River He on 'Connection' for International Women's Day 2024

How do you build connections with colleagues and clients?

At Freshfields, we have mentoring programmes, global conferences for different practice groups and various team building and Responsible Business activities. These are all great opportunities for us to build connections with our peers, seniors and leadership of the firm. 

Recently, I attended the in-person kick-off event for our firm's Global Sponsorship Programme in London, and I was really grateful and honoured to be connected and re-connected with dozens of women partners and associates across our firm’s offices.

This kick-off event provides me with a precious opportunity to make close connections and networks within the firm, and such internal connections will result into external connections with clients – the associates and partners who I have worked with and who share same industry and sector focus as I do have connections to our clients based in UK, US, EU and other jurisdictions.

With their support, I can be introduced to these clients, get to know their business a bit more, expand my external networks beyond APAC and really elevate my brand.  

What are the barriers that exist for women in making and maintaining connections?

I sometimes hesitate to network with the most senior man or woman in the room because I feel disingenuous developing a connection if the motivation is purely self-advancement. My networking initiatives used to be motivated by building personal relationships (rather than instrumental motives to help my career) so I often end up networking with my peers. 

It has eventually occurred to me that there is no shame to talk about my career aspirations in networking events. Sharing my work, my expertise and my goals with the others creates opportunities for interaction with people who may share my views or who actually need my help / collaboration. It is not ‘disingenuous’ if I want to demonstrate value to others. Even if I cannot be ‘immediately useful’ to those people in the room, it is still informative and enlightening to get to know new people, to understand their business and to hear their views on hot topics. 

What is the importance of mentoring and sponsorship in building professional connections, as well as to the development of female talent?

Mentorship and sponsorship for women is an impactful way to encourage our advancement in the workplace: a mentor provides advice, feedback and coaching through formal or informal relationships, while a sponsor uses his/her influence or leadership status to advocate for our advancement or provide us with access to opportunities. 

As we are in a world where women with high potential are still less likely to be awarded promotions and appointed to counsel / partner roles compared to men, we need such mentorship and sponsorship as they give us opportunities to build connections, find support, increase our visibility and influence within the firm.

River He is a Senior Associate in our Shanghai office