Watch the recording of the webinar in English, French, and Spanish here! (Passcode: youth@iawj2023)
On August 10th, the IAWJ organized a webinar titled “Mentorship Initiatives: Women Judges Inspiring the Future” organized. The webinar consisted in sharing the profound impact of mentorship programs led by the national chapters of the IAWJ in Jamaica, South Africa, the Philippines, and the United States of America, and how these initiatives contribute to a stronger and more inclusive judiciary and legal regime for the generations to come.
Justice Sonia Bertram Linton from the Supreme Court of Jamaica shared some of their initiatives. They include inspiring women and girls to be strong women by giving talks in high schools and making sure that they can progress and see leadership as something that is for them. Furthermore, women judges partnered with the Women Center of Jamaica to support women that have become pregnant in secondary school. They offer them educational, social, and institutional support so that they can continue their education despite the challenges that come with pregnancy. During COVID, the Jamaica Association of Women Judges (JAWJ) assisted them with study marathons as they were in lockdown.
The association also visited the center to assist in supplying them with food and tablets. Justice Bertram-Linton shared that mentorship is not only about teaching but inspiring and motivating. For her, communication is a key part of mentorship as mentors must share a vision, empower and celebrate mentees’ accomplishments, and discipline should prevail when motivation is missing. She mentioned that mentorship goes further than what you have to say, it is also what you do because people are looking.
“As judges, being mentors, it is something that we were not trained to do, but if they are going to be doing it, we simply had to do our best.” - Justice Bertram-Linton
In addition to this, Judge Luciana Jackson from the Parish Court of Jamaica shared her personal experience of how when she was in high school the Chief Justice of Jamaica came and talked about what is it to be a lawyer and to be a judge. She mentioned how one person can light the “bomb” and inspire young people by telling them that they can become anything they want to be if they just put it in mind. This happened to her, and that was how she knew she wanted to become a judge.
“As a young judge, you can inspire young people.” - Judge Lucian Jackson
Judge Ruby Matthys of the Gauteng Regional Division in South Africa explained the circular mentoring program they are running. The program is aimed at final-year university students, who are introduced to professionals who can expose them to practical issues in the legal field. The legal profession in South Africa is a closed circle and therefore a challenge for young people to develop an early sense of the profession. Therefore, the aim of mentorship is for women to advance in the profession, but it welcomes all people regardless of the gender they identify with.
She shared that there has been a fast rate of acceptance of the program, having started with two Universities, today there are already 10 throughout 5 of the 9 provinces of the country. In 8 years, there have been about 1,500 students who have successfully completed the program and are now working in law, maintaining a solid relationship with their mentors. Some of the topics they address in mentoring are also career challenges, such as addressing work-life balance, financial health, mental health, and personal branding. Some of the outcomes of this project are confidence building, guidance on practical exposure, and networking. Finally, she concluded by noting that, as a mentor, she is also enriched by the mentees, for example, in technology skills or social media management.
"By teaching we learn and by learning we teach." - Magistrate Ruby Matthys
Next, Justice Emily L. San Gaspar from the Court of Appeals of the Philippines honored Justice Cecilia Muñoz and how she cracked the glass ceiling by being the first woman to be appointed as Justice of the Supreme Court in 1973, paving the way for other distinguished women. She mentioned that those women who get into the small opening, serve as beacon of light for women to accomplish greater things and to see gender no longer as an obstacle in their judicial careers. By showing them the way, they encourage more women to dream and follow the trail acting as mentors for younger generations. She also commented that the Philippine Women's Judges Association (PWJA) has succeeded in institutionalizing formal mentorship programs as well as encouraging informal ones. Regarding formal mentorship, the Philippines have a clinical legal education program that allows limited practice of law for law students. The country also has a mandatory continuing legal education for lawyers every three years and a one-month immersion program for judges where they are under the supervision of more experienced judges before assuming their judicial functions.
The informal mentorship happens among peers and that is when the PWJA gains a lot of importance. In this program, judges do not only have the opportunity to meet more experienced ones who serve as mentors in the performance of their judicial functions, but also, are allowed to sit with them in positions to propose policies, activities, and programs, as well as encouraging them to meet with fellow judges in the international arena, though the IAWJ Biennial Conferences for example. She also shared that another form of mentoring that can be considered highly effective is sharing inspiring stories of how women judges have navigated their way on the bench against discrimination or other obstacles, and what/who helped and inspired them to continue. All these kinds of mentoring are happening simultaneously, and they will continue to ensure women judges get promoted to higher judicial posts and are able to mentor younger judges.
“The cycle continues and one way of expressing gratitude is to pay it forward.” - Justice Emily San Gaspar
Judge Jaqueline Martin-Balictar from the Philippines was also present and shared how the COVID pandemic helped embrace technology and became the avenue to become closer to one another. Today, judges are in touch through technology, sharing experiences, and methodologies, and sharing how to deal with challenges.
“Mentoring does not only involve knowledge and wisdom but also sharing life experiences to serve as an inspiration and guide.” - Judge Jacqueline Martin-Balictar
Furthermore, Judge Norah A. Jean François from the Court of Cassation of Haiti shared that after the 2010 earthquake, members from distinct positions in the judiciary adopted mentorship programs with groups of children helping in their education. Many of these people are now working in the legal field. As well, in 2015, they did a mentoring program by creating a collaboration agreement with the State University of Haiti recruiting young women from different careers, some of them are already lawyers while others have gone into diplomacy.
On the other hand, Judge Lisa Walsh from the Circuit Court for the 11th Judicial Circuit in Miami, USA shared that the North America Women Judges (NAWJ) has structured its programming as a ladder of mentorship by reaching young law students and lawyers who aspire to become judges. She also mentioned their program “Color of Justice” which encourages school-age girls and minorities of all age levels to consider judicial and legal careers by bringing them together with judges and lawyers providing the resources to pursue their goals. Among these projects, they have allowed students to practice in their real courtrooms giving closing arguments and examining witnesses. They also continue to encourage women lawyers to consider judicial careers and seek to make the process of appointment and election to the bench more transparent and accessible to all. Finally, they have a mentorship program for Afghan women judges to help them rebuild their professional lives in the USA.
Last, but not least, Retired Judge Toni E. Clarke from the Circuit Court for Prince George´s Country Maryland, USA, shared how they have reached out to law schools to allow students to meet with members of the NAWJ during their annual general assembly. During these, students are provided with some topics for discussion and are free to ask questions to the judges and to talk to all of them. This is designed to encourage students to look for judicial clerkship opportunities.
“Aside from our obligations through professional organizations like NAWJ, mentorship is an obligation in our professional lives as individual judges. We have a commitment to do for others what was done for us.” - Judge Lisa Walsh