Three Ways Google can Help your Practice

RI Lawyer’s Weekly has a good story on the best ways to use Google tools to build your practice:

1) Google Wave

What it is: The hotly anticipated collaboration platform that allows users to share and edit documents, and upload pictures and videos remotely in a real-time format. For example, if you are looking to draft a complaint, you could upload it to a Wave (structured like a new Gmail message), allowing associates and clients to view or comment on it, rather than saving a new document each time. The Wave also allows real-time messaging.

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2) Google Scholar

What it is: A free publication search tool featuring legal opinions. Users may search by case name, court, citation and topics.

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3) Google Local Business

What it is: An add-on to the Google Maps feature that allows a small law firm or other business to upload a short blurb about its firm and coordinate contact information into a Google search. If a potential client wants a medical-malpractice attorney in Beverly, for example, he could search those terms and find information about your firm and other relevant ones.

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Using Twitter to Find Clients

LawyersUSA has an interesting story about how Twitter may be alluring but does it bring in more clients?

Lawyers who have caught the Twitter bug can wax poetic about how the micro-blogging site allows them to make new connections, increase their exposure, display their expertise to a wider audience, and even score speaking or writing gigs. However, for the most part, they are not getting new clients. But there are some success stories out there. …

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