Law Tech: The Importance of Web 2.0 Fundamentals.

The term "Web 2.0" refers, in general, to the use of social media such as blogs, podcasts, video, and networks to enhance creativity, communications, secure information sharing, collaboration and functionality of the web. In regard to this post, the term is also used with specific reference to the use of such media by lawyers to communicate with other lawyers, their clients and the general public.These days it seems that most law firms/lawyers have some form of presence on the internet. There are some common themes to many of the firm sites which I'll describe as 'generic' including a photo of the firm's location usually a building or landscape portrait and a lot of short paragraphs filled with platitudes professing the specialties and expertise of the lawyers of the firm (including perhaps a reference to a Martindale-Hubbell rating and/or claim of "Super Lawyer") followed by contact information.

However, in the past several years, there has been a fairly steady move away from the 'generic' website with the advent of new internet applications which allow for more interactive forms of communication or Web 2.0. The use of blogs or 'lawblogs' by lawyers has grown significantly with companies such as LexBlog.com showing lawyers how they can supplement or literally replace their 'generic' sites with a blog combining the use of tools such as RSS ("Really Simple Syndication") feeds to share topical information and networking sites such as LinkedIn.com and Twitter.com. The growth of companies such as Google and its many application 'offshoots' such as Blogger.com also allow lawyers to create their own sites and link them to very powerful sets of software applications (e.g., Box.net).

The number of marketing professionals eager to show lawyers how to use the web has also grown exponentially. The old line marketing firms such as Martindale-Hubbell are now feeling pressure to revamp to stay with new competitors like Avvo.com and Legal OnRamp.com as traditional print-copy forms of lawyer advertising loose favor and potentially die out.

Today, it cannot be denied that if a lawyer does not know the fundamentals of Web 2.0 that his or her ability to access the law, as well as communicate with (current and/or prospective) clients will be diminished. If you are not convinced, just take a few hours and look at the variety of legal and law-related websites demonstrating how some lawyers are using internet-based applications to effectively gather, store and disseminate legal information including the marketing of their own abilities as lawyers and communicators.