Colorado

Civil Procedure

Rule 255 – Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program

(1)Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program. The Colorado Supreme Court hereby establishes a Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program (“CAMP”). Through the fostering of mentoring relationships between lawyers seeking mentoring and experienced lawyer mentors, the goals of such program are to assist:

(a) Lawyers during the transition from law student to practitioner;

(b) Lawyers new to the practice of law in Colorado;

(c) Lawyers transitioning practice area, practice environment, or practice location;

(d) Lawyers to adopt and uphold the professional qualities of honesty, integrity, fairness, and civility in the legal profession;

(e) Lawyers to adopt high standards for client representation;

(f) Lawyers to acquire the knowledge of how to exercise professional judgment and carry out the highest ideals in the practice of law;

(g) Lawyers in the development of practical legal skills, knowledge of legal customs, and the use of best practices; and

(h) Lawyers in the appreciation of the law practice tradition of community service and pro bono activities.

CAMP and its director shall be under the supervision of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee (“Advisory Committee”) as set forth in C.R.C.P. 251.34(b)(3).

(2) CAMP Services. The Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program shall provide the following services throughout the state of Colorado:

(a) Promotion and support of lawyer mentoring generally within the legal community;

(b) Programming to increase the awareness and understanding of CAMP-approved mentoring programs and their benefits;

(c) Establishment and maintenance of a mentoring resource library of electronic materials for the development of educational programs, including but not limited to the following purposes: to promote professionalism, to teach lawyer practical skills, to increase knowledge of legal procedures and best practices and to otherwise improve new-lawyer legal abilities and professional judgment;

(d) Programming to increase mentoring skills within the legal profession;

(e) Assistance to lawyer groups and organizations that are developing CAMP-approved mentoring programs;

(f) Support services for lawyer groups and organizations in maintaining a successful CAMP-approved mentoring program;

(g) Support services and resources for successful mentoring relationships, and to increase mentoring skills;

(h) Oversight of CAMP-approved mentoring programs to ensure compliance with CAMP protocols, policies and procedures; and

(i) Maintenance and amendment of policies and procedures guiding CAMP-approved mentoring programs.

(3) Director. The Advisory Committee shall appoint a CAMP Director who serves at the pleasure of the Advisory Committee. The Director shall coordinate the annual budget of CAMP with the Advisory Committee. A portion of the annual attorney registration fee shall be used to establish and administer CAMP.

(4) Qualifications. The director shall have a Juris Doctor (“J.D.”) degree; at least five years of legal experience; and sufficient supervisory, management and training experience that may be necessary to properly administer CAMP.

(5) Powers and Duties. The CAMP Director shall act in accordance with these Rules and shall:

(a) Collaborate with existing mentoring programs in Colorado to further the goals of CAMP outside of CAMP-approved mentoring programs;

(b) Create, modify and maintain all requisite forms, agreements and online resources for administration of CAMP;

(c) Receive, review, and, where appropriate, approve organizations’ submissions of their mentoring programs for preapproval to be a part of CAMP;

(d) Receive, review, and approve mentee applicants for participation in CAMP;

(e) Receive, screen, and recommend mentor applicants for appointment;

(f) Receive, review, approve where appropriate, and transmit to the Board of Continuing Legal and Judicial Education (Attorney Registration/CLE office) the certificates of completion, certificates of partial completion, and CLE affidavits;

(g) Coordinate and perform ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of CAMP programs, and make recommendations accordingly;

(h) Recruit, hire, train, and supervise appropriate staff in administering CAMP;

(i) Recruit, select, and train lawyer volunteers for assistance in administering CAMP;

(j) Establish and maintain a permanent, central office to carry out the above duties and responsibilities;

(k) Maintain all records necessary for the successful administration of CAMP;

(l) Prepare and present the annual budget of CAMP in coordination with the Advisory Committee;

(m) Establish appropriate policies to assure that participants in CAMP shall be protected from any forms of discrimination or harassment;

(n) Perform all other tasks necessary to facilitate administration of the CAMP; and

(o) Perform such other related duties as the Supreme Court and the Advisory Committee may direct.

C.R.C.P. 255

Entire rule added and effective May 15, 2013; amended and adopted by the Court, En Banc, April 16, 2020, effective April 16, 2020, effective immediately.

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