Have you ever wondered what a successful society networking evening looks like? Well look no further; in this piece we’re diving into our very own City Commercial Law Society and how they put together their amazing Networking Evening…
With over 110 attendees ranging from students to legal professionals, the event made what would typically be an intimidating experience to one that was inviting and encouraging to students from all stages of their legal journey; especially first years!
Instead of the typical law fair or panel, the society aimed to replicate a real world commercial law networking session to familiarise students with their potential future routine, highlighting the importance of genuinity in professional connections with legal professionals as well as with their peers.
The brains behind the successful night were second-year LLB students Alissa Mykal, President of the Commercial Law Society, and Stefania Ganotaki, Vice President of that same society, striving to give students opportunities they cannot get inside a classroom.
From idea to Flagship Event:
For Mykal and Ganotaki, the inspiration came from a common issue faced by their peers: many law students had an interest in commercial law, however, not many understood how to network or gain commercial awareness. Mykal explains that initially “…the idea was to give students an opportunity to network with professionals…There are similar events, but we wanted something bigger where students could meet people from a wider variety of commercial law professionals in one location.”
Ganotaki recognised that while commercial law is one of the most popular career paths chosen by law students, many students do not quite fully understand what this career entails.
“Commercial law is becoming increasingly popular every single day, but people don’t actually understand what goes into it, or the different areas underneath that umbrella term.”
So the society aimed to bridge that gap by giving them this chance to gain insight to life beyond university.
The big plan and teamwork
To me, it was clear that the event was a smashing success and felt flawless. However, for Mykal and Ganotaki, the effort put in was more than I had imagined. Planning started right after the committee members assumed their rules over the summer, with things starting to take shape from July onwards:
Mykal notes “…by September we were looking for venues and budgeting, and by November we started reaching out to legal professionals.”
Though Mykal and Ganotaki are the president and vice president of the society respectively, every committee member had a role to fulfil in the arrangement of the night, and it was key for them to communicate regularly. Mykal asserts:
“We wouldn’t have been able to do it without the committee. Everyone had a role to fulfill and if not for them we wouldn’t have pulled it off!”
Amongst the attendees were professionals from big firms including Baker Mckenzie, DLA Piper, Ashurst, and many more! Invitations were purposeful and carefully curated to suit the needs of the students and the goals of the society, however this was not without its hurdles. Ganotaki notes that “…given the nature of the profession, we knew things could change at the last minute. We accounted for that and invited more professionals to make up for the inevitable cancellations.”
And this was a very smart plan! Not only was the turnout huge, but the Commercial Law Society has built such a strong reputation that firms are approaching the society first, asking directly to collaborate with them and offering internships for their events. The organisers described this as a rewarding moment, proving their work is paying off!
Speaking on planning events, Mykal and Ganotaki revealed that while they didn’t have a Society Events Officer in the early planning stages, they eventually brought one on board who supported them throughout the process. Even with her help, they still relied heavily on the adaptability of the committee to learn on the job. Ganotaki noted how “…not everything goes to plan; adapting with third parties, thinking on the spot, and taking responsibility when nobody else can do it for you is key in planning for events like these.”
For many attendees, especially LLB1 students, this was the very first time many have dipped their toes in the waters of legal networking at such scale. The Society knew they had to help. Ganotaki states that “What drives our events is putting students in a position where they can stand out as candidates,” she said. “At the end of your studies, you want to secure that training contract or pupillage, and networking can largely aid in acquiring that.”
Attendees were encouraged to do their research beforehand and get up to date with commercial news to prepare for their discussions. Advice also included this from Mykal:
“Don’t be scared to talk to people! The key is increasing commercial awareness; that’s how conversations start and connections form.”
The President and Vice President emphasised heavily throughout our chat the importance of knowing others. Ganotaki acknowledges that “…a degree is a huge accomplishment, but the legal profession looks beyond that. You need to set yourself apart from the crowd and have the connections and experience to support the theoretical foundations established throughout your studies.”
Highlights of the evening
From my own perspective as well as the Society, the atmosphere was joyful and enthusiastic, with students and lawyers alike engaging in thoughtful conversations, and many students had intellectual and meaningful conversations amongst themselves too. It was impactful to see the interactions across the different stages of their legal journeys. Mykal noted how encouraging it was to see so many students, who had obviously prepared questions beforehand. For Ganotaki, it was the inter-programme learning that stood out:
“We had first-year students speaking to masters students, gaining insight into their experiences, then taking that inspiration into conversations with professionals.”
What’s next for the City Commercial Law Society?
Following a successful night, members (myself included), have been eager to engage further with their events. Thankfully, they already have a range of events planned to keep up with the high bar that the night has set. Since the networking evening, they have also had a Commercial Awareness Competition and Networking session, which went off without a hitch!
Additionally, the society is also collaborating with the City Innovation Hub from Bayes Business School on a case competition and networking event focused on “Real Estate in Practice”. This will take place on the 26th of March 2026, bringing together students and professionals who work in the industry, to network together in an informal setting with firms such as Moore Barlow in attendance.
However, perhaps the most exciting prospect is the upcoming Intellectual Property and Data Protection event which is likely to be hosted at the end of the semester (more details coming soon), featuring insight from industry professionals, continuing with the society’s hands-on learning approach to give students as realistic of a “lawyer” experience as they can:
“We want to make everything practical! Nobody wants to attend something that feels like another lecture; students want to gain skills and prepare for the practical side of the law alongside the theory.”
Stefania Ganotaki
The society has already received many requests from firms and universities across London for collaborations and internship offers directly through its expanding network, and their plans are only getting bigger. Ultimately, the evening was a smashing success. I asked the organisers to summarise the night in one sentence, to which they said:
“The Commercial Networking Evening successfully welcomed over 110 aspiring lawyers and industry professionals together to provide insight, strengthen networking skills, establish direct connections, and help students begin navigating their path into law.”
Ganotaki & Mykal
For many, this night was not just another event, but just the beginning of their legal professional journey. Be sure to keep up with the Society and their activities via Instagram and LinkedIn.
Many thanks to Hanene for her lively and comprehensive review of this hugely successful event. Briliant to have a mini interview with the President and VP of the Commercial Law Society too.
Hanene Latrache is a first year Law LLB student at City St. George’s University. She is an aspiring barrister with goals to one day work in the UN and specialize in international law. She is passionate about getting involved with the legal world both academically and socially, so has taken on the role of Lawbore Journalist to introduce herself, as well as readers, to the opportunities and information that she discovers.