After fall break, I looked at my calendar and wondered what in the world I had been thinking. I had signed up for two conferences in consecutive weeks: the Arizona Women Lawyers Association’s annual conference, followed by the Arizona Association for Justice’s annual conference. I had barely made a dent in my email. I had deadlines, meetings to schedule, and kids’ activities filling up the weekends. I seriously considered not going. With some encouragement from my husband, I went to both. And I am so glad I did.
After more than 20 years, I know what I get out of these events. I am not sure I would have known that early in my career.
When you are starting out, it can be difficult to appreciate the value of attending a conference. You may not know many people or feel comfortable walking into a room where everyone else seems to know each other. You may wonder whether it is worth taking a day away from the office when you are trying to establish yourself and keep up with your workload.
I would encourage you to go anyway.
You don’t have to know everyone or be the most outgoing person in the room. You don’t even have to come away with a stack of business cards. Introduce yourself to someone sitting next to you. Ask a question. Attend a lunch or reception. Listen to lawyers who have been practicing longer than you.
Here is what that looks like a few years later. You meet someone whose name you have seen on pleadings but never met in person. You talk with a lawyer who has dealt with the exact issue you are struggling with. Over time, those small interactions turn into relationships. The lawyer you meet may become someone you call with a question about a case, someone who refers a client, someone who helps you navigate a difficult situation, or simply someone who understands what you are going through. Some of the professional relationships I value most today started at events like these, and many have become friendships that extend well beyond the practice of law.
You meet someone whose name you have seen on pleadings but never met in person.
The sessions matter too, and not only for the reasons you might expect. At the Arizona Women Lawyers Association conference, judges and lawyers shared stories about the barriers they faced, the challenges they overcame, and the people who helped them along the way. When you are new, it is easy to look at someone successful and assume they always knew what they were doing, or that their path was easier than yours. Hearing their stories is a reminder that everyone has struggled, questioned their decisions, and needed help at some point. That is worth hearing early.
At the Arizona Association for Justice conference, I spent time with lawyers who handle cases similar to mine. Sometimes you learn a new technique or hear about a legal issue you hadn’t considered. Other times, hearing someone else’s approach makes you think differently about a case sitting on your own desk. After more than 20 years of practicing law, I still learn something new at these events. If that is true for me, it is even more true for someone in their first few years.
Attending two conferences didn’t make my inbox disappear. I may have been a little further behind than if I had stayed in the office. But I returned with new ideas, a different perspective, and a renewed appreciation for the profession and the people in it.
So the next time you see a conference that interests you, consider signing up, even if you don’t know anyone else going. Sometimes taking a day away from the work on your desk is exactly what you need to become better at the work you do. And sometimes, it is just what you need to remember why you enjoy doing it.
