Scott Parker, co-founder of Parker Ibrahim & Berg in Somerset, has supervised hundreds of cases since the firm launched in 2011, and in so doing has mentored nearly every young lawyer at the firm, colleagues say, noting that he ensures that each attorney understands not just his or her task in the engagement, but the strategic whole. Parker also works closely with young attorneys on business development, and monitors their workload, reassigning matters if some attorneys are taking on too much, they say.

Is the role of mentor one that you set out to take, or one you happened into?