Build a Practice

Compliance with Version 2.0 AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the World Wide Web Consortium, requires addressing issues that impact how a website is perceived, operable, understandable and robust.

A review of LexBlog, Inc., a company that will take all of the guesswork out of preparing and creating your legal blog.

The author shares easy ways to grow your practice.

As lawyers trying to provide value to our firms by generating new business, there are special limits placed on us by the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, particularly by Rule 7. Young lawyers should study this entire Rule in detail, but here are some key takeaways.

Freshen up your photo, add skills, and take other steps to optimize your presence on LinkedIn.

A look at the most important steps and decisions you’ll face when it comes to getting a new Web site for your law practice.

Is your e-mail address conveying the image you want to convey?

If your firm does not already have a dedicated Facebook page, you need one--immediately

The author provides useful guidance to help you establish or improve your firm’s Internet presence.

Some ideas for getting your name out there.

You can find clients on Facebook and LinkedIn. Or, more to the point, they can find you. But be sure to go about it the right way or you'll lose business and run afoul of ethics rules.

Regardless of what percentage of your revenue you spend on marketing, there are several tactics to help small and growing law firms get the attention they need and deserve in a competitive climate. 

Use these tips to improve your Internet presence and ensure your business comes up on the first page of a Google or Yahoo search.

On October 20, 2009, Paula Hudson Holderman and Delilah B. Flaum, of Winston & Strawn coached more than 100 women lawyers on how to get over the “anti-networking” mindset and formulate a plan that will lead them to a more fulfilling career.

You didn’t go to law school to be a salesperson, but you still have to sell yourself to prospective clients. Here’s how.

Should you build a Web site? Buy a listing in an online directory? Here's an introduction to Web-based marketing.

As a rule, the more lawyers you have in your firm, the less able you are to focus your Web site's attention on any one lawyer's knowledge and experience. An easy solution is for each lawyer to have his own education-based Web site.

The author has identified 18 myths... do you believe any of them?

When hiring a lawyer, prospects want to make the right decision. Yet to thoroughly check out a lawyer, a prospect needs to conduct a fair amount of time-consuming research.

A look at a few best practices to ensure that you are protected and stand to make money on your personal injury referrals.

Will the court enforce your referral fee agreement? A recent case ups the ante by requiring strict, not merely "substantial," compliance with ethics rules.

It's permissible to refer cases to other lawyers and share in the fee, as long as you meet the requirements.

Before discussing the advantages and disadvantages of charging a consultation fee, one must consider the type of client they are seeking and the type of law they are practicing.

In a tough legal marketplace, putting clients first and providing excellent service is a must. It starts with putting yourself in the client's place.

When someone types your name into a search engine, what will they see? Use these 10 tips to improve what future employers, clients and adversaries may learn about you online.

How becoming involved in a local bar association, the ISBA, or a community organization can help you successfully grow your business as a young lawyer.

How do you attract new clients and retain existing ones in this economy? Consultants and Illinois lawyers offer battle-tested tips.

There is business out there, much of it just waiting for whoever simply makes the effort to pick it up.

Clients do business with, and refer business to, lawyers they know, like, and trust. By focusing marketing efforts on the strategies outlined in this article, women lawyers will become better known and liked by clients.

Have your clients stopped calling? Is your daily mail just bills?

Take control of your career by embracing the entrepreneurial mindset and active behavior of a rainmaker.

In the March, 1995 issue of The Bottom Line (Vol. 16, No. 3), an article appeared entitled "Rainmaking." The article included 10 suggestions in the form of practice tips for improving a lawyer's ability to attract business.

Most lawyers understand the importance of networking, but they aren't sure how to do it.

When the new prospective client walks in your office, what is the first impression? What do they see and hear as they sit in the reception area, on the way to your office, and in your office? The answer may not be obvious. An "impression audit" is in order for most offices.

Sites like Avvo that rate lawyers and encourage consumer reviews are evoking reaction positive and negative in the legal community – and posing interesting ethical challenges.

A look at the special ethical challenges that arise when lawyers use Facebook, Twitter and the like and how to address them.