One of the most valuable lessons that I have learned in law school is that the ability to establish and foster a network is vital to building a successful legal career. Indeed, I don't think I have ever come across a career resource that did not stress the importance of networking to some degree.

Perhaps for this reason, my law school immersed us in the process very early in our legal education. In fact, I believe my first networking opportunity was at an alumni reception held during orientation week.

Like many other aspects of law school, learning to network took practice. I recall being extremely apprehensive about that alumni gathering. When I arrived, I was too afraid to approach anyone and did not engage in the experience. Through my participation as a second-year law student in my school's International Finance & Law Program, I realized that my "deer caught in the headlights" reaction at orientation was due to a lack of experience and confidence.

The program, which was held in New York City, required me to attend several meetings and functions with senior partners and high-level business executives. Because I was doing so on a regular basis, I grew accustomed to, and became comfortable with, speaking with seasoned practitioners. In the process, I realized that many experienced attorneys were willing to lend their advice and expertise to students, which made networking even more comfortable. With respect to networking receptions in particular, I found it helpful to remember that the people attending those events are often equally eager to spark a conversation.

Instead of continuing to dread networking, I have learned to enjoy the opportunity to do so and made some terrific contacts in the process. Nevertheless, in writing a column about what I have learned about networking as a law student, I would be remiss if I did not mention that I believe many law students jeopardize one of their best networking opportunities. Indeed, all students upon enrollment automatically have access to a network of hundreds of talented and intelligent individuals - namely, their peers.

Unfortunately, not all law students take advantage of this opportunity. In law school, students quickly realize that they need to receive good grades in order to be competitive in the job market. In addition, although my school does not do so, many law schools rank their students so that employers will know where each applicant stands in relation to his or her classmates. Because it is directly correlated to the likelihood of receiving a good job offer upon graduation, the pressure of receiving good grades can create a tense atmosphere among law students, who are already competitive by nature.

As a result, some students, instead of focusing on their work, become incredibly obsessed with being more successful than the other students are. Even more unfortunate, some will go as far as to try to hinder the progress of other students in order to promote their own interests. Because my school strives to create a congenial atmosphere among its students, I have fortunately been spared the sort of horror stories that I have heard from my friends who attend other law schools. Nevertheless, I have seen, heard about and experienced minor difficulties such as students hiding outlines, refusing to share their notes, and giving out erroneous information.

Generally, I have never understood why students engage in these practices. In my view, once students reach the law-school level, they should feel secure enough in their own work to know that they will receive good grades along with their classmates and should likewise be mature enough to be willing to lend a hand upon reasonable requests.

In terms of networking specifically, this negative behavior is counterproductive, because students who engage in such activities are jeopardizing their relationship with perhaps their largest network. Although the legal industry is sizable, once divided up among individual cities and practice areas, the part of the industry in which students will eventually practice can be a small circle.

The upshot? It is certainly possible that students will wind up working with, or perhaps for, the person whom they treated badly in law school. Students who do not buy into the significance of networking should realize that is important to behave civilly toward their peers in law school because otherwise, they could be creating a precarious situation for themselves upon graduation.

A third-year student at the University at Buffalo Law School, Rachael Vitti is a graduate of the City University of New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She can be reached at ravitti@buffalo.edu.