Paper Presented
by
Mark Pruner, Esq.
to the
Practising Law Institute
PLI Training Center
810 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10019 December 16, 1996
Table of Contents
I. INTRODUCTION
II. OVERVIEW
III. THE IMPORTANCE OF TOP LEVEL DOMAIN NAMES FOR LAW FIRMS
A. TOP LEVEL DOMAIN NAME V. SUB-DOMAIN NAMES
B. GOODWILL
C. USE IT OR LOSE IT
D. SELECTING YOUR DOMAIN NAME
E. REGISTERING YOUR DOMAIN NAME
F. GET YOUR DOMAIN NAME NOW!
IV. WHY CREATE A LAW FIRM WEBSITE
A. STRENGTHENING RELATIONS WITH PRESENT CLIENTS
B. VITAL FOR HI-TECH CLIENTS
C. IMPORTANT FOR NATIONAL AND MULTI-STATE PRACTICES
D. PROVIDES INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
E. SPECIALIZED PRACTICES
F. ALWAYS AVAILABLE
G. ALWAYS TIMELY
H. COMPETING WITHOUT ENTRENCHED COMPETITORS
I. MULTIPLE USES
J. INTERNAL WEBSITES/INTRANETS
V. DEVELOPING A WEBSITE DESIGN STRATEGY
A. DESIGNING A WEBSITE BY PRESS RELEASE
B. WHY WOULD AN EDITOR WANT TO RUN THIS STORY?
1. The Audience
2. Making the site compelling
A. CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
1. Focusing on your strengths
2. Designing the site
a. Get their attention immediately
b. K.I.S.S. - Keep it simple for surfers
B. CONSTRUCTION OF THE WEBSITE
A. THE PRESS RELEASE
B. OTHER MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES
1. Website introduction seminar
2. Stationery, faxes and brochures
3. Client mailings
4. Media coverage
C. ON-LINE MARKETING
1. Search Engines
2. Linking is an effective way to promote a website
3. Email sig files
4. Newsgroups, listservs and OSPs
D. LEVERAGING RELATIONSHIPS VIA THE WEBSITE
E. FOLLOW-UP LEADS
VIII. DISINTERMEDIATING AND RE-ENGINEERING THE LEGAL PROCESS
A. THE POWER OF THE INTERNET
B. DISINTERMEDIATION C. CLIENT RELATIONS, BEYOND EMAIL
D. LEGAL PROCESS RE-ENGINEERING
E. WHAT CAN BE DONE NOW
IX. A BRIEF REVIEW OF LEGAL ETHICS AND WEBSITES
A. A NEW WAY TO COMMUNICATE
B. A VARIETY OF USES FOR LAW FIRM WEBSITES
C. ETHICAL ISSUES IN A WIRED WORLD
D. COMMERCIAL SPEECH OR PUBLIC DEBATE SPEECH
E. JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES
F. SENSITIVE ISSUES IN DEVELOPING AN ETHICAL WEBSITE
1. Rule 7.1 - No false or misleading statements
2. Rule 7.2 - Advertising
3. Rule 7.3 - Personal contacts with prospective clients
4. Rule 7.4 - Practice Fields
5. Rule 7.5 - Tradenames
6. Other Areas
G. BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Court cases
2. On-Line resources
Parts of this paper have appeared in the 6/96 and 9/96 Rainmaker's Review in a two part article entitled "Making Rain on the World Wide Web."
For information on how Web Counsel can help you develop your own website see our Web Counsel Services page OR send e-mail to mark@webcounsel.com, phone us at (203)-637-4352, FAX us at (203) 698-1052 or mail us at our Greenwich office address - Web Counsel, LLC, 17 Wilmot Lane, Riverside, CT 06878.
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