Networking

We have all heard, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Nothing is truer when it comes to entering the legal field. From the time you enter law school you will begin to hear about the importance of networking and attending events. But what if I told you, it’s important even before you start law school?

As an introvert and someone who suffers from social anxiety, the word network makes me tremble at my core. Hearing people say networking was essential to the legal field made me shutter. I started to wonder if maybe I was entering the wrong field. But halfway into my journey, something clicked. As someone who had a strong undergrad and graduate background but not so strong first LSAT score at the time, I felt like I needed to give myself a leg-up on the competition. I was entering law school during one of the largest influx of applicants law schools had seen in years. I really wanted to get into law school, so I was willing to do whatever it took to increase my chances.

I decided to start researching law school professors and alumni from the schools I wanted to attend. My first requirement was that these people looked like me. I wasn’t reaching out to them so I could bribe them and ask them to approve my application. I was reaching out to introduce myself as a prospective law student, gain their perspective on the environment at the law school, and to make a genuine connection. Then and only then could I hope that they felt prompted to drop my name by the admissions or application review team. :)

I went to law school websites’ staff pages to find women and black professors. I wanted to know what it was like navigating the environment of that law school as a woman or as a black person. It was a plus if I could find a black woman. I would look for their email or try to find their LinkedIn and then send them a message like this:

“Good Afternoon Ms./Mr./Professor Name,

My name is Jasmine, and I am in the process of applying to Name of Law school. It would be a dream if I could obtain my law degree from Name of Law school. I researched the school extensively and found your contact information on the website/LinkedIn. If you could provide me with any tips as I prepare to submit my application and provide insight on the environment of the law school, it would be greatly appreciated. 

A little bit more about me, I am NC born and raised currently living in Huntersville, but with plans to relocate if accepted. I graduated undergrad from NC A&T State University Magna Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.49. I have a master’s degree in education and currently work as an Instructional Designer. I have taken the LSAT twice but only scored a 148 both times. Taking it from my apartment complex with surrounding neighbors was no easy feat but it does not fully represent my capabilities as a student. 

Again, I am reaching out to connect, network, and gain any guidance that will enhance my chances of being considered for Name of Law school. I can also be found on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jperrin313/ 

Thanks in advance.”

My goal was to reach out to at least 2 staff members or professors in hopes that at least one would get back to me. It worked. I had genuine Zoom conversations and email replies from almost all the people I reached out to. One of the professors I met virtually was from Elon and ended up being my advisor during my 1L year.

My other networking attempt was reaching out to Alumni on Instagram and LinkedIn. This method was not as lucrative but still somewhat successful. I talked to some alumni from UNC, Duke, and Wake Forest who were able to shed insight and give me an idea of the environments at each of those law schools.

I can’t say for sure that my networking initiative is what got me into law school, but I also can’t say it hurt. If anything, it prepared me for the intensive networking law school requires in order to gain internships and future jobs. If I had to do it all again, I would, but more vigorously. So here are a few tips to keep in mind if you go this route:

1.    Only research staff and alumni from schools you are seriously considering. No one wants you to waste their time. This also includes showing up and committing to meeting or appointment times. Avoid cancelling or rescheduling.

2.    Only pursue staff who do not work in Admissions. They can’t give you information beyond the general spiel they give all students, and you don’t want it to seem as though you’re trying to bribe them. Which leads to my next point.

3.    Don’t bribe people. Go into this with a genuine pursuit to make connections and gain insight. Have genuine conversations with the people you connect with. Professors at law schools are also attorneys and like most attorneys, they can read people and situations well. If you go into this with your only goal, being they help you get accepted to their school, they will likely pick up on this.

Happy networking!