Top Law Schools

I just found out that law students can and do order business cards. Is it a helpful tool for networking, or is it just pretentious?

chenalex wrote:I just found out that law students can and do order business cards. Is it a helpful tool for networking, or is it just pretentious?

I think when having and passing around a business card it is implicit that one has a business, that is that one is already a professional. Law students are just students until they land a job.

Prediction - this thread will be exactly like the following

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... ess+cards+
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p4612926
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p3926355
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p3910312
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... ness+cards

Grizz wrote:Prediction - this thread will be exactly like the following

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... ess+cards+
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p4612926
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p3926355
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p3910312
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... ness+cards

Grizz wrote:Prediction - this thread will be exactly like the following

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... ess+cards+
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p4612926
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p3926355
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p3910312
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... ness+cards

Grizz. It's awesome and all that you have 10000+ posts (sarcastic), but for us under 500 posters please don't rain on our TLS experience.

Rock-N-Roll wrote:

Grizz wrote:Prediction - this thread will be exactly like the following

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... ess+cards+
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p4612926
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p3926355
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... +#p3910312
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... ness+cards

Grizz. It's awesome and all that you have 10000+ posts (sarcastic), but for us under 500 posters please don't rain on our TLS experience.

I know I was one of the nubs to post one of the quoted threads. lol.

A law student with their own business card is no different than an undergrad with their own business card. Think about that.

Back when I was an undergrad, I attended a California Democratic Party seminar for college students and around 8/10 of the students there had business cards. I did feel a bit left out, but then, I thought that they were all just pretentious wannabes. So I'm having quite the internal disagreement here lol.

chenalex wrote:Back when I was an undergrad, I attended a California Democratic Party seminar for college students and around 8/10 of the students there had business cards. I did feel a bit left out, but then, I thought that they were all just pretentious wannabes. So I'm having quite the internal disagreement here lol.

Reconcile yourself to the fact that you want to be a pretentious wannabe?

To those who say it's a pretentious practice, you're wrong. Networking is a huge part of building a law career, and having a business card to present to the random BigLaw partner at the train station or Christmas dinner party might just land you a job that you might not otherwise have a chance to earn. Having a card says "I'm a professional". The fact that one has neither a law degree nor a license does not preclude him from projecting a professional image.

I think all law students should have business cards, no exceptions. Winners build winning habits, and passing out business cards while discussing what you do is a way to build the habit of recruiting clients. Lawyers are essentially salesmen...don't you all know that?

Besides, law students work in clinics. How else can they, in a professional manner, let clients know who they are and how to contact them? What if you do stellar work for a clinic client? That's a potential client with referrals down the road.

random5483 wrote:
I know I was one of the nubs to post one of the quoted threads. lol.

+1

chenalex wrote:Back when I was an undergrad, I attended a California Democratic Party seminar for college students and around 8/10 of the students there had business cards. I did feel a bit left out, but then, I thought that they were all just pretentious wannabes. So I'm having quite the internal disagreement here lol.

People who would attend events like that are pretentious striver douchebags, hth.

PDaddy wrote:To those who say it's a pretentious practice, you're wrong. Networking is a huge part of building a law career, and having a business card to present to the random BigLaw partner at the train station or Christmas dinner party might just land you a job that you might not otherwise have a chance to earn. Having a card says "I'm a professional". The fact that one has neither a law degree nor a license does not preclude him from projecting a professional image.

I think all law students should have business cards, no exceptions. Winners build winning habits, and passing out business cards while discussing what you do is a way to build the habit of recruiting clients. Lawyers are essentially salesmen...don't you all know that?

Besides, law students work in clinics. How else can they, in a professional manner, let clients know who they are and how to contact them? What if you do stellar work for a clinic client? That's a potential client with referrals down the road.

A quick and easy way to give all of your contact information to people who may be too busy to write your email down or even remember their encounter with you is always a good idea in a profession where networking is really the only thing that matters.

I say do it.

You are only pretentious if you are passing them out to everyone who comes within 20 feet of you. You will eventually meet people who you will want to stay in touch with and your information looks much better on a business card than a cocktail napkin. I'm just sayin'....

