PSAMMYESQUIRE

LEGAL COMPETENCE VERSUS TECHNOLOGICAL INCOMPETENCE

~THE CYBER ADVOCATE~

“What is the argument on the other side? Only this, that no case has been found in which it has been done before. That argument does not appeal to me in the least. If we never do anything which has not been done before, we shall never get anywhere. The law will stand still while the rest of the world goes on, and that will be bad for both”. ~LORD ALFRED THOMPSON DENNING

Are you standing still while the world is moving?

It is very shocking that  only about 30% of lawyers say they use a web-based service.

Let's see this surprising statistics-70% of lawyers don’t use email. They don’t do legal research online. They don’t use e-filing. None of those 70% have a smartphone or a tablet. None of them are on Facebook or LinkedIn or Twitter and if they are, they don’t derive any  professional advantage from it.

Basic technological competence is part and parcel of professional competence. It’s time to make acquiring basic technological literacy a priority.The world is not changing. The world has changed and so should all the ministers in the temple of justice change.

Let me share an article written by Jennifer Gumbel  a partner with Springer & Gumbel, P.A. in Preston Minnesota on the need for an attorney to have a web presence.

WHY YOU NEED A WEB PRESENCE

•  Clients don’t have your phone number memorized.

A big reason law offices(and lawyers) maintain a web presence is branding. It can be easy for rural attorneys to dismiss the need to use the web in order to communicate who you are to prospective clients. After all, you run into your client base every day… at the grocery store, high school basketball game, etc. However, even if you are fully confident that potential clients in your area know about you, you have to be easy to get a hold of in order for them to hire you. While you might rely on the belief that potential clients can use the phone book, many people use search engines to look up information. This is especially true as more and more people use smart phones. At minimum, your contact information and areas of practice need to be able to be found online.

•  Other attorneys don’t have your phone number memorized.

You not only need to make sure potential clients can find you, but that other attorneys can find you. Obviously, opposing counsel wants to have your contact information at their fingertips, and that includes your email and fax number along with your telephone number. However, having your contact info available to other attorneys isn’t just helpful for the opposing side. It can be helpful for you. Everyone knows that attorneys refer potentials clients to other attorneys when they have a conflict or don’t practice in that area of law. If you come to mind, but your contact information is easily available, that potential client may be referred elsewhere.

•  Potential clients aren’t always from your area.

You might think that your client base is limited to your county. But, there are plenty of potential clients that don’t live in your area and don’t know you, but need a local attorney. Whether it’s an adult child living in another state that has to open a probate in their parent’s estate or a non-local small business being sued in local court, there are plenty of instances where a non-local client is looking for a local attorney. For many of these clients, the only resource they have to select an attorney is through the web. In order to be accessible to that client base, you need to accessible on the web and stand out from other attorneys in your area.

Start thinking beyond the yellow pages and start thinking about how to have a web presence.

Thank you for reading this piece.

Do have a great day.

Samuel Chidiebere Francis.