Networking In Law

If you're a lawyer at a small firm, don't underestimate the potential of generating referral opportunities from lawyers at big firms. It's a great pipeline to develop. When I started my own law firm, a substantial number of my best referral sources were other lawyers. In particular, I generated a steady stream of opportunities from a handful of lawyers at BigLaw firms who sent me work they were conflicted out of or the client couldn't pay their rates. If you do commercial litigation, transactional, corporate restructuring, IP, or many other types of work at a small firm, there are many BigLaw lawyers looking for someone like you to send work to. I can tell you from my experience working in BigLaw that there are countless "all attorney" emails flying around asking for recommendations for external lawyers to send work to or hire as local counsel. You have to be good at what you do. Take great care of the client. And keep the lawyer who referred the work up to speed. But if you can check those boxes, you will reap the rewards. Don't have these types of relationships? - Reach out to some law school classmates who work in BigLaw. - If you previously worked at a bigger firm, touch base with some former colleagues. - Add insightful comments to LinkedIn posts written by lawyers at bigger firms who have a similar practice. After engaging with them for a while, send a direct message suggesting a time to for a phone call. - Get out and network in your local community. Speak at bar association events. Build and nurture strong relationships within the legal community to build your practice. It's an invaluable, but often overlooked, source of new business.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been putting together all the advice I’ve received over the past year or so, bits of wisdom from more than 40 lawyers I’ve had the privilege of meeting. After all these conversations, this seems to be the collective consensus on what a young lawyer should be doing: 🔹 Build a meaningful network. Your network is your most valuable asset, but don’t just build it for career growth. Use it to understand the deeper needs of the legal industry. Focus on genuine relationships, not just transactions. Join professional groups and engage with professionals beyond legal circles, including legal tech, business, and public policy. 🔹 Be curious and proactive. Reach out to experienced lawyers with personalized messages, attend events, and always follow up. Go beyond surface-level networking by asking meaningful questions about where legal services are falling short. Pay attention to recurring frustrations faced by businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals. These gaps often hold the biggest opportunities. 🔹 Offer value and stay engaged. Share insights, introduce contacts, or volunteer because in networking, "givers gain." Listen more than you speak, track patterns in conversations, and keep in touch with your connections even when you don’t need anything. Toronto’s legal market is small, and your reputation travels fast. Your biggest advantage won’t just come from networking but from using those relationships to identify and act on the legal industry’s blind spots. What do you think? Do you agree? Would you add or challenge anything on this list? Let me know in the comments! 👇 - - - Hi, I’m Claudio – a law student and podcast host. I’m on a mission to connect with 75 lawyers before I graduate. Follow me and tap the 🔔 to stay updated on this journey. Let’s connect!

A lot of the value of attending or speaking at a conference doesn’t come from being there. It comes from what you do afterwards. How many times have you come back from a conference or event and thought, “I should’ve done more to maximize that experience”? Not just attending the sessions or showing up at the networking receptions, but turning it into something meaningful for your visibility, your relationships and your business development efforts. Me too 🙋🏼♀️ It’s easy to get caught up in our busy lives, especially after returning from a conference and then move on to the next thing without following up. What you proactively do after the event is what can turn conversations into relationships and visibility into opportunity. Here are some ways to make the most of attending your next conference: ✔️ Prioritize the people you met and follow up with context on LinkedIn or by email, referencing your conversation and suggesting a clear next step ✔️ Follow up with organizers to share feedback and express interest in speaking or getting involved in future programming ✔️ Turn your conference notes into key takeaways and share them as content (LinkedIn post, blog post or short video) connected to your work, your clients or what you’re seeing in the market ✔️ Host your own webinar to recap key themes and extend the conversation ✔️ Interview speakers or attendees whose perspectives stood out and use that content in a webinar, blog post or on social media ✔️ Host an internal recap to share key insights and connect them to your team’s work ✔️ Turn questions or conversations from the event into content or targeted outreach ✔️ Share insights from the event in an email newsletter ✔️ Add relevant new contacts to your email list so you can stay visible with them ✔️ Create a simple system to stay in touch with the people who matter most ✔️ Review the attendee list and reach out to people you didn’t meet ✔️ Follow up with speakers you admired, even if you didn’t connect in person ✔️ Identify one trend or theme you kept hearing across conversations and proactively share that perspective with clients or colleagues You already put in the time and energy to be there. This is how you carry that momentum forward. Which of these ideas resonated most with you? #LegalMarketing #ClientDevelopment #LinkedInTips #BusinessDevelopment #PersonalBrandingTips

