In the life of a busy young lawyer, attending a professional conference is typically a significant investment of time and resources. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of attendees and follow the agenda mindlessly, but we encourage young lawyers to take stock of the incredible learning, networking, and business development opportunities available at these conferences and consider adopting a proactive approach to preparing for, participating during, and following through after a conference. These recommendations will not only help you get the most value out of these conferences, but will help you to offer valuable insights to your employer.
Preparation for Conferences
To obtain the optimal benefits of conferences, young lawyers should ensure that they are prepared for the conference before it begins. One of the ways in which you can prepare for a conference is by devising a plan to engage in the substantive content being offered. In other words, create an organized plan for attending events that will enable you to learn about the topics and skills in a strategic manner. This preparation can involve reviewing the agenda to thoughtfully select panels and activities. Additionally, this preparation can include advanced thinking about how to demonstrate what you have learned at the conference. For example, you may decide to meet a panelist by being prepared to chat about the topic of his or her panel at a happy hour. Or, if you want to work in a certain area of law, you should take notes that can be used to draft an internal memorandum or an article on a hot topic that was discussed at the conference.
