Have you ever walked into a networking event and felt that familiar knot in your stomach? You know the scene – a room full of lawyers clutching drinks, having animated conversations, while you are trying to figure out who to approach first.
Or maybe you have mastered the art of collecting business cards…only to have them gather dust in your desk drawer, those promising connections fading with each passing day.
Here’s the truth: networking doesn’t have to be this way. This guide will show you how to build genuine relationships that last – no badge-hunting required.
Networking is a crucial skill for every professional, including for people in the legal industry. However, people often struggle with this. Some are hesitant to engage at all. Others network too selectively, either viewing everyone as competition or only connecting with potential clients. To build a strong, effective network, developing genuine personal relationships is essential rather than merely seeking immediate gains.
What is Networking?
Networking involves creating and maintaining professional relationships that offer mutual benefits over time. It’s about connecting with others in your field, exchanging information, and offering support. This can include relationships with peers, mentors, clients, and other professionals in the legal profession.
Why is Networking Important?
Career advancement
Networking can open doors to new job opportunities, promotions, and career growth. Employers fill a majority of their positions through referrals and having a strong network can increase your chances of being recommended.
Knowledge and skills development
Engaging with a diverse group of professionals can expose you to new ideas, practices, and areas of law. It provides opportunities for learning and professional development that you might not find on your own.
Support system
A strong network provides emotional and professional support. Peers and mentors can offer advice, feedback, and encouragement, helping you navigate the challenges of your career.
Business development
For practising lawyers, networking is crucial for client acquisition and retention. Building relationships with potential clients and other professionals can lead to new business opportunities.
Tips for Effective Networking
Expand your network beyond immediate gains
Avoid limiting your interactions to those who can offer immediate benefits. This is one of the most common mistakes people make. If you are at a conference or an event – don’t just ‘badge hunt’. It is okay to identify a few key people to connect with but don’t let your focus revolve solely around them.
Engage with different people without caring about the company name on the badge – it’s often the connections you least expect that end up being the most valuable, whether that’s peers, mentors, students, and professionals from different fields. This broadens your perspective and can lead to unexpected opportunities.
Build Genuine Relationships
Focus on creating meaningful connections rather than simply collecting contacts. People can tell when you’re only talking to them for personal gain, and they’ll likely back away. Show genuine interest in others, listen actively, and avoid focusing solely on promoting yourself.
Offer Value
If you are a young lawyer/a law student – a great way to get a foot in the door is to offer help and support. As a young professional, you likely have more free time than established lawyers do. Use this to your advantage. Offer assistance without any expectation of return and this generosity will often be reciprocated and can strengthen your professional relationships.
Attend Diverse Events
Participate in a variety of events, such as seminars, workshops, and community gatherings. You can tailor it around your specific interest – such as arbitration, intellectual property, real estate, etc. This exposes you to different people having a similar interest to you and gives you some conversation starters automatically.
Practice Patience
Building a strong network takes time and consistent effort. Focus on nurturing relationships rather than seeking immediate gains. The benefits of a robust network will manifest over time.
Don’t Forget to Network Internally
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many lawyers don’t know everyone in their firm, regardless of its size. You should also network internally, these people are not necessarily going to stick around in the same firm and it helps increase cross-team referrals as well.
Note down the details
As your network continues to grow, it might not always be easy to remember personal details about everyone. Keep a simple document tracking key personal details about your contacts. For instance, note when someone mentions upcoming paternity leave. Remembering these details when you reconnect later helps foster deeper connections. People always appreciate it if you remember the final details about them – it shows you listened and that they matter to you.
Insight from industry experts
Daniel Geey is a sports and entertainment lawyer, author and speaker. He works with a variety of clubs and athletes helping them with transfers and contracts and has published a book based around building careers – Build the Invisible.
During the pandemic lockdown in 2020, he hosted a livestream on YouTube around networking and developing relationships in the sports industry (link here).
One of Daniel’s tips is to reach out to people whose content you enjoy, such as books, articles, podcasts, or social media posts. In our opinion, this is an extremely underrated tip (and one that few people really implement) because authors are very happy to hear from their readers and will more often than not, spend some time to talk to you.
He also recommended reading How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie to get some insight into the skill of networking.
We highly recommend watching Daniel’s video – these networking skills transfer well across all industries, not just sports.
Conclusion
Building a powerful network isn’t about having the most LinkedIn connections or the biggest stack of business cards. It’s about creating genuine relationships that enrich your career and help others grow too.
Ready to transform your approach to networking? Start small. Pick one person from your existing network this week – maybe that colleague from another department you barely know. Invite them for coffee, no agenda required. Sometimes the best connections start with a simple “hello.”
And remember: the lawyer who helped you figure out that tricky contract last month? The associate who always shares interesting articles? They’re already part of your network. Nurture these relationships. The strongest networks aren’t built at events – they’re built one authentic conversation at a time.
What’s your experience with networking in the legal world? Share your best networking win (or horror story!) in the comments below. And if you found these tips helpful, forward them to a colleague who might need them – after all, that’s what networking is all about!
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