Speed networking event still impresses

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Speed networking event still impresses

Cheryl Black pretended to collapse on a table. “Maybe 18?” she said. “Wow, 18 people in one hour. That’s why I’m tired.”

Black, of Goodman Allen & Filetti in Richmond, Virginia, U.S. had just completed a Speed Networking session, where she met with a consistent stream of participants all in search of one thing: making a connection.

In its second year at the Annual Meeting, the Speed Networking event is so popular there were people who were unable to snag one of the 40 first-come, first-served slots at yesterday’s session. K.M. Aasim Shehzad of BFS Legal in Chennai, India, was among those who missed a seat. “It’s about recommending work or giving work to somebody,” he said, as he hung around in case a slot opened up.

Metin Calis of Calis Law Firm in Istanbul, Turkey, returned to the event after attending a session last year. He got several contacts from the Annual Meeting in San Francisco, he said, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint which ones he met through speed networking. This year, he knew what he had to do: keep notes, identify the brand with the lawyer, and send an e-mail upon his return home. “To get another brand—that’s my goal,” he said.

Missed yesterday’s session? Try to make one today, Tuesday or Wednesday.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Maria Peyman, head of IP at Birketts, explains why the firm is adopting a ‘seamless approach’ for clients by integrating two of its practice areas
Matthew Swinn, who leads the firm’s IP practice, discusses why Mallesons is well-placed to remain a major IP force
Lawyers at A&O Shearman analyse developments regarding UPC’s long-arm jurisdiction, including its scope and jurisdictional limits
Michelle Lee discusses reaching milestones at the USPTO, AI’s role in legal work, and how to empower women in tech and IP
Executive chair Matt Dixon, who reveals a new associate hire, says the firm wants to offer a realistic pathway to partnership while avoiding the ‘corporate machine’ route
Mayer Brown’s role in cardiovascular technology dispute reflects how firms are pursuing precedent-setting cases to try and guide AI and patent law
Kevin Mack, Via’s new president, emphasises the importance of collaborative licensing structures and shares how AI tools can help create new lines of business
A Tokyo District Court ruling concerning movie spoilers, and a second chance for VLSI against Intel were also among the top talking points
Practitioners believe new AI tools at the USPTO will not replace lawyers or disrupt revenue, but instead expose where a trademark attorney’s value lies
Leighton Cassidy Legal hopes to leverage its founder's international experience and provide clients with a rare chance to receive litigation and prosecution under one umbrella
Gift this article