Please note that the online Wellness Support Group start time has changed to 5:30 p.m. effective March 5. This meeting meets on the first, second, third, and fifth Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Please refer to the “Events” for more information.
Judicial Mentoring Program
February 8, 2022
Yesterday, VJLAP’s Deputy Clinical Director, Barbara Mardigian, and Virginia’s Lawyer Wellness Coordinator from the Supreme Court of Virginia (SCV), Margaret Hannapel Ogden, presented to a group of approximately 50 judicial mentors on wellness.
Since 2010, SCV’s Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) has sponsored a formal judicial mentoring program. The Program pairs sitting judges (with 2.5+ years on the bench) with newly appointed judged (the connection is made within 48 hours of appointment).
The mentor-mentee pairing promotes an open and confidential environment to provide professional guidance; emotional support; and counseling regarding wellness, professionalism, and informal organizational networks. This is intended to shorten the learning curve for new judges and build a stronger sense of community and connectivity within the judiciary.
All participating mentor-judges must complete a structured training coordinated through OES’s Department of Educational Services. In this two-day New Mentor Workshop, participants receive extensive training on the principles of mentoring; on the stages of human development and learning; and in actively listening, effectively communicating, critical thinking, and collaborative problem solving.