My first networking experience came in the form of a holiday toy drive for children, full of bankruptcy lawyers and accountants and complete with an open bar and (yes) a giant buffet. I was a first year associate at a small firm, coming down with a cold and feeling overtired from working 15 hour days. I initially declined the invitation, but the partner I worked for guilted me into it (“Katie, do it for the kids!”). He spent the evening introducing me left and right to the various acquaintances he’d made over the years. Now, a “schmoozer” I am not, but thanks to the toy drive, I wound up making friends with an associate at another firm who would later get my resume onto the desk of my future employer.

The key to a successful legal career is “networking, networking, networking.” You hear this phrase all the time as a mid-level associate, but do you hear it often enough as a law student or a junior associate? Perhaps, but probably not in the right context. As a mid-level associate, you are likely focused on going in-house or cultivating relationships with clients of your own so that you can make partner one day. As a junior associate (and even as a law student), your focus is on getting to know your practice, building relationships with your peers and superiors, and perhaps even getting hired elsewhere.

Networking opportunities for the new kids on the block are everywhere. Junior associates and law students alike are constantly bombarded with invitations from law schools and bar associations to various speaker series and receptions. These events are veritable breeding grounds for meeting new resources, peers and (as in my case) future employers. While it’s very easy to tell yourself that you don’t have the time to attend and that you really don’t need to be making any contacts this early on in your career, do not throw those invitations away. Do yourself a favor and R.S.V.P. to those events that interest you or concern the skill set that you are trying to develop. In fact, set a goal of hitting at least one every couple of months and introducing yourself to at least two people there. While I can’t offer a statistic on this, in my experience, those attorneys that get out there earlier in the game wind up winning more often. Those who skip the networking altogether wind up at a difficult crossroads eight years down the line…

If you’re not getting those all important invitations in the mail, visit the websites of your bar association and law school so that you can at least get on their mailing lists. It’s never too early to get yourself out there, especially since doing so will ultimately make you a better, well rounded attorney.