I find that many small law firms have reserved a domain name and have set up their email to use that name, but they have no Web page yet. I think that it’s really important to have some kind of Web presence if you are giving out your email address and it ends in something like @Doelawfirm.com.  I imagine the prospective client seeing that domain name and trying to look it up on the Internet. What do they think when nothing is there? When it happens to me, I think that maybe the firm isn’t quite as “together” as I would like my lawyer to be. It shows a lack of completion.

So what is holding so many lawyers back? Fear of high cost, for one thing. Difficulty in finding a Web page designer is another. And then there’s the content factor: what are we going to say? No one wants to have an amateurish Web page. I understand all of these concerns. But I think that having a simple page with the firm’s directory information and practice areas, lawyer’s names and a map is a good thing. No need for a “contact us” button. I think soliciting business on the Internet isn’t something you should do without thinking about it a long time and weighing all the pros and cons.

As for cost, there are loads of unemployed or part-time Web designers advertising reasonably priced Web pages on the Internet. Chances are, one of your friends has a friend who has a college age kid who’s a wiz at designing Web pages. Also, with the advent of blogging, so many free, professional looking, templates are available online. There are also inexpensive editors that you can find online – see my post on Artisteer, for example. I’ve known more than a few lawyers who tackled their own designs. Look at local law firm Web pages and see who took design credit. Contact them and get a price. Google “web design” and your city name to see a list of local companies and to request some quotes.

Coming soon: search engine optimization: does it work and is it worth paying extra?

The South Carolina Bar Convention was held January 21 – 24, at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. My favorite part, as always, was the Technology seminar on Thursday afternoon. The Tech seminar has become something of a tradition at the Convention. Over the years, we’ve been honored to have some top-notch national speakers from the world of legal technology. Past speakers have included Ross Kodner, Sharon Nelson and John Simek, Craig Ball, Walt Mossberg, Jim Calloway, and more. This year, Convention attendees were wowed by Carole Levitt and Mark Rosch, of Internet for Lawyers.

Mark and Carole are nationally known and respected “cybersleuths.”  Mark’s background is in business, the entertainment industry and technology; Carole’s is in law and library science. Together they have created Internet for Lawyers, through which they speak, write,  and assist lawyers with finding the electronic “smoking gun.” Their current book, The Cybersleuth’s Guide to the Internet, will be joined soon by two new books for the ABA Law Practice Management Section – Find Info Like a Pro, vol. I, will debut at ABA TECHSHOW in March.

The session was fast, funny, and informative. Mark and Carole really know their stuff. I learned many things I didn’t know about research on the Internet. Judging from the comments from the lawyers attending, I wasn’t alone. In three hours, we covered everything from how to investigate people and companies using free web sites, to some great tips on software and web sites most lawyers have, but aren’t using as well as they should. I know it will be hard to top this year’s program. I’ll be looking hard for next year’s speakers when I attend ABA TECHSHOW in March.

Open multiple files and file types at one time. Whenever you start a dialog box to navigate to and select files, you always have the option of selecting multiple files to perform the same operation on.  Hold down the Control Key and click the files you want to see.  Move the cursor over one of the highlighted (selected) files, right click, and when the menu of options opens, choose Open. The operation you select will impact all selected files.  So, if you’re in My Docs and select a PDF file, a Word file and a PowerPoint file, all three files will automatically open in the appropriate program.

If you’re like me, you have created multiple folders under your main address book in Outlook. I store my personal contacts in the default Contacts address book, which I can access from my Windows Mobile device. However, I created additional folders for groups of other contacts by going to Contacts and choosing File – New folder (you can also click the “New” button on the Standard tool bar and choose new folder from the drop-down list).

You may have noticed that when you open a new mail message, and click on “To” for names, you don’t see all the new folders you created in the Address List. This tip shows you how easy it is to add more folders to the Address List. Once you do this, you can click on the pull down list under Address Book and find addresses in other folders. This works in both Outlook 2003 and 2007.

In Outlook, click on the Contacts. Right-click the folder you want to save to the address list. Choose “properties” and the tab “Outlook Address Book.” Check the box next to “Show this folder as an email address book,” click “OK” to save.  Open a new email message and click the “To.” Look in the pull-down list for the new address book.

Adobe Acrobat Standard and Professional versions will read PDF files to you!   This feature is called Read Out Loud and it is easy to use.  Using the feature is a two-step process.  First the feature is activated; next you command it to read.

To use the feature open a PDF:
1.  Click on View>Activate Read Out Loud.
2.  Click on View>Read Out Loud>Read This Page Only or Read to End of Document.

The Read feature will remain activated until you close Acrobat.  There a number of  keystroke combinations which will also control the Read Out Loud feature. Adobe provides additional information and instructions to change the default settings for Read Out Loud.

The voice is not stimulating, and the listening comprehension process requires some extra level of concentration.  Even so, listening to a PDF document while driving is far superior to trying to read one!

Don’t forget: Windows also has a “narrator” function that will read out loud to you. For information on turning it on and using it in Windows XP, go here and for Vista go here.