When it comes to getting the job, grades and extracurricular activities are important, but they’re not everything! During law school and throughout your legal career, a good network is essential for building connections and learning about opportunities. As beneficial as networking is, it can feel intimidating at first. With that in mind, we’ve put together this list of five unique networking tips for law students.
- Put yourself out there
Our best networking tip for law students? Put yourself out there! Law school provides tons of opportunities for students to learn about different legal jobs — you just need to take advantage! From office hours with professors to lunch talks and guest speakers, chances are your school will provide you with plenty of interesting potential networking opportunities. Take full advantage of these! - Start with a list
When you’re ready to start connecting with new people, it can be hard to know where to begin. It helps to create a wish list of people you’d like to connect with. If this sounds daunting, start “local” with professors, peers, and alumni from your school. Don’t worry if your list is small at first—you’ll add to it as you go!
Using a professional networking site such as LinkedIn can be a great way to connect with people on your list. Make sure your profile is updated and start inviting people to connect! - Take the first step
The next step is to reach out to the potential connections on your list! Most people are happy to help. Send a short, polite email with a brief introduction and/or reminder of how you met, express your interest in their work and ask to meet. Depending on the situation, you may invite them to coffee, a virtual video meeting, or a phone call.
If the person responds that they’re too busy, don’t take it personally—lawyers are busy people! If someone you email simply doesn’t respond, you may want to politely follow up after 5-7 days (seriously, lawyers are busy people!). If you still don’t hear anything, then it’s time to move on to your next potential contact. - Think long-term
If you meet someone at your dream job and they tell you that they aren’t hiring at the moment, don’t let it get you down. If you make a positive impression now, that person may keep you in mind when opportunities arise in the future. And be sure you treat each networking connection with the respect it deserves. You’ve heard it before, but this bears repeating: it’s a small world, and the legal world is even smaller. - Get the most out of each connection
Don’t think about your networking meetings as one-offs. Instead, think of them like branches in your networking tree. At the end of your meetings, ask your connections if they have any recommendations for someone you should reach out to based on your interest. And just like an actual tree, you should cultivate your network by maintaining your relationships and checking back in as appropriate.
