For young civil litigators seeking to increase business, networking is undoubtedly critical. Though there are various ways for young civil litigators to expand their network, whether through ABA groups or networking events, a networking gold mine might lie in somewhat unexpected territory: taking on court-appointed criminal cases.
Taking on court-appointed criminal cases has generally been ubiquitous advice for young lawyers to pursue for litigation experience, but taking on these criminal cases has great networking potential as well, even for civil litigators. Networking is fundamentally about building connections, and court-appointed cases offer young litigators chances to do so, with access to meet fellow attorneys, legal professionals, and other individuals, in addition to sharpening their litigating.
Meeting attorneys while taking on these criminal cases could open the door for an invaluable mentorship or introductions to other civil litigators through this new network being crafted. The connections made could result in valuable opportunities, be it client referrals or otherwise, to expand both business and experience.
Though on its face seeming like a somewhat less useful networking opportunity for young civil litigators, court-appointed criminal cases offer young litigators a great way to meet other lawyers and start building a professional network that will serve them well into the future.