Are in-house counsel the bait for conference promoters?

An upcoming conference on Social Media Law charges widely different amounts for different classes of attendees. In-house counsel pay $695 for the one-day conference. Law firms attendees pay much more, $1,295, but not as much as the wretched of the earth (“Consultants/Vendors”) who must cough up $2,095.

The conference’s topic has as much or more appeal to law firms yet they have to pay 83 percent more than their in-house client? And commercial types pay three times more?

The image that came to mind was “Girls Get in Free” at clubs, while boys pony up a cover charge and photographers face a huge admission cost. The in-house lawyers – desireable BUYERS – pay much less while others, SELLERS, pay much more. Those who don’t contribute as much legal practice knowledge even face the stiffest fee (vendors and consultants).

Setting aside CLE requirements, would law firms pay so much to attend conferences if they knew no law departments would be represented?