LoyalRebel

Student

(555) 555-5555

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LoyalRebel wrote:LoyalRebel

Student

(555) 555-5555

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So having a business card that says you're a law student with your phone number and email address is something to roll your eyes at?

I just don't understand why. Seems like a no-brainer to me based on my reasons above.

To each his (or her) own I guess.

I guess I think it's pretentious in the sense that if I had a business card, that would be because I thought someone in a business setting might actually want my contact information. Maybe I'm not giving us enough credit, but last time I checked 1L law students were not in high demand. Sure, having one might pay off, but it still seems pretentious to me.

I wouldn't judge someone else for having one, though,

LoyalRebel wrote:I guess I think it's pretentious in the sense that if I had a business card, that would be because I thought someone in a business setting might actually want my contact information. Maybe I'm not giving us enough credit, but last time I checked 1L law students were not in high demand. Sure, having one might pay off, but it still seems pretentious to me.

I wouldn't judge someone else for having one, though,

Fair enough...I never thought of it like that. Although I still think that it's a good idea even if you pass out 500 in three years and it only leads to something with one person. I just look at as I want my name out there. I want my contact information to be handy when decisions are being made about who to hire or who to call in for an interview. Obviously I want to establish more of a personal connection with people as opposed to flicking my business card at guys in suits and quickly walking away. The business card is only a small part of the networking process, but I think it's worth it.

LoyalRebel wrote:I guess I think it's pretentious in the sense that if I had a business card, that would be because I thought someone in a business setting might actually want my contact information. Maybe I'm not giving us enough credit, but last time I checked 1L law students were not in high demand. Sure, having one might pay off, but it still seems pretentious to me.

I wouldn't judge someone else for having one, though,

+1. I've seen very very very few students with business cards at my law school. I asked a partner at my 1L firm for his opinion on them and he also thought they were useless/pretentious.

I understand why people get them, but you can network and exchange contact information without them, and people are bad at handing out business cards in a humble and respectful way.

Seems that if it was seen as a "contact card" and delivered as such it might help to eliminate the pretentiousness and would be pretty convenient. Kind of tough to get rid of the connotations though.

OBNOXIOUS TROLLING REDACTED BY MODS]

All of this makes sense and forces to really think about the negative connotations that apparently come with them. I'm thinking maybe it might work a little differently with my situation. I'm in Kansas and the primary law market is Kansas City. I'm tentatively planning go into civil litigation and practice at a very small firm. Maybe threre is a different dynamic there? A family member of mine who actually runs his own civil litigation firm in KC recommended I get some business cards so I guess I'm stuck now. I was sure about them, but you all have made some great points that deserve consideration. Lots of factors to consider now

Grizz wrote:

chenalex wrote:Back when I was an undergrad, I attended a California Democratic Party seminar for college students and around 8/10 of the students there had business cards. I did feel a bit left out, but then, I thought that they were all just pretentious wannabes. So I'm having quite the internal disagreement here lol.

Reconcile yourself to the fact that you want to be a pretentious wannabe?

Almost everyone on this site is planning on becoming a yuppie. Though, I don't think anyone actually wants to be called a yuppie.

Get a business card. BE A YUPPIE!

You should not have a business card as a student. Duh.

PDaddy wrote:To those who say it's a pretentious practice, you're wrong. Networking is a huge part of building a law career, and having a business card to present to the random BigLaw partner at the train station or Christmas dinner party might just land you a job that you might not otherwise have a chance to earn. Having a card says "I'm a professional". The fact that one has neither a law degree nor a license does not preclude him from projecting a professional image.

I think all law students should have business cards, no exceptions. Winners build winning habits, and passing out business cards while discussing what you do is a way to build the habit of recruiting clients. Lawyers are essentially salesmen...don't you all know that?

Besides, law students work in clinics. How else can they, in a professional manner, let clients know who they are and how to contact them? What if you do stellar work for a clinic client? That's a potential client with referrals down the road.

I'm glad I don't know you.