Mentoring in the legal profession is not new. For women lawyers, in particular, mentors can be invaluable sources of guidance on everything from the nuts and bolts of the practice to work/life balance strategies. Many firms have formal mentoring programs for associates, pairing them with a partner or senior associate who can help them develop their skills as lawyers. Every young lawyer should seek out and develop a positive relationship with a mentor (and pay it forward to the next generation by becoming a mentor in the years ahead).

Did you know that …

There are more CEOs named John than female CEOs in total?

Just 2 per cent of venture-capital investment goes to women?

While we've made significant strides since the suffragettes of the early 1900s, we have ways to go. One way we can move the dial is through the power of sponsorship.

Sponsorship – often confused with but very different from mentorship – is one step beyond advocacy: It's someone being your champion, putting their reputation on the line for your career advancement.