By: Linda Sugin, Professor of Law & Faculty Director for the Office of Professionalism, Fordham Law School

At Fordham Law School, we have a program that supports vulnerable second-year students, fosters cross-cultural understanding, builds friendships and professional networks, and teaches leadership skills.  Since its launch five years ago, hundreds of students have chosen to participate.  The premise of the program is simple: law students can support each other and achieve professional and personal growth if law schools provide a modicum of institutional support.  We have designed a professional identity formation course that equips 3L mentors with the skills and confidence they need to provide meaningful support to the 2L students they mentor.  Through collaboration with Fordham’s student affinity groups, the program also contributes to the law school’s DEI efforts.

In this article, published last spring in the NALP Bulletin, I described our program’s key elements.  Jordana Confino, Fordham’s Assistant Dean for Professionalism, and I are happy to share our syllabus and answer any questions you have about our program.  Feel free to contact me at lsugin@fordham.edu and/or Jordana at jconfino@fordham.edu.