The legal industry’s event calendar is relentless. A simple Google search for legal conferences in 2025—done in January, no less—returns hundreds of events across the world, each promising valuable networking and insights. Between IBA, MIPIM, Legal Week, and countless other summits, partners could quite literally spend their entire careers circling the globe, shaking hands with other lawyers. And while networking is important, at some point, firms need to ask: What’s the actual return on all this travel?
Not every event is worth it
Let’s be honest-some conferences are more about being “seen” than generating actual value. Before committing, it’s worth asking a few blunt questions:
- Who’s attending? If it’s mostly other law firms, will it lead to real business opportunities?
- What’s the format? Is there a structured way to meet potential clients, or is it just endless panels?
- Does it align with business goals? Attending just because “we always do” isn’t a strong enough reason.
- Is the content valuable? Some conferences offer genuine learning opportunities, with insights on legal trends, regulatory changes, and emerging practice areas. If the agenda isn’t compelling, it might not be worth the trip.
Firms don’t need to be everywhere. It’s better to be selective and intentional about which events actually serve a purpose.
Managing expectations: why are you even going?
Too many firms send partners to conferences with no real strategy beyond “go, network, and be visible.” But that’s vague at best. Instead, it helps to define what success actually looks like:
- Are you there to meet clients? Make sure key contacts are attending and lock in meetings well in advance.
- Is it about referrals? Some events (like IBA) are great for reinforcing existing law firm relationships-but they won’t necessarily bring in direct client work.
- Do you want to raise the firm’s profile? Then securing a speaking spot or publishing insights ahead of the event is far more useful than just showing up.
- Is the educational aspect relevant? Some conferences provide genuinely useful updates on legal trends and industry developments, which can be valuable for practice growth.
Having a clear reason for attending makes all the difference between a valuable trip and one that feels like a time sink.
Making the time count
Let’s face it-lawyers are busy. Conferences pull them away from billable work, so if you’re going to spend the time, it needs to be worth it. A few simple rules help:
- Don’t rely on random networking-pre-book meetings with key people before you even get there.
- Be smart about which sessions you attend-skip generic panels and focus on the ones where clients, key contacts, or industry leaders are speaking.
- Use social media strategically-a few well-placed LinkedIn posts can amplify your presence beyond the event itself.
- Engage in meaningful learning-attend sessions that offer valuable insights into evolving legal issues or business trends, not just the ones with the biggest names.
It’s easy to leave a conference with a stack of business cards and no real connections. The key is to be deliberate about who you’re meeting and why.
The follow-up (where most firms drop the ball)
The biggest mistake? Not following up properly. Conferences are only valuable if they lead to actual conversations afterward. That means:
- Sending follow-up emails within a week-ideally with something specific to continue the discussion.
- Keeping track of who you met-whether that’s in a CRM or just a shared document, so those contacts don’t get lost.
- Assessing whether the event was worth it-did it bring in new business, strengthen client relationships, provide valuable knowledge, or create real referral opportunities? If not, maybe it’s not worth attending next year.
Final thoughts: be selective, be intentional
There’s no shortage of places to go, people to meet, and panels to sit through. But just because an event is happening doesn’t mean it’s worth attending. The firms that get real value out of conferences are the ones that choose wisely, go in with a plan, and follow through afterward.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not about how many events you attend-it’s about making the right ones count.
