Associate Jesse-Justin Cuevas was selected as a Finalist by Los Angeles Business Journal for its Mentor of the Year honor as part of the publication’s annual Women’s Leadership Awards. The Mentor of the Year recognition goes to a professional who has “demonstrated a commitment to bettering the careers of women in an informal or formal mentorship role.”
A natural born leader, Cuevas was instrumental in the overhaul and relaunch of SG’s mentoring program in 2020. Recognizing an opportunity to expand the once informal program and create rules to ensure that all lawyers – especially those from underrepresented backgrounds – are met, Jesse-Justin worked with senior leaders from the firm to design a new program that improves the associate experience overall while also ensuring that new and diverse lawyers receive the support needed to thrive.
Key components of the new program include:
- Ensuring the availability of both diverse and non-diverse partner mentors to female and minority attorneys (defined broadly to include all attorneys from historically underrepresented groups) to offer a diverse cross-section of understanding and support.
- Partner-associate meetings each month, over meals or other meaningful exchanges, to incorporate young lawyers into the social fabric of the firm.
- Review by mentors of their mentees’ docket and experience to gain deeper understanding of the areas where young attorneys may need to build practical skills.
The program, launched in 2021, has received overwhelming positive feedback from both associates and partners.
You can read Los Angeles Business Journal’s announcement of Jesse-Justin’s selection as finalist here.
