This Is What 20 Years of Mentorship Looks Like

This spring, nearly 40,000 students will graduate from law school in America. For many who are about to become lawyers, it’s a milestone reached with the assistance of mentors who have helped them along the way. But that milestone can be more difficult to attain when aspiring lawyers don’t see themselves reflected across the profession.

Even with increasing calls for diversity, a number that remains surprisingly low is the share of black law school graduates, and ultimately, lawyers. Despite some visible advances, just 5 percent of America’s 1.3 million licensed attorneys are black, according to 2010 data. The data also shows that black law-school students make up a higher share of summer associates than actual law-firm employees.

There are, or course, plenty of reasons why the black