Networking Events Checklist

The marketing partner defines concrete targets — for example, three referral conversations from the litigation group, two GC introductions for the corporate group, one speaking opportunity for next year. Vague goals ("raise the firm's profile") produce no measurable follow-up.

Pull the attendee roster from the event organizer or LinkedIn event page. Cross-reference against the firm's CRM (Lawmatics, Clio Grow, HubSpot) to flag existing clients, former clients, and known referral sources. Prioritize 15-25 names — any more is unrealistic for a two-day event.

Confirm the firm's planned activities — sponsored cocktail hour, branded booth, speaker slot — comply with state Rule 7.x advertising rules and any solicitation restrictions. PI events near recent incidents may trigger 30-day no-solicitation windows in some states.

Sponsoring or exhibiting unlocks branded-booth setup and additional disclaimers; speaking adds CLE accreditation paperwork. Plain attendance keeps prep light.

Refresh the litigation, transactional, and IP one-pagers with recent matters that are public record or client-approved. Strip anything subject to confidentiality (Rule 1.6) — closed deals announced in trade press are safe; ongoing matters are not.

Verify each attorney's bar number, jurisdictions of admission, and any required state-specific advertising disclaimers ("Advertising Material" labels are mandatory in some states). Order quantity = expected meaningful conversations × 1.5.

Most events publish bios in advance. Use the firm's standard bio language, list bar admissions, and include any required "results may vary" or specialist-certification disclaimers under the relevant state's Rule 7.4.

Coordinate with the event's exhibitor services for booth dimensions, electrical, and signage delivery. Branded swag with the firm's name or logo counts as advertising in most states — confirm disclaimers are present.

Book before the event's room block expires — rates jump 40-60% afterward. Code expenses to firm BD (non-billable) unless a client has agreed to pre-approved networking expense recovery.

Include session schedule, sponsored events, hotel info, dress code, and which firm partner is the on-site coordinator for last-minute changes.

Walking the floor hoping to meet GCs is inefficient. Email priority targets two weeks out to schedule 20-minute meetings — coffee, breakfast, or a session break. Block calendars for each attorney.

If multiple partners are away, designate an on-call partner who can run conflict checks and approve new-matter intake. Walk-in clients don't pause for conferences.

Capture CLE attendance forms — sessions counted toward state CLE hours need a signed certificate. The firm administrator collects forms at end of day for the CLE tracker.

Don't rely on memory or a stack of business cards. Each conversation gets logged the same day with name, firm, role, topic discussed, and follow-up commitment. Photograph cards into Lawmatics or Clio Grow on the spot.

If a prospect describes a matter where the adverse party sounds like an existing client, do not take detailed facts. Note the parties, end the conversation politely, and run a Rule 1.7 / 1.9 check before any further substantive exchange — pre-engagement disclosures can taint a representation.

Generic "great to meet you" templates get deleted. Reference the specific topic discussed and any commitment made (article to share, intro to make). Past 72 hours, response rate drops sharply.

Separate referral sources (other lawyers, accountants) from prospective clients. Prospective clients require conflict screening before any substantive engagement; referral sources do not.

Run each prospective client and any named adverse parties through the firm's conflicts database (Clio, IntApp Open, NetDocuments ConflictChex). Document results before sending any engagement-letter draft. Partner sign-off required on any close-call result.

Review against the goals set in pre-event planning. Score: leads generated, meetings held, speaking opportunities for next year. Decide whether the event earns a spot on next year's BD calendar.

Push every captured contact into Lawmatics, Clio Grow, or HubSpot with event source tag, practice-area interest, and follow-up commitment. Tagging by event source lets the marketing partner measure ROI by event over time.

Post which attorneys will attend, sessions of interest, and how to schedule a meeting. Run the post past the marketing partner for Rule 7.x compliance — testimonials and results-language need disclaimers in most states.

Share takeaways from sessions, tag the speakers and the event handle. Avoid commenting on pending matters or sharing photos of identifiable client representatives without permission.

Use a personalized connection note referencing the conversation. Generic LinkedIn requests after a brief in-person meeting often go unaccepted by GCs and senior in-house counsel.