25 A. Before the event (preparation = 80% of success)

1. Set an objective: not "meet people" but "meet three litigation lawyers and one in-house counsel; learn one thing about each". 2. Research: who attends (list/invite), what organisations, what's in the news (a recent judgment, a new statute — ready conversation material). 3. Prepare your 30-second introduction (elevator pitch) — a template: "Hello, I'm [name], a [first-year B.A.LL.B. student / advocate at X firm]. I'm particularly interested in [criminal litigation / ADR / tech law], and I'm here to learn how practitioners actually handle [issue]. What brings you here?" Structure: name → identity → interest → open question. Say it aloud until natural — never memorised-sounding. 4. Logistics: business cards (students too — name, programme, phone, email, LinkedIn); a pen; a phone charged; modest professional dress; arrive on time (early is best — small crowds are easier to enter). 5. Prepare five open questions in advance ("How did you choose your field?", "What do new lawyers find hardest?", "What changed in your practice after the 2074 Codes?").