Care and feeding of your network: with all the pressures new attorneys face, it's easy to put networking on the back burner. Follow these guidelines and reap the benefits of building networks and marketing yourself early in your career.If you're fresh out of law school, you probably feel you have enough on your plate. As a new attorney, you have to become an expert in your field, satisfy the needs of partners and clients, and begin balancing the demands of work and life. With all these pressures, it's hard to face the seemingly daunting daunt tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay. [Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin tasks of promoting your services and building up business. Usually, senior attorneys and partners assume the responsibility of making rain by bringing in clients and cases, while the associates assist in handling the legal work generated by these cases. But don't put off doing a little rainmaking rainmaking, production of rain by artificial means now generally disregarded, though it is probable that rainmaking hastens or increases rainfall from clouds suitable for natural rainfall. of your own. The earlier you start networking and the more consistent your effort, the greater the payoff will be and the more likely you'll enjoy the practice into the future. Pointless glad-handing, cold-calling, and flinging out business cards willy-nilly is neither marketing nor a way to build a network. Successful marketing efforts communicate to others who you are professionally. And effective networking through direct, face-to-face contact fosters relationships that may lead to future business either directly or indirectly. You don't need to be a seasoned attorney to succeed at both. You simply have to be good at what you do, sincere with your contacts, and excited about your work. Most of all, you must be very persistent. Building blocks Relationships, whether in your social or professional life, are based on trust, giving, and gratitude, and they can take years to cultivate. So start early and don't wait until you are an "expert" to network and market yourself. Establishing the following habits during the "honeymoon" period of your professional development will help you build confidence and discipline--hallmarks of any successful lawyer. Become active in legal organizations. There are many reasons--including professional development, camaraderie ca·ma·ra·der·ie n. Goodwill and lighthearted rapport between or among friends; comradeship. [French, from camarade, comrade, from Old French, roommate; see comrade. , and opportunities to keep current with tort "reformers'" efforts to undermine the civil justice system--to become active in local and national trial lawyer organizations. Don't wait for an invitation. Simply approach someone in the organization's leadership and express interest. Most organizations are thrilled to have volunteers. Join a practice section that exposes you to a variety of lawyers. A few possibilities include law practice management, technology, litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. , or sole and small practitioners. Then, don't just be a "potted pot·ted adj. 1. a. Placed in a pot. b. Grown in a pot: many potted plants in the study. 2. Preserved in a pot, can, or jar. 3. Slang a. plant"; serve in a role that helps the organization, gives you an opportunity to mingle, and highlights your efforts. You can * plan, organize, and even cochair events. * moderate a panel or introduce the keynote speaker. * assist in researching and writing an article for a publication. * serve on a committee. * run for an officer slot typically reserved for new attorneys. Don't hesitate to do the grunt work now--it will help you later if you decide to run for a leadership position. Also join forces with your own generation of graduates by becoming a member of new lawyer groups and alumni, civic, and service organizations. Exchange ideas about business, marketing, networking, and referrals. Lawyers routinely change firms and practice areas. The person you meet this year on a new lawyers committee may in a few years be the employment partner at a large law firm who refers to you all of the firm's personal injury cases. And don't confine yourself to the comfortable circle of your kindred KINDRED. Relations by blood. 2. Nature has divided the kindred of every one into three principal classes. 1. His children, and their descendants. 2. His father, mother, and other ascendants. 3. practitioners. Consider joining legal organizations whose membership is not exclusive to trial lawyers. Join voluntary bars, perhaps along common gender or ethnic interests. Then, make your mark within the group: * Offer to line up the personal injury expert for a litigation panel. * Teach about workers' compensation workers' compensation, payment by employers for some part of the cost of injuries, or in some cases of occupational diseases, received by employees in the course of their work. benefits as part of a disability rights continuing legal education The purpose of continuing legal education is to maintain or sharpen the skills of licensed attorneys and judges. Accredited courses examine new areas of the law or review basic practice and trial principles. program. * Write an article for the newsletter on how to prepare experts in automobile cases. * Offer to host a meeting or event at your firm. Exposing yourself to a broad-based legal audience gives you an opportunity to talk about the people you represent and your areas of expertise. Develop a reputation for working hard on joint projects and being knowledgeable about your own practice area. Become the "go-to" person who is helpful when others have questions about personal injury claims or need referrals for such matters. Make good use of your time. You want to seize optimal opportunities to network, and attending professional