Law Firm Websites and Marketing for Attorneys

How do law firm websites affect marketing for attorneys?  A recent Am Law Daily article notes that many law firm websites lag behind corporate websites in terms of savvy and effectiveness.  The article profiles the Winson-Salem law firm of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice.  Womble Carlyle's site contains blogs and podcasts, and the firm apparently has approximatley 50 attorneys who blog.  The firm also has an Internet marketing manager, even though most law firms ignore the subject of Internet marketing for attorneys.

The Am Law Daily article notes that may firms are stuck in the world of Web 1.0, rather than moving their sites in the direction of rss feeds, blogs, videos and podcasts.  One website designer that consults with law firms is quoted as saying that law firms need to expand their Web presence beyond their law firm sites by using tools like Facebook and Twitter.

Other firm websites that the Am Law Daily article mentions favorably: Gibson Dunn, White & Case, Finnegan Henderson, and Mintz Levin.  Those in the internet marketing for lawyers field should study such websites.  The Finnegan Henderson website, like Womble Carlyle, contains a "podcasts" section.

Those involved with marketing for law firms and marketing for lawyers need to leave behind Web 1.0 and embrace Web 2.0.

I welcome your candid thoughts below.