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networking  Network News: How to get over the “I don’t know anyone here” jitters Most people don’t like to network, says Judy Thomson of the Shepa Learning Company in Vancouver. “They don’t know how to make conversation with people, they hate dead air, and they hate walking into a room where they don’t know a single soul,” she says. Nonetheless, networking is a skill that many lawyers, especially female lawyers, need to master, Thomson told a women-only networking event called “Work the Pond” at Davis & Company in Toronto last May. More...

More Articles & Tips Networking for Novices 6 tips from networking coach Judy Thomson If you’re invited to something, go, and ask if you can bring someone with you. Always carry business cards, and give your card to someone as soon as you meet them. Ask for their card in return. Even if this exchange initially feels awkward, it gives you a chance to keep track of who you’re meeting, and provides a way to follow up with them afterwards. Set a goal to circulate at every event, and aim to meet at least seven people at each event you go to. If you don’t know anyone, rescue a “wallflower” — go up to someone else who’s on their own, and then circulate together. Try to invite the people around you into your conversation circle. Remember that you have permission to introduce yourself to anyone you wish. Escape the Comfort Zone Make a point of attending events outside your sphere. If you’re a tax lawyer, go a meeting about land claims issues. If you’re a construction lawyer, go to a seminar about changes to the Divorce Act. You’ll broaden your horizons, get the chance to meet new people, and quite possibly, strike up a relationship that can lead to business down the road. After all, how many other estates lawyers are attending that session on copyright law?

National Magazine  This page was featured in the January/February 2007 issue of National. From the Vault  Scoring Clients: Master Your Rainmaking Messages Networking Lessons Learned Networking: The Key to Building Your Client Base Finding the Time to Grow Your Clientele Read On  ABA Q & A on lawyer networking Article: Networking - Keeping Your Circles Alive Article: Fearless Networking