Empower the Next Generation of Lawyers by Sharing Your Expertise and Experience – Become a PREP Connect Mentor

The Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED) is pleased to announce the launch of a pilot mentorship program designed to bridge the gap between education and employment for candidates of the Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP). Understanding the nuances and challenges of securing an articling position can be daunting. That is why CPLED is here to support candidates by connecting them with those who have successfully navigated this path, such as accomplished PREP alums and firm employers.

“Empowering our candidates with not just practical skills but real-world insights and connections is a cornerstone of our commitment to supporting our candidates. PREP Connect is more than an initiative – it is a bridge to the future, built from our legal community’s collective wisdom and experiences,” says Liza Worthington, CPLED CEO.

Participating in PREP Connect is optional for candidates seeking articles. It offers a valuable opportunity for learning and networking through focused, one-on-one meetings with voluntary subject matter experts, also called mentors. During these meetings, candidates will discuss the articling search process and life while articling.

Mentors can either be:

• Employers – legal recruiters and articling coordinators from law firms and other legal employers in provinces where PREP is required before Bar call
• PREP alumni – individuals who completed PREP in 2021 or later

How PREP Connect works:

• Mentors create a profile and indicate their areas of expertise, including employer types, articling topics and job search skills. They also indicate their dates of availability for mentoring sessions.
• Mentees browse the online mentor profiles and choose sessions with mentors who can advise on their topics of interest. The self-match system allows mentees to seek guidance and insights relevant to their needs with mentors in various work settings.

The PREP Connect pilot has 24 active mentors and over 30 mentees, with mentee participants expected to grow in the coming months.

CPLED Student Services is always looking for volunteer mentors. If you are employed by a firm or other legal employer in Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, or Saskatchewan as a legal recruiter or are a PREP alumni, we would love to hear from you whether you are interested in mentoring in the ongoing pilot or participating in the 2025/2026 program. Contact us at student.services@cpled.ca for more information on the program and to sign up.