Legal communities support lawyers in every stage of their careers. There are communities for law students, job aspirants, lawyers in practice, and lawyers trying to step up the corporate ladder.
“As I reflect on how being part of a legal and business community has pivoted my professional development and helped me become a better lawyer, from my day-to-day responsibilities to my most significant decisions, I identify the following areas of impact:
I can learn from other colleagues’ experiences
It gives me other perspectives
It demands self-awareness
It provides me with trusted feedback and space for impact
It is an avenue to pursue a higher purpose”
~ Bertha Ordaz, Associate General Counsel based in Mexico City
In this post, we will share a list of 15 popular offline and online communities that help lawyers expand their networks, gain knowledge, and build successful careers.
Types of communities for lawyers
1. Professional Associations: Formal forums for lawyers in specific jurisdictions.
2. Knowledge-sharing and Networking Communities: Platforms for legal professionals to connect, share information, and discuss legal issues.
3. Academic Networks: Forums for law students to connect with fellow students, alumni, and faculty to discuss queries.
4. Diversity and Inclusion Networks: Formal groups aiming to promote diversity and inclusion within the legal profession.
6. Job Networking Groups: Platforms and groups for job seekers to look for opportunities and get referrals.
7. Legal Tech Communities: Online and offline communities focused on legal technology and innovation.
Top 15 communities for lawyers in 2025
Professional association
#1 International Bar Association
The International Bar Association is the formal organization for international legal practitioners, bar associations, and law societies around the world. This forum helps legal professionals to stay updated on the latest trends and gain insights into international law. The association regularly publishes insights and organizes events and conferences to provide professional development and network-building opportunities to its members.
Audience: International legal practitioners, bar associations, and law societies
Size: 80,000+ lawyers, 190+ bar associations, and law societies spanning 170 countries
Membership cost: Starting at £185/year
Source: LinkedIn
#2 American Bar Association
The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary association of lawyers from all jurisdictions in the United States. The association provides online courses, seminars, and conferences for continuous learning. It conducts networking events and provides access to job boards to support job searches. As part of their podcast, ABA TIPS Section, the association regularly invites senior legal experts to share their insights on key topics.
Audience: Lawyers, law students and paralegals
Size: 400,000+ members
Membership cost: $120-$495 depending on years since bar admission
Source: LinkedIn
Knowledge-sharing and networking communities
#3 Lawyerist
Lawyerist is a community for small law firms and solopreneurs who are looking to transform their businesses. Subscribing to Lawyersits gives you access to business guides, curated industry news/articles/podcasts with tips, and access to a private Facebook group. They also have paid coaching to guide on healthier ways to manage a law firm.
Audience: Small law firms and solopreneurs
Size: Not mentioned
Membership Cost: Starts at $849 per month
Source: LinkedIn
#4 Lawyertalk
Lawyertalk is a Reddit community where legal professionals can discuss all things legal. Community members seek career advice, legal expertise on their cases, and business tips. Members also share news/random anecdotes and use this forum for water cooler conversations.
Audience: Lawyers, judges, law students, and paralegals
Size: 105,000+ members
Membership Cost: Free
Source: Reddit
#5 In-House Connect
In-house Connect is a community that supports in-house lawyers in the US through professional development resources and networking opportunities. It conducts networking and knowledge-sharing events, provides curated guidebooks, and shares selected job postings to enable in-house lawyers to advance in their careers.
Audience: In-house lawyers in the US
Size: 50,000+ in-house counsels
Membership Cost: Free
Upcoming networking and knowledge-sharing events by In-house connect
#6 The Abstract and Counsel Corner by SpotDraft
SpotDraft brings together the right resources for the growth of in-house lawyers. As part of our Abstract podcast and Counsel Corner blog, we invite legal experts from the industry to share how they’ve nurtured their careers, grown in their roles, and become true operators within their businesses.
Audience: In-house lawyers
Size: Over 5,200 legal counsels
Membership Cost: Free
Trending topics on the Abstract podcast cover contracts, career advice, economy, and more
#7 The GC Collective
The GC Collective community focuses on supporting general counsels and senior legal executives. By joining this community, senior legal executives can connect with other counsel working in strategic positions and discuss their challenges. The community conducts regular roundtables, discussions, and networking events to enable peer learning and networking.
