Attending law school as a first-generation law student can be daunting and overwhelming. Networking has been one way that I have been able to mitigate these feelings and learn nuances about the legal field that only experience can teach otherwise. Additionally, meaningful connections with peers can bring more purpose and meaning to your practice and provide more than just a letter of recommendation. I have been grateful to receive advice on classes to take, professors to avoid, and how to search for a job. However, networking can be intimidating if you don’t know where to start.
1. Being Involved
Involvement is truly the first step in successful networking. I have met some of the most helpful and kind attorneys while being involved in things that I am genuinely interested in. For example, while serving as President of the Health Law Society at IU McKinney School of Law, I had the opportunity to meet some of my most impactful connections in the health law field! You can start small by joining organizations at your law school and be sure to attend the networking events the organization hosts.
Your local bar association is another way to get a head start networking with future colleagues. I am involved with IndyBar Women in the Law Division, which has a great mentorship program. Through this program, I get lunch monthly with five like-minded women in the law to chat about experiences, advice, and just catch up.
2. Referrals
Do you really want to grab coffee with an attorney at XYZ Firm who does XYZ work? See if you have mutual connections. If so, ask your mutual connection for an e-intro to the prospective connection. It is much easier to agree to coffee with someone if someone you trust has already vetted the prospective connection for you.
3. Cold Emailing
As a last resort, cold emailing attorneys is another option to connect with someone. Be careful with cold emailing attorneys. If your message sounds too cookie-cutter, or if you’re sending mass messages to every attorney in a firm, this can seem disingenuous and is distasteful. These potential connections are real people, treat them as such.
4. General Tips
There are a few important tips to ensure you get the most out of networking. Firstly, networking is not transactional. Never go to a coffee chat with the intent to ask something of the person. The interaction should be as organic as possible. Ask the person about more than just their professional life. Some of my most enjoyable networking connections are ones that we candidly talk about our personal lives, too. Further, make sure to keep track of who you meet with, their contact info, and a little bit about them in a spreadsheet-like document. This is a way that you can ensure that you are valuing each of your connections and giving each the attention that they deserve.
Second, be open minded. Just because someone is not a managing partner at your dream firm does not mean you should not reach out to them. Meaningful advice can come from anywhere, even with people who are not lawyers or in your desired practice area. For example, at my first legal position I asked the Director of Human Resources to lunch. Our conversation was very fruitful, and he gave me career and life advice that I still use today.
Lastly, networking is cyclical. Once you land that first job, or even your dream job, networking does not end there. Ensuring that you are reaching back out to connections and watering that seed that you initially planted is crucial. Networking does not have to be intimidating. Most attorneys are happy to share their experiences and advice with younger members of the profession.
Ultimately, we will spend more time with the people at work than the people we have at home. Work and school do not have to be monotonous and robotic. We can enjoy the people we work with and build connections that will outlast any job position we hold.
By: Kennedy Bunch kenbunch@indiana.edu
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