events can be a great way to market yourself. Follow these tips to prepare yourself for the occasion and maximize your participation: * Do pre-event reconnaissance. Be selective about what functions you attend. Check out the event Web site and speaker list and make a note of the people you want to meet. Go at the right time--usually the reception provides the most freedom to network. Volunteer to work the event if it allows you a chance to mingle. * Don't hang with your own gang in a corner. Get out there! Attend with a friend who handles other types of legal matters. Work as a tag-team by introducing each other to people as a way of letting others know what you have achieved. Most people find it easier to champion someone else's accomplishments than to brag about their own. * Show genuine interest in what others are saying. Have a question ready. (Who are their clients? What legal issues do they handle? Are they in court or before administrators? How did they get started in their practice area? What significant changes or developments have occurred in that area?) Social talk can be helpful in breaking the ice: Potential topics include television shows, movies, books, hobbies, sports, children, and music. We all enjoy having something in common with others. Finding a common interest is the first step toward bonding. * Provide specific examples of what you do. Say that you handle "cases involving [work injuries, delayed diagnosis, defective consumer products, construction site accidents, auto crashes, medical malpractice Improper, unskilled, or negligent treatment of a patient by a physician, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care professional. ]." It helps to be descriptive rather than simply say you're a personal injury lawyer. * Talk about what excites you--the high stakes High Stakes is a British sitcom starring Richard Wilson that aired in 2001. It was written by Tony Sarchet. The second series remains unaired after the first received a poor reception. of expert depositions, the give-and-take of negotiations, trial preparation, representing children, the opportunity to learn about interesting subjects (for example, the way machines work, construction methods, or human anatomy Human anatomy is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the adult human body.[1] It is subdivided into gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy.[1] ). Let your passion show. * Make introductions. Even if you don't Even If You Don't is a single released by the band Ween in 2000 on Mushroom Records. Formats Enhanced CD single Includes the quicktime video of "Even If You Don't" directed by Matt Stone & Trey Parker of "South Park". have a formal role at the event, act as if you were the host. Look for meaningful ways to introduce people to each other. * Don't corner or be cornered too long. Find a way to exit graciously: "Thanks for your time. I know there are others who want to speak with you." "I really enjoyed meeting you; I have to find Jane Smith to discuss a pro bono Short for pro bono publico [Latin, For the public good]. The designation given to the free legal work done by an attorney for indigent clients and religious, charitable, and other nonprofit entities. project." "I hope we can talk about that [case, project, committee, article] over coffee sometime soon." * Always follow up. Take the business cards you collected and the very next day (discipline required here) enter information into your electronic contacts program with brief notes about your conversation or something you remember about that person (he or she handles bankruptcy cases, runs marathons, went to the same law school as you did, has a group that would like to plan a brown-bag luncheon about taking depositions). Make an entry in your task or to-do list to follow up (refer a divorce matter, add the person to your referral list, set up a lunch date, e-mail that case you talked about, ask the person to be on a committee, send the name of a good contact for his or her practice). Then actually follow up by a certain date. Take a broad approach. There are many sources for networking--for example, public interest groups, unions, charitable organizations This article is about charitable organizations. For other uses of the word charity, see Charity. A charitable organization (also known as a charity) is an organization with charitable purposes only. , trade associations, public policy groups, nonprofits, and law schools (alumni groups, clinics, trial practice courses). You can join service clubs and boards of charities, get involved in the community and local schools, serve as a mentor, and work on policy or politics. * Just as you keep up on current case law, learn about the mission and organization of any group you join. For example, know the names and numbers of local trade unions and where they are located, subscribe to Verb 1. subscribe to - receive or obtain regularly; "We take the Times every day" subscribe, take buy, purchase - obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction; "The family purchased a new car"; "The conglomerate acquired a new company"; their newsletters, check their Web sites, know who the leadership is, learn about their apprenticeship programs and their current contract issues, and check their calendar of events. * Seek out members and officers at events and inquire in·quire also en·quire v. in·quired, in·quir·ing, in·quires v.intr. 1. To seek information by asking a question: inquired about prices. 