In my work, I meet seasoned lawyers who are world-class at what they do, but who shy away from networking, reluctant to enter a venue to mingle with unfamiliar people. For this reason, while they may want to penetrate a certain industry, these professionals find reasons not to attend an industry-related conference. Similarly, they may be interested in meeting and networking with professionals who can refer them business, but they are simply too uncomfortable in these situations to attend valuable meetings and mixers.