Aug. 21, 2019 – Networking is an important aspect of business development, and Appleton attorney Timothy Cody encourages lawyers to get out of the office for traditional, face-to-face networking when they can.

Cody, an attorney at Daniels & McAvoy S.C., was looking for ways to expand his practice. He turned to local bars to meet other lawyers who could help. “Then I started attending the State Bar conferences, large and small, and attended a lot of CLEs.

“You can do that online, back at your office, so you don’t have to travel. However, you aren’t making those connections. To me, it became very important to go and get refreshed on the law but also meet practitioners, and try to make connections.”

Cody, a presenter on building your practice at last year’s Wisconsin Solo and Small Firm Conference says finding mentors helps lawyers learn more quickly.

“You can always learn on your own, but that’s a lot of time and effort. As we know, time and effort is what we get paid for, and you can’t charge the client to learn,” Cody said.

Introverted attorneys may feel less comfortable with traditional networking. “Remember, we are all nervous when making that first introduction, whether it’s online or traditional. You just say, 1-2-3, let’s go, I need to invest, I need to learn, I need to meet people.”

Cody says there’s no limit to the opportunities derived from making meaningful connections with other lawyers. “Whether it’s just great friendships, a great mentor, a working referral relationship,” Cody said. “I’ve only been practicing in Wisconsin for two years, and I’m speaking at the [State] Bar. All kinds of things can open up.”

Looking for a networking opportunity? Attend the 2019 Wisconsin Solo and Small Firm Conference, Oct. 24-26, at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

Learn more about the 2019 WSSFC.