Law students sometimes struggle to build the kinds of relationships that can lead to a better educational experience on campus and getting out to a successful start in the working world.
In an article in The National Law Journal, West author Ari Kaplan (The Opportunity Maker) offers some helpful advice for networking. In “Law Students Can Benefit From Networking Follow-Up,” Kaplan writes that it begins with finding the right mentor in the right way:
The key is to avoid setting the foundation of the relationship on the need for employment or business. It is better to seek guidance and insight instead rather than naked business assistance. Individuals who find meaningful opportunities to interact with a mentor are more likely to create a sincere relationship.
Kaplan says law schools and law firms that create better opportunities for mentoring relationships will produce graduates and legal professionals who are more able to answer the challenges of a modern career in the law.
It starts with knowing how to follow-up:
The best results will come only if individuals stay connected and follow up, both with mentors and with others in their broader network. That said, 43 percent of the students polled did absolutely no follow-up whatsoever with people they have met. Law schools easily could provide better guidance in this regard.
Read the entire article in The National Law Journal, and the Lawjobs.com Career Center, for more of Kaplan’s advice.
Editor’s note: Ari Kaplan, of Ari Kaplan Advisors, currently hosts the 30-Minute Thursdays webinar series. the next program is Thursday, March 4, 2010, at 1 p.m. Eastern called “Writing an Article and Expanding Your Network in One Hour.”
Posted by Kevin Hunt in:
Education | In Practice |
