As the state capital of Texas, Austin is a vibrant, culturally diverse city filled with endless opportunities for talented legal professionals seeking greener career pastures. As an Austin-based attorney, blazing a more rewarding career path takes the right mix of lawyer marketing and networking skills.
Knowing how and where to network isn’t always easy, especially when you’re new to the area. Whether you currently practice at one of Austin’s many law firms, corporations or government agencies, or are pursuing relocation opportunities in Austin, here’s how to connect with fellow “movers–and–shakers” within the city’s fast-paced legal community.
Professional Organizations
State Bar of Texas
As the largest bar association in Texas, the State Bar of Texas has more than 11,000 members. For lawyers, judges and other legal professionals located in Austin, membership in the statewide Texas Bar provides year-round access to educational, networking, community service and social activities.
Austin Bar Association
Members of the Austin Bar Association (ABA) are dedicated to advancing the administration of justice, enhancing access for all to quality legal services, and contributing to the success of the Austin community as-a-whole. Member benefits include free or discounted CLE, along with networking, socializing and community service opportunities.
Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
As an affiliate of the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin (HBAA) welcomes Latino lawyers, legislators, lobbyists, law professors, law students and government officials in the greater Austin area. The HBAA’s mission is to foster and encourage the involvement of those legal professionals in the local community.
Austin Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
With a primary focus on continuing education, the Austin Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (ACDLA) is a nonprofit professional organization that exists to protect the constitutional rights, and court system’s commitment to supporting the rights, of citizens accused of crimes in Central Texas.
Travis County Women’s Lawyer Association
Backed by the slogan “Connections, Community & Camaraderie”, the Travis County Women’s Lawyer Association (TCWLA) is open to women lawyers, law students and judges in the Austin area who are passionate about excelling in their jobs while protecting the legal rights of women and children. TCWLA members also enjoy access to career-enrichment opportunities through social, CLE and networking events.
Austin Black Lawyers Association
For over three decades, the Austin Black Lawyers Association (ABLA) has embraced members from every facet of the Austin legal community, including lawyers, public officials, educators and legislators. As an affiliate of the National Bar Association, the ABLA’s goal is to impact the legal community on a local, state and national level by encouraging diversity, improving the legal profession, and providing assistance to those they serve.
Austin Asian American Bar Association
Established in 2006, the purpose of the Austin Asian American Bar Association (AAABA) is to serve the mutual professional, social and mentoring interests of Asian American and Polynesian American lawyers and law students. Membership in the AAABA is also open to any lawyer or law student with an interest in serving members of Austin’s Asian American community.
Industry Nights and Informal Groups
Although there are no designated industry nights or informal social groups for up-and-coming legal professionals in Austin, many participate in local career and business groups coordinated through Meetup.com.
Those non-industry specific groups include Network After Work, LinkedIn Local Austin Networking, and the Austin Women Professional Development Meetup (HERdacity). Joining one of these groups allows Austin-based lawyers to expand their list of professional contacts through social events, community outreach programs and other group-facilitated, networking activities.
Online Spaces and Forums
Another great way for Austin lawyers to network after hours with peers is through online communities and forums. In addition to social media chatrooms and instant messaging services, LawyerSmack.com provides legal professionals with a safe, secure virtual space for holding open and honest conversations.
Because LawyerSmack is a private forum, attorneys that use the platform have a discrete place to openly share problems and brainstorm solutions. Unfortunately, most of the other online spaces and forums don’t offer the same level of privacy, which means that any posted comments related to job searches could end up in the wrong hands!
Networking in Austin During a Job Search
As a lawyer seeking career-advancement opportunities in Austin, the time to establish and cultivate your professional network is before starting a job search, not after. Confidentiality and discretion are of the utmost importance, while finding the right position based on your qualifications and experience isn’t always as easy as it sounds.
At Momentum Search Partners, we use our established recruiting networks to help many of Austin’s elite law firms and corporations find, screen, and hire some of the brightest attorney candidates out there. While working out of our Austin office, we excel at matching candidate strengths with employer needs while partnering with well-established clients.
If you value availability, confidentiality and professionalism in an Austin legal headhunting agency, contact our Austin-based legal recruiters today.