Law Firms on the Web: What You Need to Know.

INTRODUCTION
To optimize the success and quality of your web site you will probably want to investigate working with a company that can help you manage this process, but this does not mean you should not play an active role in the construction and evolution of your web site.

KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS
There are many ways to participate in the development of your web site, and you should focus on what you do best.

Content Writing: Are you a prolific writer? Do you enjoy writing legal articles? Ever think of starting your own blog/blawg (What is a Blog)? There are many important roles for content development in the life of your law firm's web site. You may choose to compose the content for your site and have someone else integrate the material. This allows you to control the message, be active in the development of your web presence and will help save you construction costs.

The Internet is all about content. Web users flock to web sites that provide quality, timely and useful information. Use your skill at writing to create an archive of legal articles, update your site with regular legal news briefs that will effect your clients, start an online firm newsletter, or implement a discussion board or blog as an additional avenue for communicating over the Internet.

Designing: Do you pride yourself in your choice of suits? Have a flare for decorating your home? Enjoy selecting artworks for your office? A visually oriented individual has much to offer to the success of their web site. While creating the actual graphics (look & feel) for a web site can be both time consuming and require technical know-how, you can still put your talents to use. Browse the Internet and create a portfolio of URLs that you feel are attractive and applicable to the visual appeal you would like your site to have. Review stock photography collections (www.gettyimages.com and www.corbis.com) and select some specific photographs, or example photo types, you would like to use in the visual display of your site.

Providing this information to the designer of your web presence will help direct the look & feel of your site, shorten the design phase of the development process and save you money.

Techno Geek: Do you have the latest gadgets and gizmos? Enjoy perusing The Sharper Image catalogue? Keep up to date on soon to be released technology? Your interest in the latest and greatest can help ensure your law firm's site never appears clumsy or behind the times. Visit other law firm's web sites and bookmark those you think make the most of technology. Make a plan with your web development team to integrate the most effective of these options. Start a scheduled weekly online chat to reach out to, and address the questions and concerns, of potential and current clients. Brainstorm ways that can help apply technology to your everyday activities (read about one lawyer's creative approach to evidence collecting).

This is the place for all web enthusiasts, geeks and investors. The DEMO 2003 technology conference debuts only the top new products in computer technology. This conference has served as the 'debutante ball' for Java, TiVo, Palm Pilot, e-Trade and many other products that have become common in our 'tech environment'.

DEMO 2003 offered a glimpse at several coming 'movers and shakers' that might influence the way lawyers and law firms interact with the Internet.

OpenCola is a new downloadable product that serves as a central knowledge-base hub integrating web searching, email, instant messaging, news feeds and, of practical use to law firms, a document management system. OpenCola focuses not only on organizing information but in building relationships between relevant parties:

"For example, a user may be working on a specific legal case. That user sends out a request to the OpenCola server, which in turn keeps an index of documents that were made available and people who have knowledge of the case or appropriate laws. The user then can access the document, contact the person, and collaborate. It's the perfect people and knowledge broker." -- eWeek.com

By far the majority of new technologies focused on data management and access. The new patent pending technology by Meaningful Machines breaks down our 'natural language' to return data based on what 'we mean' rather than just what we type in boolean based searches. While the implementation is still in its' infancy, the future impact of this data interpretation technology is wide-spread. One component of this data interpretation schema is a greater emphasis on URL / domain name meanings. So, start registering those relevant domain names like: www.family-lawyers.com, www.aviationdisasterlawyers.com and www.law-articles.com.

Summary: The importance of detailed and explanatory information continues to be the most important factor in both user appeal and web success. By staying aware of current and upcoming technologies that can help your law firm educate clients/users, you will increase your Internet prosperity.

Summary: Overture has primarily focused on commercial based "Pay-For-Performance" services. Building a relatively large advertising client base within a short amount of time, the acquisition of AltaVista will help to expand Overture's presence in the search engine industry. AltaVista has changed parent companies several times in the last few years - none of which have been able to expand AltaVista's share of web traffic. This is the perfect live environment for Overture to release and test new products, and to expand AltaVista's paid inclusion programs.

Viewpoint: So what effect will this have on the legal industry's web community? It most certainly indicates an increased emphasis on paid listings, premier sponsorships and advertising by AltaVista. However, to date, AltaVista and Overture have been unable to successfully create the right balance between relevant search results for users and increased viewership for paid listings. Google has implemented an effective formula for supporting both user's needs and their advertiser's expectations.