Legal firms spending budget on 'LinkedIn influencers' fundamentally misunderstand platform mechanics. Here's what 18 years of marketing experience and the Algorithm Research shows: Your own employees deliver superior reach and authenticity than any external influencer arrangement. The data is definitive. Company pages reach 2-3% of followers. Employee posts? 10-15% baseline reach that doubles with coordinated team engagement. In my training we call this the Team Boosting Strategy. Instead of outsourcing influence, activate your systematic employee advocacy framework. Have one attorney post valuable industry insight (the 'Hero Post'), while 3-5 colleagues provide substantive comments within the critical 60-minute algorithm window, engaging the 'Hero' in a conversation. This amplifies reach 300-400% while building authentic professional relationships. Your clients want insights from practicing attorneys, not hired voices. LinkedIn is a business platform for professional authority which means you need to treat it accordingly. Strategic implementation: Designate weekly hero rotation, provide comment frameworks, measure profile views and meaningful conversations. Delegate this systematically and you'll outperform any influencer investment. The military taught me that coordinated systematic execution defeats individual heroics every time. Same principle applies here.

𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥.   I learned this sitting at a board dinner in Sydney - the only woman among twelve men.   The chairman mentioned they couldn't find female directors.   Days earlier, I had met five board-ready women actively seeking directorships.   This disconnect revealed everything wrong with how we approach professional advancement.   A few truths about real networking:   • Casual connections rarely create opportunities • Random events waste valuable time   • Most networking advice focuses on quantity over quality   𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙓𝙄𝙈𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝙏𝙊 𝙋𝙊𝙒𝙀𝙍 determines advancement more than talent.   Our research shows fewer than 5% of ASX and NASDAQ companies have balanced leadership. This persists because:   The system serves itself, not talent. Generic networking preserves existing hierarchies. Good networkers often make terrible leaders.   Here's what actually works:   𝘽𝙐𝙄𝙇𝘿 𝙎𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙏𝙀𝙂𝙄𝘾 𝙉𝙀𝙏𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙆𝙎 • Start with your end goal • Identify specific decision-makers • Create value before asking favors • Track every promising connection   𝙁𝙊𝘾𝙐𝙎 𝙊𝙉 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉 • One champion outweighs 100 contacts • Quality of connections beats quantity • Measure results, not activity   𝙇𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍𝘼𝙂𝙀 𝙉𝙀𝙏𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙆 𝙀𝙁𝙁𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙎 • Help others reach their goals • Build reputation through results • Create new pathways to leadership   At Ellect, we tested this framework:   Results after 5 events: - 3 women secured board interviews - 2 received executive offers - 90% made advancement-focused connections   𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩. 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣.   The difference drives everything.   https://lnkd.in/etjAFXks

Recently, I posted about 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲. Readers asked: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲? The answer is not the title or the job description. It is mastery and disciplined use of a skill set that doesn't come naturally for most lawyers: knowing and using the science of personal style and interpersonal communication. Consider what the research on human behavior shows: 1. Roughly 70% to 80% of the people you meet over your lifetime will think and behave differently than you do. Differences are the norm, not the exception. For example, owners, C-suite leaders, and CEOs tend to be Type A, strongly assertive communicators. If that is not your natural style, adapt to theirs – not the reverse. 2. Most people absorb information visually, but highly educated professionals – including most attorneys and buyers of legal services – lean auditory. So do both: discuss it live, then confirm in writing. 3. Every professional has both business and personal motives, values, and agendas. Effective relationship builders learn, adapt to, track, and respond to both. Why does this matter for new clients and revenue? Because every single person you meet 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 a referral source. Whether they ever do depends on how you make them feel – and whether you stay in touch. The best client-facing professionals – and the best rainmakers – do these things consistently: • Are sincerely curious and enjoy interacting with people. • Expect, accept, and are interested in differences in communication styles and avoid judging or dismissing them. • Are kind and establish rapport before anything else. No rapport, no trust. No trust, no credibility. No credibility, no engagement. • Are always thinking: "What can I do to be helpful or useful to you?" • Track whom they met, where, and what was discussed – then follow up and keep in touch appropriately over time. That last point is key: follow-up and follow-through is where the revenue is won or lost – along with the new clients and referrals. Firms investing in dedicated client relationship roles are buying this discipline at scale. If you'd like to enhance your communication skills and develop more business, save the attached infographic to apply these same techniques, one interaction at a time. #BusinessDevelopment #ClientDevelopment #LawFirms

