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Joseph A. Melli Mentorship Program

Attorneys in their first 5 years of practice qualify to participate as mentees.

Practicing attorneys with more than 10 years of practice qualify to participate as mentors.

In 2006, the late Joe Melli, then-Chair of the Senior Lawyers Section, and Josh Kindkeppel, then Chair of the New Lawyers Section, joined forces to create the Dane County Mentorship Program. The Mentorship Program launched a pilot program in the fall of 2007 matching 10 mentees with 10 mentors. The Program was a success and was expanded in subsequent years. The concept of the Program is simple: match new attorneys with seasoned veterans based on an area of practice/interest. The Program strives to establish meaningful relationships between mentors and mentees and to encourage a greater appreciation for the law and the importance of civility in everyday legal practice.

Attorneys in their first 5 years of practice qualify to participate as mentees. Practicing attorneys with more than 10 years of practice qualify to participate as mentors. Mentees provide the Program with their area(s) of practice/interest and the Program seeks out and matches them with mentors with the same areas of practice/interest.

The program year runs from September through June, and a minimum of one meeting a month between mentors and mentees is required. It is suggested that mentors invite the mentee to depositions, hearings, bar meetings and trials to enhance the opportunity of the mentee to observe the reality of the practice of law in Dane County. Additionally, the Program hosts an orientation and social hour at the start of the program year and three luncheons throughout the rest of the program year for all the mentees and mentors. The luncheons feature a speaker on a topic of interest for CLE credit, and lunch is provided by the DCBA.

Among the matters to be discussed between mentors and mentees are ethics, professionalism, legal etiquette, civility, relationships with clients and other attorneys, the judiciary and the public, professional work habits, organizational skills and practice management, economics of practicing law, and responsibility and opportunities for pro bono work, bar activities, and community service.

The mentoring relationship is to foster the development of the mentee's practical skills, increase his or her knowledge of legal customs and create a sense of pride and integrity. The mentoring relationship should improve legal ability and professional judgment and should impart the use of best practices and highest ideals in the practice of law.

A successful relationship of any kind requires both parties to want the relationship to work. This is especially true in a mentoring situation where mentor and mentee can develop a satisfactory association where both are committed to meeting their responsibilities. By allowing each other the freedom to openly discuss and work on professional issues, without censure and on a regular basis, the mentee and mentor are well on their way to an enjoyable, stimulating and rewarding experience.

Orientation Materials

  • Ideas for Mentoring
  • Ethical Issues

Interested in joining the Joseph A. Melli Mentorship Program Section?

Join Now!

Erica Gittings

Wisconsin Divorce Solutions LLC

  • Phone: 6089990463
  • Email: erica@wisconsindivorcesolutions.com

Mr. Tim Kiefer

Kiefer Law Office, LLC

  • Phone: 6083587213

Mrs. Rebecca Fauver

  • Phone: 6089603194

Francis Sullivan

Retired

  • Phone: (608) 267-2222
  • Email: xav13@hotmail.com

Matthew Primozic

  • Phone: 9209800242
  • Email: cprimozic@hotmail.com

Mason Higgins

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

  • Phone: 608-220-7341
  • Email: mahiggins@michaelbest.com

Alyson Rish

  • Phone: 920-819-9933
  • Email: asrish@asu.edu

Michael Remington

Senior Consultant

  • Phone: 215 609 0135
  • Email: remingmj@aol.com

Elizabeth Pierson

Law Forward, Inc.

  • Phone: 4147089632
  • Email: elizabeth.m.pierson@gmail.com

Mai Chao Thao

  • Phone: 6086633891
  • Email: mcthao@uwalumni.com

Diana Eisenberg

Stroud, Willink & Howard, LLC

  • Phone: 6082572281
  • Email: deisenberg@stroudlaw.com

Emilia Janisch

Axley Brynelson, LLP

  • Phone: 16082343289
  • Email: ejanisch@axley.com

Mrs. Gail Groy

GROY Law Firm, SC

  • Phone: 2623441548
  • Email: gail@groylaw.com

Jack Sweeney

DOJ

  • Phone: N/A
  • Email: sweeneyjack72@gmail.com

Mr. Thomas Hoffner

Certus Legal Group, Ltd.

