Guest written article by Maab Saifeldin

During my time at university, I did not network very much and I was the typical law student who went to legal fairs for free pens and notebooks. I didn’t understand what networking is and why it was so important for my career. So in this article, I’m sharing my experiences on what I have since then learned about networking so that you can benefit from it and make the most of your time at university.

First, lets break down the definition of networking. Networking involves meeting new people within your profession, industry, or interest. It involves the exchange of ideas and information between people, leading to relationship building.

Second, why is networking important? It is important because:

1. It helps you meet new people in the industry and expands your network. The legal industry is very small and many people know each other. Networking and building meaningful relationships could lead to job opportunities in the future.
2. It helps you boost your professional confidence. I avoided networking for a long time as I am naturally introverted and shy. I felt inadequate at networking events because I am more reserved. However, networking is a skill like anything else and it has to be built through practice, not through a personality change. The more networking I did, the better I became at it and I found my own style of networking and building relationships.
3. It helps you exchange ideas and information. Discussing your work or journey with others offers you a unique perspective and can inspire you to bring new ideas to your job and life. Trading ideas help to sustain long-term relationships and mutual trust.

I have been to my fair share of legal networking events and they are usually loud, overstimulating and overwhelming. Many law students will often be huddled around graduate recruitment, trainees and associates trying to get as much information about the firm to help them with their applications.

Some legal networking events unfortunately aren’t very inclusive either as they will usually serve alcohol which can make it difficult for those who don’t drink or are uncomfortable around alcohol to be there. There are a number of reasons someone may not drink or be uncomfortable around alcohol, beyond for example in my case being a practising Muslim. This can lead to an unspoken element of feeling socially isolated.

Networking events can also be very over-stimulating due to how loud and chaotic it can be, to the degree which could for some, lead to anxiety, restlessness and sometimes even physical discomfort and possibly more so for those who are neurodiverse or lacking in confidence.

The way I navigate networking events is by doing the following:

• I research who will be attending the event especially if there is a talk before the networking. I write some points on what I found interesting from their journey and any common interest I have with them (e.g. hobbies, school, legal journey).
• If there is no talk before the networking, I arrive early and speak to those in attendance usually graduate recruitment and a trainee and leave before it gets too busy.
• I take a notebook with me and write down any interesting information exchanged during our conversation and I make sure to add them on LinkedIn and follow up.
• If the networking event is alcohol-heavy, I do not attend but I make sure to add the speakers on LinkedIn and start a conversation with them.

I found my strengths in communication and relationship building by being in a 1:1 setting, which is why I follow up after networking via LinkedIn or email and I try to schedule a Zoom coffee call. I reach out in advance and create a rough agenda of what I want to discuss in the call to give it a little bit of structure.

A mistake I see a lot of aspiring lawyers make (I also used to do this) is they make the conversation very one-sided. They only care about what they want out of the conversation, not realising the trainee/NQ/grad rec they are speaking to needs to also benefit from the conversation. To build that relationship and get the most out of it, there has to be sincerity, respect, commonality, trust and value add from both parties.

My biggest tip is to treat the person you are speaking to as a human being, not their title. Ask them about their day, anything interesting they got up to before the event, ask them about their journey to the firm, any interests they have or even if they watched Love Island this summer. Make the conversation light and personal and remember people love speaking about themselves. So try and ask them about themselves and show sincere interest in that before you jump into asking questions that could help you in your training contract application. They are far more likely to want to help you and also remember you when you follow up later because you made them feel comfortable, and heard and treated them with kindness. 

There has been a lot of discourse about DEI in the legal sector as of late, but I’ve found the conversation hasn’t yet been extended to networking events. My tips for organisations wanting to create more inclusive networking events are to:

1. Diversify your events planning committee.
2. Be clear in your marketing material for example, if alcohol will be served, how many people it is open to and if there is sensory over-stimulation through music, presentations, lighting etc.
3. Have more events that are alcohol-free or serve alcohol later on in the event so those who don’t drink can network for 1-2 hours and can leave before the drinks are served
4. Invite speakers from diverse backgrounds who represent different groups such as race, religion, neurodiversity, disability etc.
5. If there are speakers, publish the names of the speakers ahead of the event.

Networking can feel very daunting and overwhelming but it is a skill that all professionals need to have. It is often said that to get ahead in your career, it is not what you know but who you know and from personal experiences I’ve found this to be very true. I hope you find the above reflections and tips helpful in navigating the world of legal networking.

Maab Saifeldin 

Trainee solicitor working in-house qualifying through the SQE pathway. Between work and studies, Maab creates career and lifestyle-specific content to share her experiences as a black practising Muslim in the corporate sector with the intention of helping and inspiring other young professionals

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