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The pace and pressures of modern legal practice are making meaningful mentorship harder for young lawyers to find, highlighting the importance of experienced practitioners in developing sound judgement, measured advocacy, and the next generation of the profession.
For young lawyers, building a career is no longer simply about developing technical expertise.
Yet, finding the right guidance and learning how to navigate the pressures of modern practice can be just as important.
That is the opinion of Liberty Papas, who was admitted into the Supreme Court of South Australia earlier this year and is currently working as a solicitor at Divorce Legal.
Talking to Lawyers Weekly, Papas highlighted that the broader mentorship gap is increasingly evident in everyday legal practice, where young lawyers are finding it harder to access the guidance and support that previous generations may have taken for granted.
“I think it is much harder for young lawyers to find meaningful mentors than it might have been for previous generations,” Papas said.
“One of the biggest reasons is simply that everyone is so busy; senior practitioners are under immense pressure to manage large caseloads, respond to clients quickly and keep up with the increasing pace of practice.
“As a result, the time that was once available for informal mentoring, thoughtful discussions and teaching junior lawyers has become limited.”
Meaningful mentorship is becoming increasingly difficult to access as senior practitioners face growing workloads and expectations of constant responsiveness.
In family law, where communication and judgement can directly influence the course of a dispute, the absence of considered guidance can be particularly significant.
Mentorship remains essential to developing lawyers who advocate with confidence, care, and perspective.
Recently, Selina Nikoloudakis – the principal at Divorce Legal – noted that a growing mentorship gap is leaving young lawyers without the guidance and practical support they need to develop professionally, forcing many to navigate the early stages of their legal careers on their own.
With the demands of modern legal practice continuing to intensify, the traditional pathways for aspiring lawyers to learn through close observation, conversation, and day-to-day interaction with experienced practitioners are becoming extremely hard to find.
“Mentorship has traditionally been built through observation, conversation, and the opportunity to work closely alongside more experienced lawyers,” Papas said.
“Those moments are harder to come by when the focus is on meeting tight deadlines and responding to the constant flow of emails and client communications.
“While many senior lawyers are committed to developing the next generation, the realities of modern practice often leave little room for the kind of sustained guidance that mentoring requires.”
Papas highlighted that the erosion of traditional mentoring has occurred alongside another defining feature of modern legal practice, that being the growing expectation that lawyers be available and responsive at all times.
“Another significant change is the pace at which we now practice law,” she said.
“Having worked in the profession since late 2024 as a law clerk, to now being admitted to practice, some months ago in April 2026, I have observed a shift towards the expectation of immediate responsiveness.
“Rather than taking the time to slow down, carefully consider an issue and provide measured advice, there is often pressure to ‘fire back’ an email or letter as quickly as possible, to demonstrate to the client that we are fully engaged and on the front foot.”
Papas indicated that in family law, the pressure to respond immediately can be particularly problematic, given the significant impact that a lawyer’s communication can have on the trajectory of a case.
“From a family law perspective, a culture of immediacy can sometimes be problematic,” Papas said.
“The way lawyers communicate can have a significant impact on the trajectory of a case, and reacting quickly without taking the time to reflect can unnecessarily inflame disputes, escalate conflict and make resolution more difficult.”
Papas pointed out the importance of having a more knowledgeable and proficient lawyer for younger, aspiring lawyers to look up to.
“Experienced practitioners have the ability to teach young lawyers that effective advocacy is not measured by how quickly or aggressively you respond, but by the quality of your judgement,” she said.
