IE University recently launched the ONTIER Mentoring Experience program for undergraduate law students studying the Dual Degree in Business Administration and Law, the Dual Degree in Laws and International Relations, the Bachelor of Laws, and the Bachelor in Philosophy, Politics, Law and Economics (PPLE).
During this academic year, 12 students are taking part in this opportunity, with each having been assigned a mentor working at ONTIER. Mentors are ONTIER lawyers that practice in different areas of law, such as intellectual property, real estate, tax, labor law, public law, commercial law, procedural law, and criminal law. Mentors will advise, guide, and support students as they enter the labor market, and students will also have access to exclusive conferences and events at the law firm, enabling them to truly feel part of it.
ONTIER is a global law firm based in London and operates in 14 countries around the world—Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Spain, the USA, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, the UK, and Venezuela. The full-service international law firm specializes in complex corporate and commercial transactions and international commercial disputes.
Regarding this one-of-kind program, Carolina Callejon, part of IE Talent & Careers legal department said, “In November we had a meeting with the Head of HR at ONTIER and began to start shaping the program. The idea was to target students from third year onwards who would be thinking about their careers and provide them with guidance and support throughout the process.”
To further explain the reasoning, Carolina continued, “In accordance with IE’s international profile and multicultural environment, ONTIER’s lawyers have global experience and diverse professional profiles, making them a great fit to help students that are equally as unique and international. The ONTIER Mentoring Experience program allows lawyers to act as mentors, reconnecting with the academic world. It also allows students to become familiar with the labor market, guided by young lawyers who can advise them on the practice area they want to join, as well as open their eyes to their professional career options.”
When asked why she was interested in this experience, Angela Selzer, student of the Dual Degree in Laws and International Relations said, “Taking part in the Mentoring Experience program at ONTIER, a leading international law firm—with its renowned expertise in public law and urban planning in Spain—is a tremendous opportunity for me to gain insights into the field, learn directly from a practitioner, and understand how to best convert my passion into a career.”
Mateo Mollier, student of the Dual Degree in Business Administration and Law added, “My goal is to become a lawyer, and I believe that the ONTIER Mentorship Experience program can provide invaluable experience to help me to define my career path. Meeting my mentor could have been stressful, but our minimal age gap and shared experiences at IE University meant it was truly amazing. The informal setting helped me to feel comfortable to ask lots of questions and get to know Álvaro, who followed a very similar academic path to the one I’m following now.”
“This program and the expertise of my mentor will equip me with the tools and resources I need to adapt my knowledge base and practical skills to a specialized environment, as well as develop my understanding of the vocational requirements and expectations of the practice and the firm,” concluded Lara Hickson, a Philosophy, Politics, Law and Economics student.
“The launch event was fantastic.” said Carolina Callejon. “I felt extremely proud of our students and very appreciative of the amazing work Laura Simón from the IE Talent & Careers department did on matching the mentors with mentees. Looking at the boardroom table where they were all sitting, you could see our students blend perfectly with the lawyers they were paired with.
The introductory presentation by ONTIER focused on the format of the program, emphasizing its flexibility and the willingness of the mentors to help the mentees with decisions related to their future careers. It covered topics from practicing as a lawyer and areas of interest to how to adapt to a working life. In return, the mentees are expected to provide a fresh and innovative perspective on current matters. The main highlight was undoubtedly the first meeting between mentors and mentees—it went extremely well, to the point that conversations continued way beyond the allocated time. Everybody felt comfortable and at ease, and it was reassuring to see our future lawyers mix perfectly with the more experienced ones. I’m really hopeful that the program will be a success.”
We hope this experience is tremendously beneficial for both mentors and mentees and are looking forward to hearing from them again soon!
