The session featured a discussion on leveraging live events for law firm practice development, with particular focus on the International Bar Association Annual Conference in Copenhagen. The speakers explored how firms can strategically approach large-scale legal events through preparation, market intelligence, and relationship-building techniques. Key themes included the continued importance of trust in legal relationships, the value of business development support, and practical tools for managing international referral networks.

Overview

Live events remain crucial for international lawyers seeking to build face-to-face relationships and develop their practices, despite the complexity of managing large conferences with thousands of attendees. The speakers emphasised that successful event participation requires strategic planning rather than ad hoc networking, particularly for firms breaking into international markets or those with limited resources.

The discussion highlighted that preparation is essential—firms should conduct thorough market intelligence before events, identifying target firms based on practice area alignment, rankings, and existing relationships. Business development professionals play a vital role in supporting lawyers through event planning, contact research, and follow-up activities. The speakers stressed that authenticity matters; lawyers should remain true to their firm’s positioning and strategy rather than attempting to be someone they’re not.

Key Takeaways

• Conduct thorough pre-event research using firm rankings (Chambers, Legal 500) and historical meeting data to identify strategic targets
• Appoint an international committee of 4-5 partners from different disciplines to serve as the firm’s consistent face at events
• Prepare 100-200 business cards and follow up immediately via LinkedIn after meeting contacts
• Focus on quality over quantity—schedule targeted one-on-one meetings rather than attending every reception
• Combine large annual conferences with smaller, practice-area-specific events (typically 300-500 attendees) for more manageable networking
• Implement a structured workflow: long-listing, shortlisting, outreach, scheduling, pre-meeting preparation, and post-event follow-up
• Ensure directory submissions (Chambers, Legal 500) showcase international work highlights and include peer references from trusted contacts
• Track inbound and outbound referral patterns to validate relationships and build strategic referral networks
• Consider attending industry-specific conferences (tech, pharma, biotech) relevant to your practice areas
• Plan next year’s event strategy in Q4 following the current year’s conference
• Send personalised digital presentations and firm information to scheduled one-on-one meeting contacts
• Use tools and platforms to centralise meeting data, contact management, and follow-up tasks
• Ensure business development support for post-event follow-up, as lawyers returning to busy schedules often neglect this critical phase