Networking

Yale University Online Alumni Community

Through this page, students can access the Yale Online Alumni Directory as well as Cross Campus, a networking, community-building, and mentoring program. 

LinkedIn

After creating a LinkedIn profile, search for the Yale Law Alumni & Students group in the top search bar to join. Additionally, we recommend the tutorial Learning LinkedIn (offered free of charge using your CAS login through Yale’s subscription to LinkedIn Learning) to navigate creating a profile and building connections.

Leadership Connect

Yale Law School provides students with a subscription to Leadership Connect, an online database containing biographical and contact information for leaders in U.S. business, government, professional and nonprofit organizations. Altogether, Leadership Connect provides information on almost a half million people at over 40,000 organizations. You can search for YLS alumni by using the Education filter, available in the search function. Students must be on the Yale Network or VPN to access site. Click the “Sign In” button at the top of the home page, and you will be taken immediately to a quick search screen. 

Martindale.com

This comprehensive database includes large and small law firms and can be used to search for YLS alumni, firms in a particular city, firms with a particular practice area, and more. 

Bar Associations offer resources, programs, leadership and networking opportunities. Most offer inexpensive student rates.

ABA
New York City Bar
State Bar Associations
 

The best sources of information and advice regarding public interest law are individuals who have experience in the field. You can find lists of current and former fellows, in the Resources tab of the Public Interest Fellowships page. 

Through an informational interview, you are seeking three things: Advice, Information, and Referrals. You can remember this framework by remembering the acronym “AIR.” In your initial outreach you will request advice and information, then, as you conclude the informational interview, you will ask whether the attorney with whom you are speaking can recommend additional people who could provide you with more advice and information. Importantly, you should never inquire about job opportunities at the person’s organization. Asking for a job may cause the person to not respond to your outreach.

Your initial outreach should be concise and professional. Start by explaining who you are and the reasons for your outreach (e.g., to learn more about a practice area; the person’s role and responsibilities in their current organization; their career path; their experiences at YLS; advice for you as you navigate YLS and your career). Ask whether there is a convenient time to talk either by phone, video, or in person.

Here’s a sample email:

Subject: Yale Law Student seeks your advice

Body: Dear [Alumni Name]:

I am currently a first-year student at Yale Law School, and I plan to pursue a career in entertainment law in Los Angeles. I see from your [LinkedIn profile/website/Courtyard profile] that you have had great success in the entertainment industry. I would be grateful for the opportunity to speak with you about your experiences at YLS and your career path. Any advice or information you can provide me as I begin my career would be invaluable.  Please let me know if there is a convenient time for us to talk. I am available by phone or video conference [or in person]. Thank you in advance for your help.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Because attorneys are typically very busy, they may not respond to your initial outreach. If you have not heard back from an attorney within a week of making first contact, follow up a second time. Should the attorney not respond to the second message, you can conclude your outreach or wait two weeks to try a final time.

Conduct research in advance of your conversation, so that you will make the best use of your interactions. This can include spending some time researching

• the attorney’s professional career path (e.g., The Courtyard, LinkedIn, organization web site)
• basic background about the industry you would like to explore (e.g., industry publications and web sites, American Lawyer, and the American Bar Association
• the type of experience that attorneys have held in your field of interest (e.g., The Courtyard, YLS Alumni Profiles, LinkedIn

Since you requested the conversation, you should be prepared to direct the dialogue. Start by thanking the person for taking the time to speak with you and sharing some information about yourself and your background. Keep your goals for the conversation in mind and ask questions to learn about the attorney and their experiences. Be mindful of the time and stick to the schedule you’ve agreed to as much as possible. 

Do not take notes during the meeting. Doing so can disrupt the flow of the conversation, so it is best to wait until the meeting is over to capture your thoughts. The one exception: the names of additional contacts. If you might forget their names, write them down during the meeting.

Ask engaging and insightful questions. 

Your goal is to learn more about the industry, the practice area, and the typical duties of an attorney at the organization. Keep your questions professional as you ask about daily responsibilities, work-life balance, and new trends that may exist in the industry.   

Consider these sample questions:
 

Information about the Attorney

• What experiences were most meaningful to you at YLS?
• Did you enter YLS will a sense of what you wished to do with your law degree? What experiences/resources/people helped you define your goals?
• Reflecting on your career, what has been your proudest professional accomplishment? Is there anything you would change about your path?
• What do you know now that you wish you’d know when you were in my position?

Information about the Attorney’s Area of Practice

• Who are your clients and what types of cases/issues/transactions do you work on?
• What did you work on yesterday?
• What do you find most satisfying about your work? Least satisfying?
• What skills are most important to succeed in your area of work?
• What are the current trends/changes you have seen in your practice area?
• Are there other practice areas you would suggest I explore?

Information about the Attorney’s Organization

• What characteristics does a successful attorney at your organization have?
• How is the industry changing and how do you see your organization adapting to those changes?
• How would you describe your organization’s culture?
• When people leave your organization, where do they typically work next?

Advice for You

• What classes and clinics do you recommend I pursue given my interests?
• What experiences do you recommend I pursue to enhance my attractiveness to organizations in your field of expertise?

Seeking Referrals

• Is there anyone else you can think of who would have additional advice and information that you think would be helpful to me?
• Would it be OK if I shared your name with them when I make outreach?

At the close of the conversation, thank the attorney for their time and the valuable information they shared. Ask whether they would be open to speaking with you again in the future should you have additional questions as your education progresses.

Immediately after the meeting, take notes of everything that you can remember from the conversation. Small details about the attorney’s personal or professional life can be useful should you make outreach in the future. (e.g., “When we last spoke you were getting ready to leave for a long-planned vacation with your family to Ireland. I hope you had a wonderful trip!”)

Within 24 hours, send the attorney a note, thanking them for their time and advice. The note can be either an email or a hand-written card.

In the weeks and months to follow, consider opportunities to contact the attorney again to cultivate your relationship. For example, if the attorney provided you with advice that you successfully implemented, reach back out to inform them. Or, if you accept a position in their field, let them know.

Sample Thank You Note language:

Subject: Thank you for your time and advice 

Dear [Alumni Name],

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me on [date, time, and/or place]. [Write 1-2 sentences about the conversation you had, and possible next steps you are taking or the path you envision moving forward]. 

I know how busy your schedule is, and it means a great deal that you took time to speak with me and share your experiences and expertise. Thank you again, and I hope we stay in touch. 

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Once the attorney with whom you met provides you with referrals to others, email those attorneys at your earliest convenience. A subject line like, “[Attorney Name] recommended that I contact you” will get your message noticed and increase that likelihood that the recipient will open the message and respond positively to your request for a meeting.

Informational interviewing is a process which you can use throughout law school and your professional career. To maximize the network you will build through this process, it is essential that you develop a system to record your outreach, the content of your meetings, and follow-up. Take the time now to create a system that will work for you. Once your informational interviews get going, you’ll have a place to put all the useful advice, information, and referrals you will get.