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Lawyers and the web are a perfect fit, but many lawyers remain skeptical By Konstantine William Kyros, Esq.
Lawyers who don't want web sites: Actual Quotes:
"We are still trying to figure out how to use our word processor."
March 1998, Partner of medium sized litigation/PI firm
Other quotes:
"We're about 20 or 30 years away from doing that [developing a site]."
Small real estate firm.
"I want to go back to the quill pen... it was easier to manage." 17 February 1998, partner medium sized firm downtown Boston.
After founding LawyerViews and marketing web sites to lawyers and law firms for about a year (January 1997 to February 1998). I discovered many lawyers and firms didn't want one. I set out to find out why.
I first listened to what several hundred lawyers (mostly in the Boston area) told me. The most common response from people/firms who didn't want a site was that they didn't know enough about the technology: Some of the actual responses included: "We don't have any computers in here (medium sized PI /general practice).", "We a stone age firm (large firm)", "I'd rather commit suicide (medium sized insurance defense firm)";"Does that have something to do with computers?"(Intellectual property firm downtown Boston). These responses clearly indicated that some percentage of lawyers are not technologically ready.
Another class of responses were from people who seemed to sense the technology was important, but they weren't quite sure why. These people kept the door open somewhat: "maybe in the next century (large firm)"; "we're interested but not yet ready." etc.
The more useful responses came from those who honestly believed the internet would not be useful to their practice . Most of these responses articulated in one form or another the fact that they believed their client base was unsuitable. PI firms typically saying, we represent poor injured people who don't have computers, large firms saying we represent large clients who already know us.
Closer to home, a friend suggested that maybe lawyers and the internet weren't a good fit. He posited the theory that only certain types of services could be considered a good match with the technology of the web. Pornography was certainly one, not surprisingly 8 of the top ten search words in yahoo and alta vista relate to carnal matters, with sex topping the list. Real estate was another as was anything related to computers, software and multi-media. But lawyers? They're just taking up space, he concluded.
Are they right? No!
Before I started LawyerViews I worked for a company that developed web sites for real estate companies. Here the market was alive and pulsating with activity, the fit seemed perfect. People looking for homes were likely to be diligent in their search and use the internet, the quality and quantity of information that could be provided far surpassed that provided in traditional media like the Sunday paper (and could easily be used to supplement traditional media--a one line web address in a classified ad goes a long way.)
As it turned out the fit is perfect and the sites I worked on regularly receive tens of thousands of hits each month, and many sales having resulted from buyers from far flung places like Japan, Hong Kong and England.
Can the same be said of marketing lawyers on the internet? Yes!
As a lawyer I believe Lawyers and the web are a perfect fit.
Lawyers are primarily in the business of providing information, very valuable & important information as it turns out. The web is essentially a medium for information-rich services, it is a virtual world made of information. Lawyers should fare well in this market since their stock and trade is the very element that comprises the web.
The problem with lawyers is what I like to call the online brochure syndrome. Lawyers have never excelled at marketing (also due to various regulations restricting how they market), they typically (if they do anything) print a fancy looking brochure that tells about how great they are, how great their clients are and what types of practice areas they cover. "Firm X has a growing real estate section and represents many large companies." Most web sites mimic these limited efforts at marketing that do little to interest or educate.
This doesn't have to be the case.
Lawyers and the law are interesting. Lawyers and the law are important and can profoundly affect people's lives. Lawyers and law shape the way people do business.
Lawyers are especially interesting to the public at large. The popular culture is fascinated with lawyers and legal battles (due to their inherent literary and dramatic value). Any lawyer or law firm that has ever handled a case has some drama to relate on their web site.
Lawyers that provide strategy and advice to sophisticated clients should also be able to convey something of value on a web site, in terms of information of an educational nature. In my humble opinion lawyers could enhance their image and the image of the profession if they took the time to focus their efforts at a meaningful presentation of their efforts and abilities. The web is truly unique in that it gives them that opportunity.
For more detailed reasons in favor of having a web site see the tips for creating a successful web site and the LawyerViews propaganda page.
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