Tips that lawyers can use to improve their visibility on LinkedIn: Optimise Your Profile: Professional Headshot: Use a clear, professional profile picture. Compelling Headline: Instead of just listing your job title, use the headline space to showcase your speciality or value proposition. Detailed Summary: Write a summary highlighting your expertise, experience, and the unique perspective you bring to your field. Keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords related to your practice areas in your profile to improve searchability. Publish and Share Content: Articles and Posts: Regularly publish articles and posts on topics related to your legal expertise. This showcases your knowledge and keeps you top of mind with your network. Engage with Others: Comment on and share posts from other legal professionals and industry leaders. Grow Your Network: Connect with Colleagues: Regularly add colleagues, classmates, and other professionals you meet to keep expanding your network. Participate in Groups: Join and actively participate in LinkedIn groups related to law and your areas of speciality. Recommendations and Endorsements: Seek Recommendations: Request recommendations from clients and colleagues to build credibility. Endorse Skills: Endorse the skills of your connections, and they are likely to return the favour. Showcase Your Achievements: Case Studies: If possible, discuss case studies where you’ve had significant wins or have made a substantial impact (keeping client confidentiality in mind). Awards and Honors: List any awards or honours you have received in your field. Utilize LinkedIn Features: LinkedIn Articles: Use LinkedIn’s publishing platform to write about your insights on legal trends. LinkedIn Stories: Share short, casual updates or professional tips through LinkedIn Stories to engage with your connections in a more personal way. Consistency is Key: Regular Activity: Stay active on LinkedIn, whether it's posting updates, sharing content, or engaging with others. Regular activity increases your visibility. Advertising and Promotion: Sponsored Content: Consider using LinkedIn’s paid features to promote your content or profile to a wider audience, especially if you want to grow your client base. Remember, the key to LinkedIn visibility is to be active, engaging, and genuine in your interactions. By providing value to your network, you naturally increase your visibility and establish yourself as a thought leader in your field.

Acquaintances don’t become advocates by accident. (Here’s how to make it happen on purpose:) Most professionals meet someone promising. Exchange cards. Maybe grab coffee. Then the relationship stalls. Not because the fit wasn't there. But because they didn't know what to do next. Strong client relationships follow a pattern. And top performers know exactly how to climb it. Here’s the 10-step ladder from acquaintance to advocate: 1. Start With Research → Check for recent hires, launches, or shifts → Skim their LinkedIn posts to spot what they’re proud of 2. Ask About Their Priority → Try “What's keeping you up at night?” → Listen for what they mention second 3. Follow Up With Value → Send one relevant case study within 48 hours → Explain briefly why you thought of them 4. Make a Strategic Introduction → Connect them to someone who solved their problem → Brief both parties before the intro 5. Share Relevant Experience → Pick a story where the solution wasn't obvious → End with the lesson, not the sale 6. Create a Quick Win → Offer a free audit that saves them time → Make it actionable immediately 7. Become a Thought Partner → Schedule monthly strategy conversations → Bring trends and ask their perspective 8. Expand the Network → Ask who else should join the conversation → Invite colleagues to build shared context 9. Deliver an Experience → Send a handwritten note with specific details → Reference something personal they shared 10. Ask for the Partnership → Frame your proposal around their goals → Be clear and ready to hear “not yet” Here’s the truth: Most professionals stop after the first follow-up. ❌ They wait. ❌ Wonder. ❌ Hope. Top performers, on the other hand, keep climbing. The Relationship Ladder isn’t complex. But it does require intention. So—what’s your next step? ♻️Valuable? Repost to help someone in your network. 📌Follow Mo Bunnell for client-growth strategies that don’t feel like selling. P.S. Are you an LMA member looking to grow your legal practice? On October 15, Legal Marketing Association (LMA) is hosting a free session: The Best BD Strategies That Aren't Common In Law (Yet). I’ll join a cross-industry panel to reveal proven BD strategies, and show how to spark growth inside your firm. Register here: https://lnkd.in/ewD7i8T8 

