Navigating law school as a first-generation student can feel overwhelming, but building a strong support network can make all the difference. Networking isn’t just about making connections for future job opportunities—it’s about building relationships that can support you throughout your legal career.
I’ve talked with many first-gen students who share they’re not good at networking, but let me assure you, you’ve been doing it all along. If you’ve ever asked a professor for a recommendation, connected with mentors in college, or built relationships at work, you’ve already been networking. The same skills that helped you succeed before law school will help you thrive in the legal field.
If you want to build your professional network beyond your campus while in law school, I hope the tips and resources below are helpful! Many of these suggestions involve joining or attending events hosted by local bar associations – and for good reason. Personally, bar associations were instrumental in helping me find community and mentorship as a law student.
Before I even started my 1L year, I was advised to join a few bar associations where I expected to practice after graduation, and it turned out to be some of the best advice I received. I became a student member of the Mexican American Association (MABA) (the Latine legal association, not just for Mexican Americans) and I attended several of their events. I was also often one of the few (and sometimes the only) law students at the “Latinas in the Legal Profession” speaker series hosted by the Latina Lawyers Bar Association (LLBA). Those events were incredibly inspiring–they introduced me to Latina attorneys across different fields of law whose stories resonated deeply with me. The lessons they shared stayed with me long after graduation.
Early in my career as an attorney, I joined the board of one bar association and served on committees for another. Those experiences not only expanded my professional network but also gave me opportunities to give back to my community through service projects and outreach to students in K-12 schools and community colleges.
Here’s what you’ll find below:
How to Build Your Network in Law School
Join Bar Associations (Many Offer Free Student Memberships!)
Bar associations are professional organizations that bring togehter lawyers, judges, and/or law students to connect, collaborate, and advance the legal profession. They exist at the local, state, or national levels, and many also represent specific identities or practice areas – such as Latinx, Asian Pacific American, Black, LGBTQ+, or Women Lawyer associations.
For students, bar associations are an entry point into the broader legal community. Many offer free or low-cost memberships that come with access to mentorship programs, networking events, scholarships, and leadership opportunities. They’re also great places to meet attorneys who remember what it felt like to be a first-generation law student and are eager to support the next generation.
Follow Legal Organizations on Social Media
Follow your local and affinity-based bar associations on LinkedIn and Instagram to stay informed about mixers, workshops, and volunteer opportunities. These updates can lead to meaningful professional connections.
Sign Up for Email Listservs
Joining a bar association’s listserv ensures you stay updated on announcements about internships, scholarships, or upcoming events tailored for law students.
Attend Networking Event Regularly
Make it a goal to attend at least one off-campus event per semester. You never know who you might meet-a future mentor, a potential employer (or friend), or even a judge looking for summer clerks.
True story: At one mixer I attended, a judge personally connected every student who didn’t yet have a summer internship with a hiring judge who still had summer spots left to fill. Every single student who attended that event and didn’t yet have a summer position left with an invitation to interview for a summer clerkship with a judge or a summer internship with a lawyer or firm. Those opportunities only happen when you show up.
Connect and Follow Up
After meeting someone, connect with them on LinkedIn and send a brief thank-you note or message. A thoughtful follow-up – especially after an informational interview – can turn a brief conversation into a lasting relationship.
Networking Checklist for Law Students
If you want inspiration to get your networking going, here is a checking to serve as a starting point for you:
⃣⃣⃣ Join 1-2 bar associations that align with your identity, career goals, or interests
⃣⃣⃣⃣⃣ Sign up to request a mentor through a bar association, your college or law school’s alumni association, or other program that provides mentorship to law students
⃣⃣⃣⃣⃣ Add scholarship deadlines to your calendar. If there a scholarship awards ceremony, it will be a great way to network with attorneys.
⃣⃣⃣⃣⃣ Add upcoming networking or other events to your calendar.
⃣⃣⃣⃣⃣ Follow 1-2 bar associations on social media (or more if you’d like!)
Good luck networking!
Los Angeles County Bar Associations
For those of you in Los Angeles County, you’re in luck – there are dozens of bar associations here. Some welcome law student with free memberships, mentorship programs, scholarships, and event invitations. Find a list of some of these associations below. You cal also download the full guide as a PDF file by clicking here.
Bar Associations Offering Free Memberships
Free memberships allow you to connect with legal professionals, attend events, and access mentorship opportunities without breaking the bank.
