I've been doing a lot of law students, graduate, and junior lawyer calls. One question that keeps coming up - how do I get to know the [Houston or whatever] appellate market?

At least in Houston - once COVID is conquered (heh) - I think you just have to show up at stuff. 1/

Show at CLEs, show up at evening events, show up at lunches. If you're outgoing, introduce yourself to lawyers. If you're not, meet some lawyers on twitter and say hi to them there. Eventually, you'll figure out who the significant people are. 2/

Those people - and it's not many of them I promise you - control the market. They're who you can work for, they're who knows the other people you can work for, they're the people who can tell you what's going on, really. And speaking for Houston now, a lot of those people 3/

are very nice and will talk to you. They might even go out for coffee if you ask nicely. Also, volunteer to do stuff. Joint he committee and edit the website. Run the funny contest their group is doing. Whatever /4

If you are a mega-introvert like me, this will mostly be painful for a while. There will be several stand-in-the-corner-and-eat-shrimp events. But if you can keep at it, eventually there will be some people you know at the things, and it will be fun. /e

Addendum: I recognize this "go to stuff" plan advantages some people over others, especially people who are caretakers. I haven't figured out a great way around the problem, but twitter helps.