It’s Law Fair Season which means networking caps are on!!
Having attended a few events now – conferences, workshops and networking evenings – I thought I would share the following tips for networking which will act as a reminder for myself too!
To begin with, I have decided to think of networking as a two-way process of building and maintaining relationships – this is both at the event and after the event.
Everyone at an event is (should be) willing to interact and meet new people so in essence we are all in the same boat!
For law fairs/events, the following tips would be useful to follow:
Have a plan for the day/event – who are you planning to speak with, what firm, which questions you want to ask
If it is a law fair – check who the exhibitors are and research the firm – this includes, Training Contract structure, deadlines, amount of trainees take per year, unique facts about the firm.
Plan your questions ahead! – this is strategic but due to the nature of the events, everyone will want to speak to the trainees/solicitors attending to being prepared will be an advantage. Questions to trainees can include: What is the culture of the firm like? How much client contact do you have as a trainee?
If the opportunity comes up, exchange contact details – I recently attended Hogan Lovells and the trainees were very approachable and willing to be contacted following the event!
Follow up! This is especially important if you want to maintain that relationship and need help from them in the future, for example, for application forms or attending events.
There are many Law fairs and events coming up. To name a few:
Good luck and happy networking!
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