2. about current issues affecting the organization. Find out who the incoming leaders are and meet the next generation of active members. * Be courteous cour·te·ous adj. Characterized by gracious consideration toward others. See Synonyms at polite. [Middle English corteis, courtly, from Old French, from cort, court; see to and get to know people at all levels, from the executive director to the mailroom mail·room n. A room in which ingoing and outgoing mail is handled for a company or other organization. clerk. Staff members are a valuable source for making connections. * Establish a routine event. This could be an annual membership presentation, a quarterly meeting to update the board about changes in the law, or a yearly how-to clinic for apprentices. * Seek out ways to serve. Determine a need and then address it. Organize a presentation about legal issues pertinent to that group. Train, teach, or participate with more senior attorneys in your law firm. Vary the venues and audience--from a small group of board members, officers, or shop stewards A Labor Union official elected to represent members in a plant or particular department. The shop steward's duties include collection of dues, recruitment of new members, and initial negotiations for settlement of grievances. Cross-references Labor Union. to a membership-wide monthly meeting--and prepare handouts accordingly. * Volunteer for the organization's charity event--not just the golf tournament but also their Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity, nonprofit ecumenical Christian organization that enables low-income people to own affordable, livable housing. Headquartered in Americus, Ga., it was founded in 1976 by businessman Millard Fuller and his wife. effort, Clean Up the Bay outing, or mentoring program for high school students. Have your firm establish a scholarship or award and present it. Be gracious. Always thank your hosts and look for ways to help them and inform them about your expertise on issues that are important to them. Second-nature nurturing Identify and develop a network of attorneys in allied but noncompetitive practices, such as family law, immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. , criminal defense, environment, education, property rights, civil rights, employment, elder law As of the early 2000s a relatively new specialty devoted to the legal issues of Senior Citizens, including estate planning, health care, , and consumer rights. The ability to refer clients to other lawyers is the bedrock of a mutually beneficial Adj. 1. mutually beneficial - mutually dependent interdependent, mutualist dependent - relying on or requiring a person or thing for support, supply, or what is needed; "dependent children"; "dependent on moisture" professional relationship. Draw on the referral system. Once you've established a relationship with an attorney, find out if he or she has a referral list. Create your own list--note how you know an attorney, keep track of potential clients you have referred to him or her and, in turn, those the lawyer has sent you. Always send an e-mail informing the attorney about potential clients you have referred to him or her. When you receive a referral, send a thank-you note or e-mail (perhaps along with your current newsletter or information about a recent success or development in your practice area). Let the attorney know whether you took the case and inform him or her if it ended successfully; emphasize that you will gladly handle future referrals. Update your referral list annually. Send a letter or e-mail to everyone on it thanking them for speaking with clients you have referred and asking them to help you update their contact information. Stress that you look forward to helping them with matters in your specific practice area. Send these attorneys periodic mailings, such as newsletters and holiday cards. Establish a "kitchen cabinet" of trusted advisers. Cultivate a team of mentors both inside and outside your law firm whom you trust and with whom you can consult. Reach out to a well-respected rainmaker Rainmaker An employee of a brokerage firm who brings a large amount of wealthy individuals or corporations to the brokerage firm's client base. Notes: Rainmakers are usually compensated very well for their efforts (or connections). inside your firm; don't wait for a partner to reach down. Team up with a partner and co-author a paper or make a joint presentation. Also, seek lawyers outside of the firm and from different firm cultures and practices. These lawyers are often very generous and provide frank advice. Look for allies and successful rainmakers in other professional arenas such as business, journalism, the arts, real estate, and academia. Keep your networking efforts current. Take these steps to prevent your network from stagnating: * Read about new trends in marketing and networking. * Tune into a Web seminar on networking, or attend a program on marketing. * Update your resume regularly. Maintain a list of cases, clients, trials, and settlements. Write a synopsis A summary; a brief statement, less than the whole. A synopsis is a condensation of something—for example, a synopsis of a trial record. of your significant cases, speaking engagements, published articles and books, and activities in bar associations, other organizations, and law-related events. * Have a professional portrait taken. * Prepare short "press releases" about yourself to place in newsletters, alumni or bar member announcements, and other publications. Stay organized. It is imperative to maintain regular and meaningful communication with your network. Set up individual contacts for the following categories: * current and past clients * sources of referrals (even for the cases you did not take) * potential clients (those with whom you spoke but did not represent and referred to others) * bar groups and other organizations (colleagues, committees, boards, cochairs) * your own "kitchen cabinet" of mentors outside the firm * groups who refer (unions, non-profits, coalitions) * groups for whom you have taught or presented, and fellow panelists or faculty * other professionals (your firm vendors, accountants, or other business contacts) * personal contacts (friends; neighbors; alumni; acquaintances from charitable work and hobby, religious, or political groups) Enter and update contact information weekly. This is easy to do with computer programs that have contact lists with a notes section. If needed, enlist en·list v. en·list·ed, en·list·ing, en·lists v.tr. 1. To engage (persons or a person) for service in the armed forces. 