THE LAWYERS WEEKLY D ECEMBER 7, 2012 • 21

Business & Careers Get strategic when growing your network

From small talk, conversations can come big things

hope to gain from today?,” “What brings you to this event?,” “What other events do you attend and why?,” and “What other organiza- tions do you belong to and why?” Not only will you be gathering Gary Mitchell general information about the market, you will begin to get a bet- The Coach ter understanding of who they are, and what are some of their trust you read the first part of challenges. The approach will I this column in the Nov. 9 issue. alleviate the pain most lawyers If you didn’t, you would be well feel with engaging in small talk. advised to go back and look for it. You will initiate real and genuine So you have done your research conversations. Questions to learn and you know where to find your more about them include: “What target audience. This column will has been your biggest challenge serve you in becoming more stra- this past year?,” “In working with tegic in your approach to network- law firms, what have you valued ing, and then becoming disci- the most?,” and “What have you plined with your follow-up. valued the least?” When you take Remember TSD: targeted, stra- this approach you are demon- tegic and disciplined. strating a real and genuine inter- est in them. Networking Using your “Story”: This is often RonTech2000 / iStockphoto.com referred to as your “elevator speech,” Before: Ask the organizers for a although I prefer the story term. list of attendees. Identify those on LinkedIn. Try to set up coffee way he knew a little something While networking, get started Craft a message that tells the firm’s specific people you would like to meetings or other (depending on about them and also what they by asking questions to get the story as well as your own. This is meet. See if you know anyone nature and timetable of event). looked like. The more you can do conversation going. This is also a where you can include feedback who knows them who could make One client used his BlackBerry to to prepare and become strategic further opportunity to continue from your clients that support the an introduction, your current cli- e-mail himself the profiles of the in your approach, the better with your target market research. firm’s key messages. Don’t be afraid ents and contacts, partners and people he wanted to meet. That results you will achieve. Ask questions like: “What do you Growth, Page 22

Message: Writing skills seen as being weaker in younger lawyers

Continued from page 20 with clients. In any case, any- need you to produce, we need you The do-not list thing he has written for the firm to wear a different hat.’ ” has been proofread at least once. Simon Chester, a partner in the However, he concedes it’s pos- litigation and business law Five corporate communication mistakes employees should avoid at all costs, courtesy of Joel Postman, sible that younger lawyers do not groups at Toronto firm Heenan principal of Socialized PR: write as well as lawyers did in Blaikie, says that there is a built- the past. in editing system at his firm. 1. Misguided humour embarrass the company and possibly result in loss of “What you might see in their With lawyers often working in “It’s okay to be human, but so much humour skirts or business to the company and termination of the formal writing is that they do not teams, there is the opportunity to directly confronts controversial and offensive areas, like employee or agency.” have the vocabulary or the dic- have work read critically by col- gender, religion and politics,” Postman observes “Many tion of, say, a lawyer 25 years ago, leagues, which helps improve the recent social media gaffes are the result of humour 4. You are the firm because there may be less occa- quality of work. gone awry.” “Whether using a corporate social media identity or a sion to use those words today.” He says the firm will also send personal one, people sometimes forget they are identi- South of the border, Bryan Gar- staff to courses or seminars on 2. Getting too personal fied with, and seen to represent, a company,” Postman ner, the president of LawProse effective legal writing, and artic- “One of the biggest advantages of social media communica- says. “We are in the ‘always on’ era and everything a cor- Inc., says that when he is teach- ling students and interns attend a tions is the human element. People really like the idea that porate communications professional says, writes, blogs, ing at a seminar, he is often asked series of continuing education they can talk to ‘a real person’ through social media chan- tweets or posts to Facebook, can be seen as representa- by more senior lawyers to specif- programs run by both lawyers nels. Keep in mind, though, your first responsibility is the tive of the company.” ically mention that the firm has a within the firm and external writ- company. You can talk about the Super Bowl, or the coming policy against using text-speak in ing consultants. weekend, or the weather, but keep references to alcohol or 5. It’s out there. Forever written communications. Chester, chair of the ABA Law wild parties out of your communications when you are repre- “Everything you post online can be instantly seen by, “People with a weak grasp of Practice Management Section’s senting the company. commented on and passed on to millions of people. grammar or punctuation I think editorial advisory board, doesn’t Even if you delete it, it still lives on in archives, cache, see the new formats as a way to not agree that the issue of poorly 3. Ethical missteps screenshots and blog posts. Think very carefully before have to worry about their natural crafted arguments can be “Anonymous blog comments or slurs against com- posting anything remotely controversial or risky. You weakness,” Garner said. “They blamed entirely on the younger petitors, for example, will be discovered and will cannot take it back.” think people will just let it slide. generation or on the influence of “I assure you there are people social media. He says that jar- who will not let you slide,” said gon is the “bane of legal” prose whether that’s a judge or it’s a with the advent of social media. Heenan Blaikie in September, and the editor-in-chief of Black’s Law and argues that lawyers have client,” Chester said. “Historic- “It’s not necessarily something I was “extremely pleased with how Dictionary. “There is a profes- always struggled to explain ally, we’ve always had the chal- would lay on that generation.” well his prose fitted with mine.” sional cost to nonstandard usage.” themselves clearly. lenge of persuading lawyers to Chester recently co-authored an Del Gobbo had studied English “I find lawyers writing, gener- say it more clearly, to communi- article with Daniel Del Gobbo, and says he has never encoun- We want to hear from you! ally, to be problematic because it cate more effectively, and that who was called to the bar in July tered one of his peers adopting Send us your verdict: doesn’t serve the audience, challenge hasn’t really changed and started as an associate at text speak in communications [email protected] 22 • dECEMBER 7, 2012 THE LAWYERS WEEKLY

