LegalTech – Do-It-Yourself Law Firm Websites, Part I

The oft-repeated phrase, “if you build it, they will come,” is simply not a realistic expectation for business.* For a lucky few, a new business or a new product can attract consumers without much fanfare.  For the rest of us, advertising and marketing are integral to success.  In this technological age, internet marketing is one useful way to find clients.

A second problem, particularly in the personal injury field of law, is the lead time required before money comes in the door.  The average small automobile collision case will not settle for at least five months, and if a lawsuit needs to be filed, it could be nine or twelve months before a resolution. Serious auto collisions and medical malpractice cases take much, much longer. 

Some attorneys manage to pay their bills by dabbling in other types of work, often criminal defense, transactional work, or family law, where the lawyer can charge hourly or flat rate fees. I knew that I didn't want to do that work, but I still wanted to find a way to at least break even in the first year and pay rent for my modest Timonium office. So I started writing web and blog content for other personal injury lawyers.

Particularly with the medical malpractice webpages, I research the internet to find out what other lawyers are writing about, both so I don’t miss anything and so I can figure out how to be stand out from the crowd.  After inputting my keywords, Google ranks what it thinks are the most pertinent results for my search terms.  As I click through them, it is quickly apparent that some high-ranking sites are dated and in even irrelevant to my searches. 

Sometimes the firms’ sites are impressive and the amount of effort put into building the sites are clear. In many cases, though, the web content is poorly written, contains very little information and was last updated five or ten years ago. How do those firms get good Google results? Perhaps they are following some of the “black hat” practices that Google is working on weeding out. But for most of them, the age of their website matters. Google and the other search engines have a higher amount of respect for websites that have been around for a while.

You've heard the proverb: “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” For lawyers or law students who want to get out in the world and start a practice, join a practice or who have no idea what they will eventually do, my recommendation is simple: start a website or two. The websites don’t need to be extravagant.  It is enough in the initial stages to have a good domain name, general content (with good keywords and phrases) about whatever practice area the lawyer envisions working in, and an automatic contact form (for those who are licensed to practice).

Law students, of course, should avoid giving the impression that they are actually lawyers.  The website could be informative only—providing information about particular practice areas as the student learns through law school, clinics and jobs. 

For those who have passed the bar, any potential clients from the website can be referred to other lawyers in a manner consistent with the Rules of Professional Conduct.  The cases can be used to create a book of business that will help negotiate other jobs, salary increases or bonuses. 

The most important reason to do this now, however, is not the business that will come in immediately.  It is likely that there will be no business unless the website is updated on a regular basis.  Instead, the main reason is to create a website that has some longevity.  Google likes websites that have been around for a long time.  A lawyer starting at a large law firm might tire of BigLaw hours after five years, or might get downsized in the next economic meltdown.  The website could at some point be that lawyer’s lifeline to new clients and a steady stream of income. 

All things being equal, Google states that it prefers websites with better, fresher content.  However, those domains that have been around for a long time will have added “stickiness.” By being around longer, they will likely have had more clicks or links, which (in addition to age), improves the websites’ credibility in the eyes of Google. 

Check back later this week for Do-It-Yourself Law Firm Websites, Part II: Build Your Own Website!

* The phrase is also a misquote. The proper quote is, “[i]f you build it, he will come.” Field of Dreams (Universal Pictures, 1989).

About the Author

John J. Cord (John Cord Law, LLC) graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law. He concentrates his practice on automobile negligence, medical malpractice and workers' compensation.  He provides a wide range of technological services to law firms, including blogging and trial presentation.  Find his firm on Facebook and Twitter.