If my question seems to be sophomoric, you already know the answer.  Of course it is!  Networking can help you learn more about your profession and needed legal skills, enjoy the environment frequented by your peers, and develop your personal interests and relationships.  I got to thinking about this today, when I saw the post by Bruce Allen at Marketing Catalyst where he makes his case for networking beyond developing business.

Bruce is right of course.  But….wait a minute.  Networking for these “other” reasons also can lead to new business.

So, is networking important beyond the need to market your legal practice?  Yes of course…..but then again, even that can be good lawyer marketing.  I am not saying that you have to marry your law practice with your personal life all the time.  But some of the best legal marketers I know are those that enjoy both practicing law and a personal life.  Yet, maybe they seem to be natural rainmakers, because so many of those personal interests lead to clients and referral sources for their legal business after all.

Maybe it’s just a “double passion” thing.  And maybe that is just smart legal marketing also.

Maybe I’ll just mosey over to the gym and network away some unneeded…..whatever.

Note: This is an encore post on networking first published on May 5, 2006. Since I will be on a working vacation over the next week with limited access to the Internet, I will be doing encores of previous posts on networking. For those who missed them the first time around, I hope you find them helpful.