Recently, I attended a 75th anniversary event at my undergraduate alma mater. It was an opportunity not only to reconnect with college friends but also to network amongst attendees from various generations. What struck me was the significant prevalence of legal professionals among the alumni, reinforcing the idea that the legal profession carries fewer degrees of separation than one might think. Above the Law provided an amazing glimpse of why and how these connections remain crucial in our society.
Copy-pasting the statistics won’t give us a clearer picture — yes, there are over a million lawyers in the country, with tens of thousands more graduating each year — It’s simply too easy to conclude that building a close network within such a vast profession seems unlikely. Yet when you begin to delve more profoundly, common grounds or shared experiences reveal themselves more often than not.
Perhaps it’s a commonality in the location of past employment, mutual academic acquaintances, or having served under the gavel of the same judges – there’s always something in your arsenal that connects you to another lawyer. It’s these shared experiences, an innate “judicial geography,” if you will, that can help foster these connections.
The importance of these ties isn’t to be understated, especially when they can play an important role in career advancement. Interactions at alumni events, conferences, or other professional settings can lead to referrals or provide advice on unfamiliar legal topics. Moreover, these connections can later prove beneficial when these acquainted lawyers find themselves on opposing sides, helping make a case more effective.
The most successful lawyers usually have extensive networks under their belt from which they can generate business and perform their practice most effectively. So, the next time you find yourself interacting with an attorney, remember it could be relatively simple to find a common connection. Whether it’s through “judicial geography” or a quick rundown of someone’s work history, these bonds not only make events more enjoyable but can also positively impact your career.