  • Phone: (608) 729-7330

Ms. Melinda Murphy

PBS Wisconsin

  • Phone: 6082654437

Jacob Gardner

  • Phone: 9203186640
  • Email: gardner5@wisc.edu

Amy Devine

Haskins Short & Brindley LLC

  • Phone: 608-237-6673
  • Email: amy@hsbelderlaw.com

Meg Sternitzky

  • Phone: N/A
  • Email: msternitzky@wisc.edu

Mrs. Shannon Conlin

Dean Health Plan, Inc.

  • Phone: 6088287591

Liam Gilhooly

  • Phone: 7739517824
  • Email: gilhoolyliam@gmail.com

Ms. Emma Ferguson

Community Justice, Inc.

  • Phone: 6084423004

Jacqueline Cuellar

  • Phone: N/A
  • Email: jackie.a.cuellar@gmail.com

Lisa Lietz-Ray

Laffey, Sebranek, Auby & Ristau, S.C.

  • Phone: (608)478-4823

Jacob Harris

Husch Blackwell LLP

  • Phone: (608) 255-4440

Dan Gartzke

Boardman & Clark LLP

  • Phone: 608-283-1755

Megan Phillips

Phillips Law Group LLC

  • Phone: 608-888-2030
  • Email: mphillips@phillipslg.com

Eva Hitchcock

Stroud, Willink & Howard, LLC

  • Phone: 6502422797
  • Email: ehitchcock@stroudlaw.com

Mrs. Juanita Tirado

  • Phone: N/A

Paul Kinne

Gingras, Thomsen & Wachs

  • Phone: (608) 833-2632
  • Email: kinne@gtwlawyers.com

Mr. Francis Sullivan

  • Phone: (608) 267-8915

Sam Wayne

Wayne Law S.C.

  • Phone: 608-410-1121

Tyler Manley

Axley Brynelson LLP

  • Phone: 608-283-6794

Polly Shoemaker

polly.shoemaker@gwaar.org

  • Phone: 855-409-9410

Nicole Swails

Wayne Law S.C.

  • Phone: 608-410-1120

Elizabeth McIntire

Phillips Law Group LLC

  • Phone: N/A

Mr. Harvey Wendel

Murphy Desmond

  • Phone: (608) 669-7891

JoAnne Kloppenburg

Wisconsin Court of Appeals District IV

  • Phone: (608) 267-3100

Robert Stroud

Stroud, Willink & Howard

  • Phone: (608) 257-2281
  • Email: rstroud@stroudlaw.com

Joshua Kindkeppel

Pines Bach LLP

  • Phone: (608) 251-0101

Ms. Amanda Gennerman

Pines Bach LLP

  • Phone: 6082510101

Ms. Meghan Roed

OneEnergy Renewables

  • Phone: 6087709883

Mr. Joseph Rolling

von Briesen & Roper, s.c.

  • Phone: (608) 661-3974

Ms. Kimberly Gutierrez

Husch Blackwell

  • Phone: 3124341847
  • Email: kimberly.gutierrez@huschblackwell.com

LISA MAYVILLE

  • Phone: (202)441-5470

Mr. John Starkweather

Boardman & Clark LLP

  • Phone: (608) 257-9521

Mr. Jonathon Davies

Wisconsin Department of Justice

  • Phone: 16082618125
  • Email: daviesjm@doj.state.wi.us

Leah Toro

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

  • Phone: 6082832249

Abby Moe

Nicholson Goetz & Otis

  • Phone: 6082376854

Brittany Wilson

  • Phone: 608-266-4511

Ms. Laura Lyons

SECURA Insurance

  • Phone: 920.224.7186

Ms. Linda Clifford

Linda Clifford Law Office, LLC

  • Phone: (608) 255-1115

Christopher Dodge

Fuhrman & Dodge, SC

  • Phone: (608) 327-4202
  • Email: cdodge@fuhrmandodge.com

Committees / Sections

  • Case Mediation
  • Courthouse
  • Delivery of Legal Services
  • Finance
  • History and Memorials
  • Law for the Public
  • Long Range Planning
  • Special Events
  • Program
  • Communications
  • New Lawyers
  • Senior Lawyers
  • Criminal Law
  • In-House Counsel & Government Lawyers
  • Joseph A. Melli Mentorship Program

Dane County Bar Association

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    Dane County Bar Association
    Post Office Box 44008
    Madison, WI 53744-4008

  • Phone

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  • Email

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