Neel Rokad, second-year LLP Law student was matched with a Partner at Ropes & Gray LLP for a 6-month mentoring partnership.

This mentor has worked for a variety of different law firms in his career. He started off at Slaughter and May, where he was first a Trainee and then became an Associate. After spending 11 years there, in 2005 he moved to Wickersham & Tarf, where he spent 3 years as a Partner.

Neel achieved all pre-set objectives, such as increasing his knowledge of job hunting techniques and improving his personal development objectives. He gave us an insight of his mentoring experience.

Were there any other objectives you achieved?

Getting help on soft skills such as networking.

Please let us know some of the highlights for you during the scheme.

Getting personalised advice on how my mentor got to where he was.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Really helpful advice on how to approach being rejected from interviews etc.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

I didn’t realise how much the Scheme would help me until I finished. The fact that you have someone who is at the apex of their field taking time out to discuss how you can improve and garner your own success is something that really motivates you.

His mentor also shared with us his excitement for the scheme:

“Neel was delightful and very much looking for advice!”