I love this article about the usefulness of attending conferences, where you’re able to meet (in person) many of the individuals within your industry you might never otherwise be able to rub elbows with.
I like the authors comment on the ridiculous prize attached to having a booth at one of these fairs (it’s always ridiculous) but I think the takeaway for us, as students, is that we should be attending the conferences available to us now, while student prices are fairly reasonable (also you can usually volunteer for free admission).
Here’s actually a list of a ridiculous amount of legal conferences that are hosted worldwide, I’m going to the Cybersecurity summit this summer for free in return for volunteering (great deal!) So go out, network, and engage your entrepreneurial side.
http://www.legalscholarshipblog.com/category/type/conferences/
Katelyn, thanks for sharing. This point came up in a recent CDO panel I served on. A fellow 3L took this approach to finding a job, knowing that she wanted to work in-house or for a consulting firm. She was able to contact many of the event organizers and get free admission, and was able to speak directly to the people in charge of hiring without competition from other students. I think as students continue to struggle with finding traditional legal jobs that this will be a crucial (innovative?) approach to finding a job.