MODERNIZE YOUR LAW PRACTICE IN 3 STEPS
Table of Contents 01 INTRO 03 08 11 13 STEP 1 STRENGTHEN YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE STEP 2 CUT DOWN ON PAPER, GO DIGITAL STEP 3 SET UP REMOTE WORK CAPABILITIES CONCLUSION
INTRO Practicing law is a demanding, time-consuming, often highstress job. You have hours to bill, deadlines to meet, and clients to serve. And if you run a solo practice or are a partner in a small- to mid-size firm, you probably have other responsibilities on your plate: like running your business. If changing how you operate is the last thing you want to think about, you re not alone. The legal profession is notorious for doing things the way they ve always been done and sticking with the same systems that have worked for years. After all, what attorney has time for new, complicated technologies? But here are the facts: modernizing your law practice by strategically integrating the right technologies can benefit you in big ways and save you time and money that can make a real difference in both your bank account and your personal life. The Internet and online tools have revolutionized the way business is being conducted in all industries, including law. Advances in digital tools give lawyers the flexibility and efficiency they need to fulfill the many duties and deadlines of practicing law in the 21st century. What are the benefits of a modern firm? Modernizing your law practice will not only streamline your processes but also give you more time to do what clients hire you to do: practice law. In many ways, you really can t afford not to come up to speed. Continuing to operate the way lawyers have for decades can give clients especially prospective clients the wrong impression, and even lead to costly mistakes. Lost or misfiled documents add up to thousands of lost dollars and hours of productivity per year. And who knows how many clients you may be losing because of an outdated website that no one can find online? 2015 Canvas Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. gocanvas.com 01
INTRO We know that you only have so many hours in the day. We know that as a solo or small firm, your budget is limited. We know that the sheer number of programs and technologies can be overwhelming. That s why, in this ebook, we walk you through three steps you can take to begin modernizing your law practice today. What You ll Learn: How to strengthen your online presence via your website, blog, and social media Modernizing your law practice by strategically integrating the right technologies can benefit you in big ways and save you time and money that can make a real difference in both your bank account and your personal life. How to go paperless (or mostly paperless) How to set up remote work capabilities with practice management software, mobile apps, and the cloud GET STARTED NOW WITH THESE 3 STEPS... 2015 Canvas Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. gocanvas.com 02
STEP 1 STRENGTHEN YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE Legal practice management software company MyCase polled 800 solo and small-firm lawyers to ask what steps they would take to modernize their firms in 2015. Survey respondents said their law firm s website was their biggest focus, with 49 percent indicating that revamping their website was a top priority. A professional website is a must for law firms. In today s digital, hyper-connected culture, your website is the first impression most people have of your law firm. It only takes a second for prospective clients to form an impression and decide whether or not to give your firm a call, or to click away to the next site. Good design is essential to a successful website that will turn visitors into clients. This doesn t just mean the colors, font, images, and layout, though those elements are important. It starts with clearly communicating your firm s value proposition. Your value proposition should be more than a tagline on your website. Are you a family lawyer who is a compassionate advocate for your clients? Are you a plaintiff s lawyer who doesn t back down from big corporations? Your website needs to communicate this message through the copy and images you use. Clients should be able to understand at a glance what you do and whether you can help them. Search engine optimization (SEO) comes into play here. You don t need to spend a lot of time or money on SEO, but you should be aware of it and educate yourself on the basics. Essentially, SEO is the practice of increasing the visibility or ranking of your website in a search engine s organic (or unpaid) results. There are multiple ways to do this, including everything from making sure the title tags and meta descriptions on your site content are both informative and the right length, to pointing internal links to your own relevant content. 2015 Canvas Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. gocanvas.com 03
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