LawyersUSA

Only a few years ago, attorneys would never dream of maintaining official contact with the law firms they left.

The former firm and the lawyer shared a tacit understanding: When the attorney walks out the door, the relationship ends.

But that pattern is changing as an increasing number of firms realize that staying in touch with former partners, associates and staffers can be good for business. The result is the birth of firm-administered "alumni networks" aimed at maintaining contacts that can foster business development.

It's no coincidence that this is happening at the same time when "social networking" Internet mechanisms, such as Linked In and Facebook, are mushrooming.

The concept is simple: when lawyers leave firms, their own personal networks will probably grow – and who is better situated to glean spin-off work from these networks than the lawyers' old firms?

Seeking relationships in-house

Attorney Scott Westfahl, who is the director of professional development for Boston-based law firm Goodwin Procter, points out that many of the attorneys who leave the firm take jobs as in-house lawyers for its clients.

"When they leave to go in-house and progress toward becoming general counsel, these lawyers are the ones making decisions about which outside firms to hire for particular matters," he said.

In that instance, an in-house lawyer with a good relationship with her old firm might be apt to ship work back to her former employer.

Anne Berkowitch, the chief executive officer of New York-based SelectMinds, a national provider of corporate social networking services, said that many law firms promote their alumni networks to attract young attorneys as well.

The message, she said, is: "Not everyone can make partner, but if you come here and work for us, you'll be part of an extended network."

The prospective lawyer might therefore conclude, "Maybe I won't like it, but it's good to know that I can carry that network with me," she said.

SelectMinds assists law firms (and corporations) in developing these networks by offering a turnkey system that includes the creation of an alumni website that SelectMinds hosts on its own server. It also provides continuing consulting on how the firm can improve its network.

Law firms' alumni websites are usually secure places accessible only by registered users with passwords. The good ones, Berkowitch said, are those with lots of unique material – law firm news, discussion forums and lists of professional opportunities both inside and outside the firm.

Posting jobs in-house

At Goodwin Procter, Westfahl has a roster of nearly 1,500 alumni. Approximately 40 percent of them are registered users of the firm's website.

He stresses the importance of giving them a good reason to check the site on a regular basis. It includes a 30-page "mini-book" on career transitions for lawyers, with resume writing tips and alumni spotlights.

It also has an extensive job board.

"Clients and alumni contact us and say, 'If you know anybody who's thinking of leaving, I've got a job in-house.' Even current attorneys at the firm can view those jobs."

The firm sends out a newsletter to its alumni, and Westfahl said that one of the popular features focuses on funny exit memos written by people leaving the firm.

"We post those along with pictures of the people who wrote the memos from when they left, along with a current picture and an update of what they're doing now."

Attorney Kate Neville, who operates Neville Consulting LLC in Washington, D.C., points out that alumni networks can also be a good way for female lawyers who have left the profession to get back into the practice.

Lauren Rickleen Stiller, a partner at the 60-lawyer Worcester, Mass.-based firm Bowditch & Dewey agreed. She believes that firms may begin using consulting firm Deloitte LLP as a model. For years, Deloitte has had an alumni program in place specifically aimed at women who take time off.

"These are people who were valuable enough to hire once," she said, "so I'm sure they want to hire them again."

Smaller firms use a less formal approach

The creation of formal alumni networks has become de rigueur at big law firms, but according to Stacy Clark of Stacy Clark Marketing in Devon, Pa., smaller firms are also paying more attention to their alumni these days. However, they tend to be much more informal in their approach.

"Big firms are pouring money into this," she said. "But for a small firm, it can cost as little as lunch."

Clark strongly encourages smaller firms to develop alumni programs – and provides several pointers. For instance, firms should create one-on-one "buddy systems," in which current lawyers and staff each have a unique list of alumni to communicate with at least four times a year.

Clark said it's important to take a quid pro quo approach to alumni communication, providing alumni with useful information such as articles in their subject area or a suggestion about a potential client.

"You've got to get away from [the alumnus concluding], 'You just want me to send you work,'" she said. "You can nominate them for an award. You can invite them back to the firm to speak."

No 'weird lines in the sand'

Clark and Westfahl believe that firms shouldn't be too exclusive when it comes to drawing up alumni lists.

"People ask whether you should include everyone on your alumni list," Clark said. "I say: Absolutely. Positively."

At Goodwin Procter, the list includes former lawyers, summer associates, science advisors (for patent work) and senior professional staff.

When the firm was creating its alumni website two years ago, there was internal discussion about who would be eligible to register, he said.

"Our answer was: If you start drawing weird lines in the sand, it belies the whole idea that we are a community."

Besides, he said, "they might come back and they might refer business when they're conflicted out of things. Lawyer conflicts happen all the time."

Questions or comments can be directed to the writer at dick.dahl@lawyersusaonline.com