Arab American Lawyers Association of Southern California
https://www.aalasc.com/law-student-membership
Asian Pacific American Bar Association (APABA)
Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance (APAWLA)
Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
https://www.blackwomenlawyersla.org/joinbwl
California Lawyers Association
https://calawyers.org/lawstudent
Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles (CAALA)
https://www.caala.org/?pg=LawStudents
Italian American Lawyers Association
Japanese American Bar Association
https://jaba.camp9.org/membershipapp
John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles
https://www.langstonbar.org/membership-join
Korean American Bar Association
https://www.kabasocal.org/membership
https://lacba.org/?pg=law-student-resources
Latina Lawyers Bar Association
https://llbalaw.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/llbalaw/membershipJoin.jsp
LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
https://lgla.wildapricot.org/join
Mexican American Bar Association
https://mabaattorneys.com/Law-Student-Resources
Muslim Bar Association of Southern California
Pasadena Bar Association
Philippine American Bar Association (PABA)
San Fernando Valley Bar Association
https://members.sfvba.org/join
Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (WLALA)
Bar Associations With Mentorship Programs
Mentorship programs connect you with experienced attorneys who can guide you through law school, internships, and early career decisions.
Japanese American Bar Association
https://www.jabaonline.org/mentorship
LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
https://lgbtqlawyersla.org/student-center
Mexican American Bar Association
https://mabaattorneys.com/Law-Student-Resources
Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (WLALA)
Scholarship Opportunities
Arab American Lawyers Association of Southern California
https://www.aalasc.com/law-student-scholarships
https://bhba.org/the-foundation/scholarship-program
Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Foundation (“BWL Foundation”)
John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles
https://www.langstonbar.org/scholarship
Italian American Lawyers Association
https://www.iala.info/page-1836187
Latina Lawyers Bar Association
LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
https://lgbtqlawyersla.org/student-center
Philippine American Bar Association Foundation
Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association
https://www.sccla.org/Scholarships
Bar Associations Offering Free Event Registration
Free events provide opportunities to meet attorneys, learn about legal careers, and build your network.
Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association (SCCLA)
https://www.sccla.org/Membership
Social Media Accounts to Follow
Stay updated on scholarships, events, and opportunities by following the social media accounts for bar associations throughout Los Angeles County or Southern California.
Arab American Lawyers Association of Southern California
- Instagram: @aalasc
- LinkedIn: Arab American Lawyers Association of Southern California
Asian Pacific American Bar Association (APABA)
- Instagram: @apabala
- LinkedIn: Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles
Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance (APAWLA)
- Instagram: @apawla
- LinkedIn: Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance
Beverly Hills Bar Association
- Instagram: @beverlyhillsbarassociation
- LinkedIn: Beverly Hills Bar Association
Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (BWL)
- Instagram: @blackwomenlawyersla
- LinkedIn: Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
California Lawyers Association (CLA)
- Instagram: @calawyers
- LinkedIn: California Lawyers Association
Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA)
- Instagram: @caalatriallawyers
- LinkedIn: Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
Federal Bar Association (FBA)
- Instagram: @fedbar
- LinkedIn: Federal Bar Association
Italian American Lawyers Association (IALA)
- Instagram: @iala_la
- LinkedIn: Italian American Lawyers Association
Japanese American Bar Association (JABA)
- Instagram: @jaba.la
- LinkedIn: Japanese American Bar Association
John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles
- Instagram: @langstonbar
- LinkedIn: John M. Langston Bar Association
Korean American Bar Association of Southern California (KABA)
- Instagram: @kaba_socal
- LinkedIn: Korean American Bar Association of Southern California
Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)
- Instagram: @lacountybar
- LinkedIn: Los Angeles County Bar Association
Latina Lawyers Bar Association (LLBA)
- Instagram: @llbalaw
- LinkedIn: Latina Lawyers Bar Association
LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
- Instagram: @lgbtqlawyersla
- LinkedIn: LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
Mexican American Bar Association (MABA)
- Instagram: @mabala_org
- LinkedIn: Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles County
Muslim Bar Association of Southern California (MBASC)
- Instagram: @muslimbarla
- LinkedIn: Muslim Bar Association of Southern California
Pasadena Bar Association (PBA)
- Instagram: @pasadenabar
- LinkedIn: Pasadena Bar Association
Philippine American Bar Association (PABA)
- Instagram: @pabala_org
- LinkedIn: Philippine American Bar Association of Los Angeles
San Fernando Valley Bar Association (SFVBA)
- Instagram: @sfvba
- LinkedIn: San Fernando Valley Bar Association
South Bay Bar Association (SBBA)
- Instagram: @southbaybar
- LinkedIn: South Bay Bar Association
Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (WLALA)
- Instagram: @womenlawyersla
- LinkedIn: Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
Final Thoughts
Networking as a first-generation law student is a combination of who you know and how you show up. When you join bar associations, attend events, and nurture your connections with intention, you’re not just expanding your network – you’re building your legal community (and your circle of friends if you’re lucky).
You’re already proven you can open doors for yourself. Now, it’s time to walk through them.
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