Grab a Coffee Program

By Spencer S. Fritts

Last year, the Law Student Outreach Committee of the Young Lawyers Division started a new and exciting initiative—the Grab a Coffee Program.  When creating the Grab a Coffee Program, our committee sought to create something that would require low investments of time and energy from our NCBA members yet offer high dividends for current law students.  After conducting a pilot program at Campbell School of Law earlier this year, which yielded terrific results and excellent feedback from both law students and participating attorneys, our Committee is expanding the Grab a Coffee Program across the state.

For a brief background, this program seeks to pair law students with practicing attorneys in their area of interest to grab coffee and discuss topics such as the attorney’s path to their current employment, what it is like working in their respective area of the law, and any general advice the attorney may have for the student.  The program is meant to be very informal, and we only ask that participating attorneys meet with a law student one time over coffee for roughly 30 minutes.  Of course, it is our hope that this one-time visit could blossom into a positive mentorship for the law student.

In order to make this program a success, we need volunteers and are looking for NCBA members to get together with current law students over coffee at a location that is convenient for you.  Although this program started in the Young Lawyers Division, all of our NCBA members are welcome to volunteer.  This is a great opportunity to connect with a law student and pass on valuable insight you may have about succeeding in law school, passing the bar exam, and entering the practice of law.

If an attorney would like to volunteer, please contact Spencer Fritts ([email protected]) with your name, preferred email address, geographic location, and area of practice.  We will notify volunteers by email when they are paired with more information, and the law student will be instructed to follow up to schedule the meeting.