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How to Make It Rain This Summer: Summer Networking Tips

By George Khoury, Esq. on June 25, 2019

When spring blooms into full-blown summer, everyone seems to want to take things easy and slow down a bit. After all, when it's hot out, enjoying the weather and staying cool quickly escalate on the priorities list.

However, for lawyers always looking to make it rain -- or for a job -- summertime can be one of the best times to network. Networking with prospects and employers can often be a lot easier, as summer events are often much more social with activity-focused agendas. And if you're no good at networking and need a bit more help, below you can find a few summer networking tips.

Go to Social Summer Events

You don't have to go to traditional networking events that cater to lawyers, unless you're a job seeker. Job seekers should go to as many lawyer-networking events that they can find over the summer. Lawyers should find a charity golf or basketball or other team tournament, or a summer recreational sports league, and sign up! If sports aren't your thing, find a volunteering group that does park cleanups, or other Good-Samaritan-type stuff or groups, and join. The most important part is that you talk to other people and get to know as many people as you can.

Lawyers looking to drum up business are often better served by just meeting as many people in the community or industry that they can, particularly those that might need their type of legal services.

Always Have Business Cards

Yes, it may seem a bit old-school, but always having a couple business cards in your wallet or bag can really pay off. You don't necessarily want to pull out that tacky engraved business card holder at any event, and connecting digitally might be a big ask to some folk, but leaving just a couple actual business cards in a small envelope (like those ones for hotel key-cards) will keep the cards in good shape in your wallet or bag.

Parent Talk

If you have kids, or are still early on in your career, you may want to chat up other parents. Your kid's soccer game may not be the ideal time to chat up prospective parent-clients, but it is a good time to be nice and get to know them socially, which can lead to business being steered your way eventually. Worst case scenario, you make a new friend.

New lawyers and law students, if your parents aren't lawyers, you probably have classmates with lawyer parents. And while it may seem awkward to ask a peer to chat with their lawyer-parent, asking for their advice can be invaluable. Apart from the potential that they might have a connection that could help you find your career path, or might be able to put a good word in for you at a firm you're applying to, they may have valuable career advice or insights for you.

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