Audience: General counsels and senior legal executives
Size: 300+ General counsels and Chief legal officers
Membership Cost: $495 per year
Monthly roundtable by The GC Collective
Academic networks
#8 LawSchool
LawSchool is a Reddit community for law students covering admission test preparation, law school selection, application process, and financial aid and scholarships. Law students use the community to ask anything from how to get grades to which internship to apply for.
Audience: Law students
Size: 826,000+ members
Membership Cost: Free
Source: Reddit
#9 Bar Exam
Bar Exam is a Reddit community dedicated to supporting law students preparing for the bar exam. Law students use this method to get exam preparation guides/tips, ask their doubts on specific topics, and share their feelings through the ups and downs of preparation.
Audience: Law students
Size: 44,000+ members
Membership Cost: Free
Source: Reddit
Diversity and Inclusion Networks
#10 National Association of Women Lawyers
The National Association of Women Lawyers is an organization in the United States dedicated to advancing women in the legal profession and promoting gender equality within the legal system. This community provides educational and training programs for women lawyers, coaching opportunities, and networking options.
Audience: Women lawyers (who currently practice law or are retired) and female law students.
Size: 400,000+ members
Membership Cost: $120 per year
Source: LinkedIn
#11 LGBTQ+ Solicitors Network
The LGBTQ+ Solicitors Network is a community advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) inclusion in the legal profession. Community members get access to specialized events and training, networking opportunities, regular e-newsletters and updates, and access to a community of LGBTQ+ lawyers.
Audience: Practicing lawyers, retired lawyers, and law students.
Size: Not mentioned
Membership Cost: Free
Source: LinkedIn
Job networking forums
#12 NextLaw Referral Network
Nextlaw Referral Network is a legal referral platform that connects lawyers and law firms to clients all over the world. It currently has 350+ firms and 30,000+ lawyers registered in over 185+ countries, helping its members land international opportunities.
Audience: Lawyers and law firms
Size: 30,000+ lawyers
Membership Cost: Free
Source: LinkedIn
#13 BNI
BNI is a global networking organization connecting professionals and businesses. BNI is not specifically focused on a niche or business domain. You will get to meet leadership from diverse businesses, learn, network, and land interesting opportunities.
Audience: Business owners and professionals
Size: 325,000+ small to large business members
Membership Cost: $1,098 for one year
Source: LinkedIn
Legal tech forums
#14 LegalTechCommunity
LegalTech Community is a private Facebook group aiming to bridge the gap between lawyers and technology. The group focuses on conversations related to the latest legal tech trends.
Audience: Lawyers and legal technologists
Size: 1700+ members
Membership Cost: Free
#15 International Legal Technology Association
The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) is a community that focuses strongly on technology and educating legal professionals on how to use it in their day-to-day work. As part of ILTA, subject matter experts and thought leaders share their knowledge of solving problems using technology in events, magazines, and whitepapers.
Audience: Lawyers, law firms, law students
Size: 25,000+ members
Membership Cost: Starting at $50 per quarter
Source: ILTA events
How to choose the right community for your career
Selecting the right community is crucial for maximizing the benefits of membership. The below checklist will help you make the right choice.
- Identify your goal of joining the community and check if it aligns with the community's purpose
- Check if the target demographics align with yours
- Assess the frequency and regularity of posts in the community
- Evaluate the engagement on posts in the community
- Assess the frequency and quality of networking events offered by the community
- Evaluate the cost of membership and weigh it against the potential benefits.
Tips for lawyers to getting the most out of a community
Joining a community is not enough to realize its full benefits. Here's what you can do to make the most out of communities:
- Actively participate in discussions
- Subscribe to newsletter to stay updated on the latest posts and insights
- Participate in learning programs and workshops offered by the community
- Share your knowledge and experience with other members of the community to build an active network
- Have one-on-one conversations to other members to build more relationships
- Reach out to senior folks for mentorship or guidance
- Take advantage of coaching programs in the community (if any)
- Participate in community initiatives and projects to expand your network.
Get insights from legal industry experts regularly on SpotDraft
We regularly invite top subject matter experts on our podcast and blog to share their expertise on legal challenges, trending topics in the legal industry, and strategies to grow as an in-house legal talent. Subscribe to the Abstract podcast and Counsel Corner blog to stay updated. If there is any particular topic you want us to cover, drop an email to our community leader, Tyler Finn, at tyler@spotdraft.com.
