Inn of Court Table 8 published in “The Bencher” March/April 2023

With nearly 40% of its membership Pupils and Associates, the Texas Tech University School of Law American Inn of Court in Lubbock, Texas, has prioritized mentoring in its programs for the 2022-2023 Inn year. Each program in fall 2022 adhered to the four principles that constitute the cornerstone of Inn mentoring: engagement, participation, focus, and complementing other bar programs.

In September, Inn members were encouraged to metaphorically don the judicial robe in a participatory program titled "Judging Judges: What Is the Proper Judicial Role?" Members learned different interpretive approaches to the law and participated in a mock judicial confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate's Judiciary Committee. The group discussed different methods of judicial selection and retention at the state and federal levels.

The next month, members engaged in an interactive program titled "Understanding Generational Differences and the Impact on Mentorship. Members debated whether scenarios raised professionalism concerns and learned about how generational differences affect communication styles and mentoring effort. With a program titled "Online Civility and Parameters within the Law; the Inn's November program explored the sometimes divergent professional and ethical standards practitioners encounter when interacting online. Armed with recent examples from attorney disciplinary decisions, members discussed tips regarding online civility and how uncivil conduct can extend beyond the transaction to adversely affect one's professional reputation and ability to represent clients.