Forum told clients want 'a solution to their problems'

Law firms should look to build on-line communities among their clients rather than construct Web sites that are too focused on the internal workings of the firm, the forum was told last week.Joe Reevy, managing editor of on-line legal community LawZONE and director of Bestpracticeonline, said that interactivity was the key to a successful Web site because 'what clients want is a solution to their problems'.He explained: 'They really don't care if you have a new office or who your partners are.

Of interest to the lay person is what they need to do and how much it will cost.'Mr Reevy urged law firms to try and build a 'legal community' on the Web, to make interaction with clients easier, cheaper and more fun.'It also means you won't have to spend so much money on marketing,' he said, 'as the sites' usefulness will spread through word of mouth.' Mr Reevey said that other important features in constructing a Web site which people will want to visit twice included: placing contact details on every page in a prominent position on the site, and having information written in layman's terms and not 'lawyerese'.Gerald Newman, deputy director of communications at the Law Society, told the forum: 'You don't get a second chance at making a first impression, so your homepage must be attention-grabbing and focused on the user.'Mr Newman recommended that when designing a homepage, solicitors should think of a magazine cover and how they are designed to attract attention, and to avoid applications such as Flash that take time to install and may test the patience of the user.LINKS: www.lawzone.co.ukAndrew Towler