0L Networking Adventures Forum

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solotee

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0L Networking Adventures

Post by solotee » Thu May 20, 2010 12:03 am

Three months to kill before I begin 1L at a T30, and I have 2 priorities this summer:

1) Have Fun
2) Learn to network

This will probably be my last stress-free summer of freedom, so I will be getting many things out of my system. Also, with the legal market shot, I figure it's a smart idea to learn how to build relationships now rather than later. Ideally, I would love to be in the top 10% of my class, but I am definitely not banking on it.

With that said, I will document my networking endeavors in order to track my own growth and progress. I am hoping to build a resourceful network that will guide me through law school and ultimately help me find a decent job. Every contact is a potential lead.

I am 100 pages into the book 'Never Eat Alone' by Keith Ferazzi. I'm applying many of his concepts into my everyday conversations with strangers and have seen great results. One of the contacts I've met who I'll call Jim, personally knows a managing partner of the biggest law firm in my city. Jim made a phone call and set me up with the biglaw partner's wife (also an attorney), who promised to introduce me into her circle of attorney contacts. I am very grateful for this contact.

Tomorrow I will attempt to attend the the ABA's 98th annual meeting in my city in hopes of meeting other attorney's that may provide some insight into their line of work. I think you have to RSVP and be a member to attend, but I will call the person in charge and ask for special permission to attend.

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solotee

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Re: 0L Networking Adventures

Post by solotee » Thu May 20, 2010 4:13 pm

Today's Follow Up
I inquired about attending the 98th Annual ABA meeting that is going on today in my city. Turns out I have to be a member or student affiliate, have an RSVP, and pay $15 ahead of time. I sent my membership deposit for student affiliate right away so I can participate in these events in the future.

Although I couldn't attend, I made the most out of the situation by hanging around the area where the meeting was going on. I grabbed my 'Law School Confidential' book and went to a Starbucks close to the event. I strategically sat at the table near the 'waiting area' and made the front cover of my book visible for others to see.

Needless to say, I got a bite and struck up a conversation with an attorney who gave me some insight into the state of the legal market in my city, and talked about his profession. We didn't exchange contact information, but I was satisfied that I did something. He did give me a pamphlet from the event with the names of all the attorneys in charge of different committees and chairs in the area. I believe I will be reaching out to them in the near future. Wish I would have stayed longer at the Starbuck's, but I only had 3 quarters worth of parking time.


Notes for future plans
I just bought a huge calender that I will fill with networking opportunities for the summer. I plan on reaching out to most of the events held by the local bar association and all of the 'Young Lawyers Division' events for the summer.

I need to write down and memorize a few conversation starters and transitions that could possibly lead to contact exchanges with the people I talk to.

I'm looking to learn the basics of golf and sports (I know, I know :oops: ), and am glancing over the WSJ and local paper every day so that I have something to offer if the conversation leads to it.

I'm starting a list of all the people I meet, how/when I met them, what we talked about during that meeting and what firm they work at. So far I have about 10 contacts that I have personally talked to and met. Does anyone know of a good program for this? I'll experiment with Microsoft Outlook or Excel.


Also, there are some master networkers on TLS that secured great gigs through networking. I plan on posting some of their advice that I found most helpful once I put it all together.


Advice of the day


Seek out attorneys as equals, not as a desperate law students looking for advice.
-Unemployed

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solotee

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Re: 0L Networking Adventures

Post by solotee » Thu May 27, 2010 2:54 pm

Did some networking today.

Met a partner at fish and richardson that went to Harvard Law school. Also met a partner from Stein and Sperling in Maryland that went to Georgetown. Meeting these partners were kind of accidental since they have spent the last four days doing a deposition with a big client at the place I work at. It was neat seing them in action. When one of them found out I was going to law school, all he said is "Good Luck" with a grin. :shock: and walked away. I didn't really mine for any gold from them since they seem so busy. Plus, I can't shake the feeling of having nothing to offer right now.

Some of their associates were a lot nicer and personable. An associate from Wake Forest 99' gave me some advice for law school and the legal field in general. She works in complex business litigation and loves what she does.


Met the person in charge of Human Resources for a pretty big franchise that my workplace is a part of. Her brother-in-law is a real estate attorney at a big-law firm in South Carolina and the owners wife is an employment law attorney. We had a nice conversation and she offered to stay in contact. This could be a good lead. She said, "Who knows, we might need your services in the future." Possible future client? I would like to think so 8)


Anyways, since I'm a 0L, I don't really have an agenda for networking other than to get the experience of networking. It's taught me that I have much more to learn. I never thought I'd get a thrill out of it!

More updates to come.

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solotee

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Re: 0L Networking Adventures

Post by solotee » Sun Mar 20, 2011 7:57 am

Quick Update:

Went through 1L OCI. Had 7 total firm interviews, 2 call backs, and one offer.

Networking can pay off. I actually secured one of the OCI firm interviews because I volunteered with the interviewer in my hometown on a pro-bono day. However, I effed up the interview because of my own mistakes. Needless to say, I could easily see how that interview could have turned into a call back.

Still networking, I'm just doing a bad job of keeping track of it on this blog.

Also, I attribute my offer to my ability to have a normal and comfortable conversation with attorneys. I would not have been at that level had I not networked and learned how to talk to attorneys.

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