You were all a red badge once

At MI events, first-time attendees and those people from new member firms wear a red badge.

It is a simple idea, but one that matters more than people perhaps realise.

Large international meetings can be daunting when you are walking into a room for the first time. The red badge quietly solves that problem. It makes introductions easier. It encourages conversations to start naturally. Most importantly, it helps people become part of the network from the outset.

And there is another reason it works.

Everyone else in the room remembers being a red badge too.

That shared understanding changes the atmosphere very quickly. People make the effort to introduce themselves. Conversations happen more easily over coffee, during sessions, at dinners, and in all the moments in between that tend to shape relationships properly.

Over time, those introductions become something more valuable.

One of the strengths of MI has always been that relationships across the network are personal, not simply transactional. Referrals move more naturally when firms know each other well. Trust develops faster when people have spent time together, shared conversations, and built genuine familiarity across jurisdictions.

We have events throughout the year, but meetings such as the AGM, Americas Business Meeting and EMEA Meeting remain important touchpoints, helping firms strengthen existing relationships and build new ones across jurisdictions.

The commercial value comes from the human side first.

Several red badge attendees from this year’s AGM in Munich reflected on that experience afterwards.

Hannah from Baker Donelson said:

“I had a fantastic experience! To be candid, I am not usually a ‘conference’ person, but this was the best one I have attended. It was clear that the team put real thought into creating meaningful connections, and the programming was excellent.”

Steve from Kaempfer Crowell commented:

“I am glad to say that I have a new and better understanding of MI. I knew of it for its value as a referral network. I now know it is much more. You will see me again.”

Another first-time attendee shared:

“It was truly a pleasure being a first-time attendee at the global AGM. MI does a great job building bridges and community.”

Carlos reflected on the importance of the personal side of the network too:

“Although this is not my first experience of a law firm association, I truly believe MI does an outstanding job of creating a strong network. My overall view of the event is that it is a great opportunity to network and get to know the people behind the lawyer.”

And another:

“This is nothing like any other legal conference I’ve ever attended and not at all what I expected!”

You may only wear your red badge for a few days, but the connections that begin whilst you wear it often deepen and last far longer.