The complaint I hear most frequently from fellow corporate attorneys is the unpredictability of deal flow. One week you’re in term sheet stage for half a dozen deals and the next you find yourself scrambling to bill half a days’ worth of time. Although there is no surefire way to know when you will be busy, I find that one helpful thing to know is when clients may be less responsive. These include holidays, days of religious observance, school vacations (particularly ski week) and industry conferences. Industry conferences are good to know not only from a schedule planning perspective, but also as a potential networking opportunity if that conference takes place in your city. Here are some of the big conferences which company side clients in the technology and start up industry are likely to attend:
Computer Electronics Show
CES takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada in January of each year. It is an electronics and technology trade show where some of the most anticipated consumer products are previewed.
J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
JPM’s Healthcare Conference takes place in San Francisco, California in January of each year. It is a large invitation only biotechnology conference which is so popular that people visit San Francisco during that time to attend post-conference receptions even if they did not attend the actual conference.
Mobile World Congress
Mobile World Congress is a conference and exhibition for the mobile industry which typically takes place in February of each year.
South by Southwest Interactive
SXSW takes place in Austin, Texas in March of each year. The festival is probably most well-known for its showcase of music and film, but the Interactive segment focuses on emerging technology. SXSW Interactive is taking place right now, from March 13-March 17.
Staying Sharp is a series highlighting recent news, trends and developments that may aid a corporate lawyer in their practice and interactions with clients. The postings in the series may not be updated after their initial posting.