Business & Careers

Growth: Having a simple approach always works better

Continued from page 21 always go that way. Perhaps your pline to do it. I use the term Nike you. You can keep in touch easily straight forward, that’s because it to get a little personal. Include conversations will veer more to a with my clients. When I say Nike, on LinkedIn, until such time as is. You have likely heard of the things that could be of common personal level, or vice-versa. The what comes to mind? Just do it. they become a decision maker. expression “Keep it simple stu- interest; family, travel, hobbies, idea here is to walk away with n When? 24-hour rule. Why That’s when you will have the pid,” or KISS. Well, I know for a etc. I refer to these as “touching some reason to follow up. wait? Follow up with them while potential to land the “big one.” fact that none of you are stupid, points.” They keep the conversa- The most basic goal is to meet you are still fresh in their mind. n What next? The idea here is to far from it. So how about this, tion flowing in a natural way. And new people that may have the n How? E-mail and LinkedIn. move the relationship forward. “Keep it simple, smarty pants.” they can become a point of connec- potential to hire you, find out as Send them a quick and SHORT Is there a pressing need you Until next time, I wish you tion you can refer to later in your much as you can that will provide e-mail after the event and refer- learned about? Why should they great success. follow-up. But in using this infor- you with an effective way to move ence something you learned about meet with you? What’s in it for mation, it’s not all delivered as a the relationship forward, (find a them while talking. This will show them? Is this a matter of simply Gary Mitchell is the author of ‘Rain- speech. You are merely creating a reason to follow up with them). them right off you can listen. Also, staying in touch? How much dance, The Business Development story which you can use to answer send them an invite to join your time should you invest in this Guidebook for Lawyers’ and founder questions people will ask of you. Follow up network on LinkedIn. This is a relationship right now? The of On Trac Coach. He can be reached Two nuggets to walk away from soft and easy way to keep in touch more you do this the better you at [email protected] or 604- every conversation: Your goal from When you have followed the first with them and know what is going will become at answering these 669-5235. every networking opportunity two sections, you will have some on in their career. If you are really questions, trusting your instincts should be to gather one business information about them you can junior, you want to meet as many and following through in build- We want to hear from you! nugget of information and one use in following up. Then it’s people in our target companies at ing more relationships. Send us your verdict: personal. Sometimes it won’t really about building in the disci- the same stage of their career as If this all seems simple and [email protected]

Lawyer tapped inner musician to build career New!