I made a big mistake when I started working with high net worth clients. I thought the key to attracting high net worth client referrals was to meet everyone. More events. More coffees. More introductions. I stayed busy and called it progress. It was not. High net worth clients do not come from volume. They come from proximity to the people they already trust when something important is happening. I did not need hundreds of contacts. I needed seven. These seven roles are the ones business owners call when decisions are real, private, and financially meaningful: -- Corporate Attorney -- CPA -- Commercial Banker/Private Banker -- Insurance Strategist -- Estate Planning Attorney -- Wealth Advisor -- Business Strategy and Growth Consultant These seven roles hear the truth earlier than anyone else. They know when a business is preparing to expand, reorganize, acquire, sell, transfer ownership, handle a dispute, protect assets, or secure personal stability. If you are connected to the right person in each of these roles, you are always close to the moment where trust gets handed off. But here is the real filter. Not everyone in these roles is a good referral partner. Title means nothing. What matters are three qualities: First, an external orientation. They are wired to help people, not to hoard clients. They introduce because it is who they are, not because they expect a trade. Second, great listening. They recognize issues early because they pay attention. They catch the real problem behind the surface conversation. Third, organization. They do not rely on memory or enthusiasm. They have a system to track relationships, follow up, and keep their network active. When you combine the seven roles with these three traits, you build a referral ecosystem that produces steady introductions to high net worth clients. This is not networking. This is strategic positioning in the flow of decision making. I break down how to identify, evaluate, and build real relationships with the 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝟳 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 in my 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗡𝗲𝘁-𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝗯, which meets on the 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗻 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺. If you want an invitation, message me. This is not for casual networkers. It is only for serious professionals who want to position themselves inside the flow of high-stakes decisions. (This photo is me and my banker Sara M. Hernandez. She is one of the most connected people in Miami and she is incredibly generous. Banks are all the same. It's the relationships that make all the difference.)

Most law students are scrolling aimlessly on social media, missing out on one of the biggest opportunities to build their careers. Here’s how you can use it to stand out and network like a pro. ➡️ Optimize Your Profile for Discovery Use relevant keywords in your bio and headline (e.g., “Corporate Law Enthusiast | Contract Drafting | Legal Researcher”). This ensures you appear in searches when someone is looking for professionals like you. ➡️ Attend Virtual Events and Connect After Join webinars or live sessions on legal topics. After attending, send personalized connection requests: “Hi [Name], loved your insights on [Topic] during the session today!” ➡️ Showcase Your Work, but Tell a Story Don’t just post, “Published in XYZ Journal.” Share why the topic matters, your key takeaways, or the challenges you faced during research. Stories make you memorable. ➡️ Engage Meaningfully with Industry Leaders Go beyond just “liking” their posts. Comment thoughtfully with insights or questions that add value to the conversation. This small step can help you build rapport and visibility. ➡️ Leverage LinkedIn Polls and Questions Ask niche legal questions like, “What’s one clause startup founders often overlook in contracts?” This encourages engagement and positions you as someone eager to learn. ➡️ Share Bite-Sized Learnings Break down complex legal concepts into easy-to-understand posts. For example: “Here’s a quick guide to understanding ‘Force Majeure’ in contracts.” It’s valuable for lawyers and non-lawyers alike. ➡️ Collaborate with Peers for Content Team up with fellow law students or professionals to co-author posts, hold live sessions, or debate on trending legal issues. Collaboration multiplies your reach and credibility. Social media is changing how we build careers in law—are you keeping up? Try one of these tips today and let me know how it works! Or, if you have a unique networking strategy, share it in the comments—I’d love to learn from you! 👇 #LawStudents #LegalNetworking #LinkedInTips #SocialMedia #LawSchoolTips