Networking, Stay-At-Home Parent Style

Networking, Stay-At-Home Parent Style

Written by Desiree Nordstrom

There may come a time when attorneys who have chosen to stay-at-home to raise their children find themselves returning to the practice of law. When one has been out of the legal “loop” for so long, returning seems like a daunting impossibility. This is why it is important for those who choose to stay-at-home to continue to network.  It is hard to make networking a priority when your children come first; but, here are a few suggestions that may help prioritize networking.

Communication with Established Contacts.
Stay in touch with co-workers, clients and colleagues in the legal field. Maintaining these relationships will require little effort: a phone call, a text message, or an email will go a long way. This step is simple because it does not require attending a luncheon or event outside of your home!

Extend Your Network.
Do not rule out building a relationship with someone outside of your preferred practice area.  You never know when a connection will come in handy.

Lunch, Maybe Even With the Kids.
Make an effort to set up lunch meetings.  After all, being face-to-face with a colleague will help build a valuable relationship. You can trade babysitting with another parent you know. Even better, if the colleague is child friendly, take your kid(s) with you! I recently attended a networking lunch with four female attorneys and three children.  It was great to relate on all levels, i.e. legal and family.

An Evening Out.
Talk to your spouse about attending evening events.  You will be more likely to attend those events if they are on your calendar.  Also, it will help your significant other plan to be home with the kids if it is a calendar to which he is connected.  My husband gets notification of events on my Google calendar.  It helps us juggle life.  I have found that going to evening events is not only beneficial for my sanity, but it also ensures that I accumulate the continuing education required by the State Bar.

Internet Networking. 
There are many social networking sites that can be used to network including LinkedIn, Facebook and Avvo. Keep your profiles updated, contact colleagues and contribute.  Contributions can be made by writing articles and tutorials in your area of expertise. Five minutes a day, or less, can fulfill this from home.

Networking can be hard for every attorney, let alone the stay-at-home parent.  Networking should not be about finding work or business alone.  Focus should be put on getting to know those you are networking with and creating a relationship.  Building those relationships will go a long way when you are ready to jump backing in to the legal field when the children are grown.