Natural Resources Law Module* MICHAEL RAPPAPORT to Toronto, in part because his ® ® wife was a Torontonian and in on LexisNexis Quicklaw n appointment to the bench is part because he could practise law A always an honour, but no judi- in Ontario. “Having a fallback cial post could be as sweet as being position is a terrible way to pur- named a judge on the now-defunct sue an extreme career,” Werner television show . concedes, adding: “I was on the Indeed, Zack Werner has had edge of turning 30 and felt it was Legal Research Refined many gigs in his multifaceted time to move on.” career — rock star, entertainment He called every entertainment lawyer, talent manager, record pro- lawyer in Toronto and heard the ducer and marketing maven — but same story: The market is satur- he still looks back fondly on his ated. There are no jobs. five-year stint as a judge on CTV’s Finally, Paul Sanderson, who hit show from 2003 to 2008. Werner wrote the book on entertainment In an interview with The Law- law (according to his website), let yers Weekly, Werner admits that, Werner set up a desk in the hall- in auditioning for the part, he was Profile way of the office of Sanderson “absolutely terrible.” Nonetheless, Taylor (now Sanderson Entertain- he believes his legal background Name ment Law) to try to start his prac- served him well on the show. Zack Werner tise. With his extensive contacts in “The ability to analyze issues, to the music scenes in Los Angeles, have confidence in your judgment Law school New York and Toronto, Werner and to get to the bottom line University of British Columbia was able to specialize in doing rec- quickly, are skills I honed as a law- ord deals. His clients included the hh Get the whole picture — Examine exclusive yer,” Werner says. Called to the Bar Philosopher Kings, Chris Smith commentary from legal experts in the fields of oil While presiding on Canadian 1987 Management, Sky, Ron Sexsmith and gas, mining, utilities and environmental law. Idol, “Justice Werner” was distin- and . guished on the bench for his acer- Career highlights: After about six or seven years as hh Better meet your clients’ needs — Search bic wit, candid comments and an entertainment lawyer, Werner comprehensive collections of natural resources fabulous hair. 1993 Began practising made the transition from provid- materials, including case digests, board and Zack Werner was born Isaac entertainment law for ing legal advice to managing tal- tribunal decisions, journals, newsletters and Werner in Winnipeg. His first pas- Sanderson, Taylor ent. In 1997, he co-founded Venus trade publications. sion was not law but music. His Management and Venus Records, mother was an opera singer and 1997 Co-founded Venus which has represented Esthero, hh Save time and improve efficiency — Access teacher and Werner began playing Management and Venus Records Robin Black, Ali Milner, Down content related to natural resources from a single piano and performing on stage at With Webster and the Johnstones. point of access. an early age. After graduating with 2003–2008 Judge on the now- “When we signed Esthero, it a B.A. in English literature and defunct show Canadian Idol was the largest deal ever signed in theatre from the University of Min- Canada,” Werner says. Esthero is nesota, he discussed with his father a Canadian singer-songwriter, Learn more or register for your 15-day his musical career ambitions. dances, parties and other gigs. born Jenny-Bea Englishman in complimentary trial** today. “What are you going to do all day Werner articled on Bay Street at Stratford, Ont. — which makes www.lexisnexis.ca/quicklaw-naturalresources while being a musician at night?” the now defunct Woolley Dale & her the second most successful his father, a prominent business- Dingwall. After his call to the bar performer to hail from Stratford man, retorted. in 1987, he formed the band Thick after “the Biebs.” “Rather than get a day job wait- As Thieves and relocated to Los Werner, who lost his father to ing tables or tending bar, I decided Angeles. The group opened for ALS, commonly known as Lou to go to law school,” Werner says. At Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam Gherig’s Disease, is heavily involved

* Requires a Quicklaw account and a separate subscription. the University of British Columbia, and scored a distribution deal with many charities, including the ** Some restrictions may apply. LexisNexis and the Knowledge Burst logo are registered trademarks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used under licence. he met many musically gifted law with BMG. ALS Society of Canada, Epilepsy Quicklaw is a registered trademark of LexisNexis Canada Inc. © 2012 LexisNexis Canada Inc. All rights reserved. students and formed a cover band, About five years later, after the Ontario and the Hospital for Sick The Negligents, which played at band broke up, Werner relocated Children.