"Do as I say, not as I do!" I heard that phrase often when I was growing up. Thus, it wasn't until about ten years ago that I finally started networking. And even now--I work such long hours that I often miss out on opportunities for networking. There have been several important conferences that I've paid for and then not found the time to attend--for example. Conferences are a great place to make face-to-face contact with other lawyers who may refer work to you.
As a member of the Family Law Section of both the SBM and the ABA and an active author for ICLE, there are many conferences that I really shouldn't miss. The ABA Journal brings us an article from MyCase today about the importance of networking. You may read it here.