More people accessing legal services through the web
Our friends at the Gazette have published research that suggests more people are using the web to find solicitors, rather than traditional means.
Such people are known as "internet-empowered consumers of legal services" apparently.
Whilst this research has been compiled by a firm jumping on the "go compare" bandwagon, it does raise an interesting point.
10 years ago most clients didnt have a mobile phone or an email address, let alone internet access. Now I almost never come across anyone who doesnt have all three, irrespective of age / background / capabilities / intelligence etc.
The modern consumer really is a different animal and like it or not the legal industry must adapt to meet their needs.
Most large law firms and some smaller more cutting edge firms realise this: but there are many well established and very prominent firms who just dont get it.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Why dont solicitors write blogs?
Ive blogged about this years ago so forgive any obvious recycling but this is an anomaly that remarkably still prevails and furthermore raises an interesting point about the differences in mentality between solicitors and barristers.
At the our last partners meeting we discussed the merits of writing a blog for the practice.
Our reasons for doing so follow a fairly typical pattern. Senior partner stumbles across nice legal blog on the web - decides we really should have one - but how does one go about it, do we have the "skills" to do it and what if any, are the benefits?
Naturally Ive played dumb throughout this process so as not to draw too much attention to my long standing clandestine blog shame. But thinking about it - I mean seriously thinking about it - why are there so few blogs out there from actual law firms??
Around 80% of "blawgs" I read are written by barristers or wannabe's blogging like their life - or career - depended on it.
When you think about it, perhaps thats exactly it!
Our barristerial brethern are invariably self employed or have a contractual arrangement that is very reliant upon a need to create a reputation and deliver volumes of work. Barristers develop a hunter / gatherer mentality from an early age.
Whereas most solicitors are placed in a high chair and spoon fed the minute they walk through the door.
Perhaps we can learn a lot from this.
Some firms push for rainmakers rather than plodders. Perhaps blogging and the awareness of the benefits of blogging, could be a very good thing for aspiring solicitors to consider. Learn how to create, develop and maintain a blog and you will open doors for yourself.
Imagine turning up at an interview and throwing that into the ring. How many other candidates for the job would bring those skills to the table.
"Get a blog to get a job" - its the future Im telling ya!
Ive blogged about this years ago so forgive any obvious recycling but this is an anomaly that remarkably still prevails and furthermore raises an interesting point about the differences in mentality between solicitors and barristers.
At the our last partners meeting we discussed the merits of writing a blog for the practice.
Our reasons for doing so follow a fairly typical pattern. Senior partner stumbles across nice legal blog on the web - decides we really should have one - but how does one go about it, do we have the "skills" to do it and what if any, are the benefits?
Naturally Ive played dumb throughout this process so as not to draw too much attention to my long standing clandestine blog shame. But thinking about it - I mean seriously thinking about it - why are there so few blogs out there from actual law firms??
Around 80% of "blawgs" I read are written by barristers or wannabe's blogging like their life - or career - depended on it.
When you think about it, perhaps thats exactly it!
Our barristerial brethern are invariably self employed or have a contractual arrangement that is very reliant upon a need to create a reputation and deliver volumes of work. Barristers develop a hunter / gatherer mentality from an early age.
Whereas most solicitors are placed in a high chair and spoon fed the minute they walk through the door.
Perhaps we can learn a lot from this.
Some firms push for rainmakers rather than plodders. Perhaps blogging and the awareness of the benefits of blogging, could be a very good thing for aspiring solicitors to consider. Learn how to create, develop and maintain a blog and you will open doors for yourself.
Imagine turning up at an interview and throwing that into the ring. How many other candidates for the job would bring those skills to the table.
"Get a blog to get a job" - its the future Im telling ya!
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