When Craig Dillard formed the Houston Attorney Networking Group on LinkedIn in November 2009, he hoped to meet other attorneys in practice areas not represented at his firm, BoyarMiller of Houston.

But the group has provided more to Dillard than he expected, and it recently passed the 1,000-member mark. The members not only connect online through LinkedIn but also at social and educational meetings Dillard organizes in Houston. Dillard, a litigation shareholder in BoyarMiller, says he’s even gotten some litigation work from a contact in the group.