Hot off the Law.com newswire, Richard Lavinthal CEO of PRforLAW, discusses a great concept in law firm internet marketing, a case site legal blog. The idea is that when a law firm takes on a case of some special interest, a site dedicated to tracking the case is launched. Obviously, there are privacy issues to be considered when developing such a site.
According to Lavinthal:
"Case-specific Web sites must avoid overt law firm marketing. It is appropriate to identify the attorneys of record along with their bios, but don't include a form for potential clients to fill out. All-out marketing should remain on the firm's legacy site.
A plaintiff's case yet to be filed presents the best opportunity for developing a litigation Web site because the firm can control the filing date. It can electronically file the complaint after midnight; edit the domain record so the site is found globally; and, later in the morning, issue a professionally prepared news release that sends reporters and the public to the new Web site.
Defense firms have a different challenge. When the prosecutor or the plaintiff controls the timing, the Web site for the defense must stand ready for immediate launch once the first shoe is dropped. Filed documents not posted at launch need to be added as soon as possible.
For a litigation Web site to serve as a true reference, all filed documents should be uploaded, linked and available as soon as possible. When the law firm issues a news release that announces a new filing or acknowledges the other side's civil or criminal charges, it should reference the litigation Web site so the media can easily and fairly report on the case."
The internet is uncannily adept at communicating information quickly to a vast audience. One of the many advantages of launching a case site legal blog is that an effective implementation can be accomplished with a small investment. Due to their informational nature, flash graphics and other aesthetic features are not necessary for these web solutions to add great value to a firm's web presence.
A case site legal blog can be an affordable and effective way for smaller firms to grow attention to their practices and demonstrate their expertise on a particular subject or aspect of the law.