2. To engage the support or cooperation of. v. the aid of your administrative assistant or a tech-savvy law clerk law clerk n. A person, typically an attorney, employed as an assistant to a judge or another attorney, especially in order to gain legal experience. . You can also keep in touch by sending contacts * articles and news items of interest * birthday cards (Mail them out in the middle of the month--most people appreciate the sentiment even if they get the cards too early or a little late.) * firm newsletters * holiday cards * congratulatory notes on achievements (births, marriages, graduations) * thank-you cards. Note information about your clients (favorite sports, hobbies) and their families (spouses, children--school-age or college-bound--siblings in the area). Always try to help children of former clients--provide a reference for a college, host a Law Day seminar, offer an internship internship /in·tern·ship/ (in´tern-ship) the position or term of service of an intern in a hospital. internship, n the course work or practicum conducted in a professional dental clinic. , sponsor a museum tour, support a school charity event, or speak at their school. Don't overcommit o·ver·com·mit v. o·ver·com·mit·ted, o·ver·com·mit·ting, o·ver·com·mits v.tr. 1. To bind or obligate (oneself, for example) beyond the capacity for realization. 2. . Be realistic about how much you can do. Choose to participate in events, projects, and organizations that will reap the most benefit to your practice. Have a three- to five-year plan Five-Year Plan, Soviet economic practice of planning to augment agricultural and industrial output by designated quotas for a limited period of usually five years. that gradually incorporates additional groups as your activity in other organizations diminishes. The more disciplined you are about incorporating networking and marketing into the fabric of your professional life early on, the more certain your future will be. Following these guidelines can help make the business side of running a practice second nature. Over time, as the client and witness interviews, depositions, mediations, and trials increase, so will your contacts and referrals. New lawyers build networks, share information in AAJ AAJ All About Jazz (website) AAJ American Association of Jurists AAJ American Alpine Journal AAJ Administrative Appeals Judge AAJ Attitude Adjust group AAJ's New Lawyers Division (NLD NLD abbr. nonverbal learning disorder ) is eager to assist members in the early stages of their careers, providing them with the resources they need to succeed. Attorney members who have been admitted to the practice of law for less than 10 years are automatically enrolled in the NLD. The group's chair, Elise Sanguinetti of Walnut Creek, California Walnut Creek is a largely affluent suburb several miles east of Oakland in Contra Costa County, California, USA, in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. While not as large as the neighboring Concord, Walnut Creek serves as the business and entertainment hub for the , said she believes that getting involved in the NLD is the best way for new lawyers to make the most of their AAJ membership. "Involvement in the NLD will enrich your development as a lawyer, can save you time in the office, and may introduce you to lifelong friends from across the country. It is guaranteed to be time well spent," Sanguinetti said. The NLD's committees offer members opportunities to meet other new lawyers and share common interests. For example, members of the public service committee work with organizations like Habitat for Humanity on projects throughout the year. Other benefits include the group's quarterly newsletter (The Sidebar (1) A Windows Vista desktop panel that holds mini applications (gadgets) such as a calendar, calculator, stock ticker and Vonage phone dialer. It is the Windows counterpart to the Dashboard in the Mac. See Windows Vista and gadget. ); a Web site that highlights members' activities and achievements (www.justice.org/Networking/Tier3/NewLawyers.aspx); access to an online document library that includes forms, complaints, and interrogatories Written questions submitted to a party from his or her adversary to ascertain answers that are prepared in writing and signed under oath and that have relevance to the issues in a lawsuit. from actual cases; discounts on AAJ Education seminars; and chances to engage in the political process by participating in phonathons and assisting with many other political outreach and grassroots endeavors. Important upcoming NLD events include: * New Lawyers Party at the AAJ Winter Convention, Miami (February 11) * AAJ PAC Phonathon phon·a·thon n. An intensive fundraising campaign in which callers solicit donations by telephone. , Washington, D.C. (March 15-16) * NLD Membership Phonathon, The Biltmore, Coral Gables, Florida Often called "The Gables," Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Miami, in the United States. The city is best known as the home of the University of Miami, and as an example of City Beautiful urban planning. (April 26-27) * Jazz Fest Jazz fest may mean:
For more information about the NLD and its many programs for new lawyer members, call Gina Spear, manager, New Lawyer and Women Lawyer programs, at (800) 424-2725, ext. 341, or e-mail her at gina.spear@justice.org. PAULETTE CHAPMAN is a partner at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson, DePaolis & Lightfoot in Washington, D.C. |
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