The impact of having a mentor on earnings and promotion: evidence from a panel study of lawyers

Abstract

Based on our analysis of longitudinal data from the American Bar Association's National Survey of Career Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction, we report on the economic consequences of having a mentor. Specifically, we find that individuals who reported having a mentor in 1984 were more likely (in 1990) to have achieved partner status. However, we find no evidence of any statistically significant link between protegeship in 1984 and earnings in 1990.