5 Best Free Networking Apps To Move Your Legal Career Forward

Choose A Mobile App That Will Help You Stand Out In A Crowd Of Lawyers

The legal industry is always moving. As a legal professional, your to-do lists are packed with meetings, research, and document management. It's easy to ignore certain checklist items that aren't as pressing between tracking billable hours, analyzing legal documents, and managing client relationships. 

Ultimately, essential things, like professional networking, fall to the wayside. 

However, networking is a crucial component to your success as an attorney. Not only does it help you network your law firm, but professional networking connects you with other experts who can advise you on tough cases and give you access to critical opportunities.

But how do busy legal professionals find the time to fit networking into their busy schedules? 

Networking apps have revolutionized how lawyers network. Whether you have an Apple or Android device, these apps can be quickly downloaded and utilized during any downtime you may have, like a commute on public transportation or solo lunch in between clients. 

Let's look at why networking is so important for legal professionals and the five best free networking apps for lawyers to improve your networking reach and move your career forward. 

Why Is Networking So Important For Lawyers? 

As a legal professional, networking is essential for long-term success. If you put networking on the back burner, you'll miss out on key benefits that will establish you as a leader in your industry and establish credibility with your clients. 

• Build Lasting Professional Relationships: Networking is all about building relationships. By cultivating solid connections, you'll 
• Locate And Secure Clients: Sometimes, part of being in a law firm means gaining information to find clients. Networking allows you to build trust and personal relationships before sealing the deal. 
• Improve Your Reputation: Unfortunately, lawyers are often assumed to be sneaky. The more you network, the better your reputation will be. For example, volunteering for a community event will show prospective clients there is more to you than just a law degree. 
• Find New Opportunities: When you build relationships and keep lines of communication open, you are more likely to be offered vital opportunities to further your career. 

It doesn't matter if you are an established lawyer or starting your first day at a law firm. Networking will help you obtain your goals. 

Even the busiest attorney can find time to network on a networking app. Let's look at the best free networking apps to facilitate and improve legal networking. 

5 Free Networking Apps To Advance Your Law Firm And Legal Career 

Apps are designed to simplify our lives and give us access to the information we need most in real-time on any mobile device.

For example, a time tracking app can help you log billable hours with clients, while a note-taking app, like Evernote, allows you to jot down important information and convert it to a digital file. 

Free Networking apps are essential for the busy legal professional, whether you are managing a legal practice or trying to network like a pro right out of law school. 

Let's take a look at the best five mobile apps for networking legal professionals. 

1. KADO Networks 

Overview: 

The best free networking apps for lawyers wear multiple hats. If you are looking for a way to create and manage digital business cards while managing the relationships you develop, KADO is the app for you. 

Digital business cards are a relatively new development but are a great way to swap contact information as you make new connections instantly. KADO allows you to create a basic business card that you can share with anyone through a link or QR code. 

This app is great for lawyers looking to improve their network because it facilities relationship management skills and provides a mobile-first relationship manager that will help you keep track of important clients and contacts. 

KADO works well for individuals and large groups, like law firms, because it provides you with a way to access, manage, and store contacts on the go. You'll always have everything you need to develop crucial relationships with this app. 

Best Features: 

• Free Basic Digital Business Card
• Share Virtual Business Card With QR Code Or LInk Through Any Platform With Anyone 
• Scan, Store, And Organize Paper Business Cards
• Add Notes To Contacts For Easy Reference
• Track Interactions And Make Annotations
• Admin Panel For Team Or Law Firm Cards

Price: 

The app is free on the App Store for iOs devices, like iPhone or iPad, and Google Play for Android devices. Some advanced features require payment. 

2. LinkedIn

Overview: 

You may know it as one of the social media giants, but LinkedIn has the potential to advance your legal career if you know how to use it properly. This app not only allows you to identify and manage contacts but provides you with a space to represent yourself and your skills. 

This app will help you polish your legal practice's online presence and give you a platform to share your professional headshot, list your accomplishments, or offer reliable resources. 

And because it is so popular, LinkedIn provides another way for potential contacts and clients to get in touch with you, making you more accessible to those who want to form relationships. The summary section also gives you a great place to highlight your elevator pitch! 

Best Features: 

• Global User Base 
• Adjustable Notifications
• Customizable Profile
• Highlight More Than Just Your Job Title 
• Easily Find And Organize Contacts 

Price: 

Free to download in the App Store or on Google Play. 

3. Clio Suite

Overview: 

Networking isn't just about meeting new people. It involves maintaining and facilitating meaningful relationships that benefit all parties involved. 

That means you need to streamline your law office's procedures to make it easy for clients and legal professionals alike to nurture these relationships. 

Clio is an end-to-end legal practice management software solution that offers a suite of convenient mobile apps. Through automation of tedious intake and management tasks, these apps make it simple for clients to schedule an appointment and interact with your law practice. 

Clio's features allow you to sync client information across platforms and offer features that make tracking client pipeline progress a snap. This is especially important when you are building and maintaining relationships with your clients. 

Best Features:

• Document And Client Information Management
• Billing & Accounting Capabilities 
• Time Tracking
• Online Appointment Booking 
• Client Intake Insights 
• Client Relationship Management (CRM)

Price: 

Free to try with multiple package levels. 

Clio Suite offers a $39 per user per month starter package and multiple levels of memberships with access to legal app features. 

4. OneDrive/Google Suite

Overview: 

The beauty of networking is that it often leads to collaboration opportunities between legal professionals that significantly impact both your career and your client's outcome. 

To effectively collaborate, you'll need to utilize an app that allows you to connect with other lawyers as they work together on important documents like depositions or legal research. 

Depending on the technology your legal office utilizes, you'll need a file hosting service like Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive. These cloud-based services allow you to access important documents from any mobile device and collaborate in real-time.

Best Features:

• Cloud-Based Storage 
• Enhanced Workflow 
• Collaborative Features 
• Dictation Features 

Price: 

These are free apps with a set level of storage. You can purchase additional storage. 

5. Fastcase

Overview: 

When it comes to networking, it's essential to be knowledgeable in your field so you can carry on conversations with new and established contacts. This means you need access to up-to-date information on hot legal topics. 

Fastcase offers you access to a law library and legal research system in the palm of your hand. 

Suppose you find yourself struggling to remember the name of a relevant case or need some conversation starters for your next legal networking event. Fastcase also offers legal news, dockets, AI tools, and full-court press for expert treatises. 

The best part is that if you belong to a connected bar association, you'll gain free access to all the legal research Fastcase has to offer.

This means you'll never lack ice breakers on the latest hot topics in the legal industry. 

Best Features: 

• Extensive Law Library 
• Access To Legal Research System 
• Customizable Dashboard 
• Tracking And Alerting Features

Price: 

This is a free app for lawyers who are members of affiliated bar associations.

Use Social Networking To Make Your Mark In The Legal Field 

At its core, the law industry is about building relationships with clients and peers. Professional networking allows you to find connections that are mutually beneficial and can further your legal career. 

By using confident apps that facilitate networking, you'll never be at a loss for networking opportunities, even during your busiest weeks. 

So power up your mobile device, open your preferred app store, and download these valuable apps to bring your networking and legal career to the next level. 

FAQs

What are the best ways for attorneys to build trust with new clients? 

Attorneys build trust with new clients by offering transparent communication, managing expectations, and networking their law firm in the right place. 

What is a digital business card? 

A digital business card is a shareable file containing your essential contact information and additional resources like media files, articles, or other valuable content. 

How do I make a digital business card? 

You'll need to download one of the best digital business card app and share it with new connections.