaluable support, including helping me prepare for assessment centres and interviews. As a result, my confidence in pursuing a legal career has significantly improved. I feel much more career-ready, with a better understanding of how to navigate applications, interviews, and what to expect in practice.

I would highly recommend the scheme to other students. It's an incredible opportunity to expand your professional network, gain insider knowledge, and receive practical support - it’s significantly helped shape my career direction.

Hannah Devine (Law with European Law student)

Mentor: As a Nottingham alumnus, I always look for opportunities to support the university. As a mentor, I've been able to share my career journey with my mentee - including the challenges I faced and the skills they can build for practice. These insights allowed them to make more informed decisions, and better prepared them for the path ahead. I also really enjoyed listening to my mentee's unique perspectives, allowing me to learn from their proactiveness, eagerness to learn, and open-mindedness.

To me, this mentoring scheme demonstrates the School of Law's continuing efforts to not only teach its students the theory, but also to help them put it into practice. I would definitely recommend the scheme to other legal professionals.

Trung Nguyen, (LLB Law, 2013 and MSc Law and Accounting, 2014) Senior Counsel - HSBC Vietnam

Key mentoring dates

Mentor Registration Phase: Monday 2 June to Friday 24 October 2025
Student Application Phase: Monday 6 October to Sunday 26 October
Mentor/Mentee Matching Phase: Monday 27 October to Friday 31 October
Matching announcements and Invitation to Virtual Welcome Event: Monday 3 November to Wednesday 5 November
Virtual Welcome Event: Monday 17 November (from 7pm)
"Mentoring Phase" Commences: Monday 17 November 2025 - End of April 2026
Mentor Meeting One Deadline: End of January 2026*
Mentor Meeting Two Deadline: End of February 2026
Mentor Meeting Three Deadline: End of March 2026
"Mentoring Phase" Ends: Friday 1 May, allowing for additional meetings across April where appropriate
Mentor and Student Feedback Exercise: Early to mid-May 2026

*Meeting deadlines are provisional and subject to the preferences of mentors and their mentees. There is an expectation of at least three meetings during the mentoring phase. Mentors and students will also receive intermittent "check-in" emails from the Pathways to Practice team, to check everything is on track.

Why get involved as a mentor?

Make a real impact - support social mobility, widen access to the profession, and shape the next generation.
Reflect on your own journey - mentoring often leads to renewed purpose, perspective, and professional pride.
Flexible commitment - just one hour a month can open doors for someone else.
Build a stronger profession - help create a more inclusive, supportive legal community in Nottingham and beyond.

Why get involved as a student?

Learn from the experts in the legal sector - this is the kind of mentorship that not only clarifies the path forward but also makes you feel more confident walking it.
Build career confidence and readiness - fast-track your career planning with tips from seasoned professionals.
Plan for assessment centres and interviews - get the inside track on how to prepare.

Make professional connections - your network is your net-worth!

Register as a mentor:

If you're a qualified (or trainee) solicitor or barrister who can commit to supporting a student via virtual mentoring, we’d love for you to join our ever-growing mentor community!

Beforing registering as a volunteer mentor, please check out the Pathways to Practice Mentoring Scheme Role Description to ensure you understand the expectations of the role.

Become a mentor

Have a question before registering? Contact the Pathways to Practice mentor team here.

Are you a Law student looking for a mentor?

In order to apply, please submit an application form. Places are limited, so please provide as much information as possible to maximise your chance of securing a mentor. Before applying, please also consult the Student Code of Conduct.

There are currently two mentoring pathways open to students - Solicitor Mentoring, and Barrister Mentoring. If you wish to apply to both pathways, you will need to submit a seperate application for each one.

Students apply here

The closing date for students to apply for a mentor is Monday 27 October 2025.

Have a question before applying? Contact the Pathways to Practice Student team here.