I'm a current 1L trying to figure out where to put my networking energy. Every piece of advice I get is "network, network, network" but very little of it is specific about what actually converts to opportunities. Sharing what I've tried so far and looking for honest feedback.
Cold LinkedIn outreach: Sent about 30 notes to alums at firms I'm interested in over the first semester. Response rate was about 25%, and of those maybe 4 turned into real conversations. Worth it for the 4, but time intensive.
OCI prep panels: My school has panels where 2Ls and 3Ls talk about their summer experiences. Honestly these have been the most immediately useful because I get candid takes on specific firms and can ask follow-up questions in a low-stakes setting.
Bar association student memberships: Joined the local young lawyers section and attended two events. Felt like the ratio of students to practicing attorneys was too high at both to be efficient use of time at this stage.
What actually worked for 2Ls and 3Ls here? And for those who ended up at their target firms — how much did networking vs. grades vs. journal/moot court actually matter in getting the first interview?