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Making your website a productivity tool

RICHARD WEINER
Technology for Lawyers

Published: July 29, 2016

Still using your website as only a marketing tool? Time to come into the present.

There are now a number of apps that can take an old, Web 1.0, passive law firm website and turn it into an integrated client communication platform. The result is a website that acts like, and can replace, in part or in whole, an administrative assistant/ secretary/ answering service.

I’ve covered a number of these apps in a sort of a vacuum, but a site called Jurispage has glued them all together in a really nice-looking package approach.

While most law firm websites are dedicated to attracting clients, they can also be used as a varied set of tools during a client’s representation. These should be particularly attractive to solo and small practitioners, who are looking to save staffing costs.

First, set up client intake forms on the front page. This should include name, address, type of case, etc., and can be integrated with a practice management system like Clio.

Next, set appointments online without human intervention (covered in a previous column). Set up a calendar, embed it into the website through some code, and then clients (current or potential) can fill in the blanks and make their own appointments. If the appointment is a paid consultation, some apps can accommodate the payment. Apps that can do this in various degrees of automation include Google Calendar, Accuity, Calendly, and Schedule Once.

Next, take payments online (also covered previously). One app, LawPay, is designed for attorneys and approved by the Ohio Bar Association. There are also a variety of ways to take credit cards, and there is also always PayPal.

Finally, use the website as a client portal. Most practice management software suites include a client portal, which can be accessed from a button on a separate client page. Client portal functions can include uploading documents, payment, document sharing, personal messaging, continual case updating, etc. If you don’t have a practice management suite, you can use a stand-alone client portal app. These include MyCase Client Manager, Wizilegal, Directlaw, and VLO Tech (none of them tried or recommended).

And the best part of all of this? It brings us all closer to the paperless office.


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