Blogs. eBay. Wikipedia. RSS feeds. Craigslist. Del.icio.us. If you have used any of these services, you are already participating in the next step in Internet evolution. Coined by O'Reilly Media in 2003, the concept of Web 2.0 is founded on the Internet as a collaborative platform that perpetually grows and improves as users add and shape content.
While "Web 1.0" focused on static pages, hyperlinks and software, Web 2.0 is about using the Internet as a software platform, facilitating collaboration between users, about open source and flexible applications, and the concept of users as co-developers. Because users generate and exercise control over content, information is perpetually refreshed and improved -- think Wikipedia and its community-based submission and editing capabilities. Or del.icio.us and its ability to socially tag, store and share Web bookmarks -- user participation continually adds value. Syndication and aggregation are also important factors. RSS feeds have made it possible for users to subscribe for Web content feeds, such as blog posts and comments, news and weather updates, sports scores and stock quotes -- pulling and storing links to updated information into a single place users can view on demand. And all of this can be accomplished online, without downloading complicated products or applications. Now, instead of the software being king, the Web browser reigns.
What does this mean for law firms? A quick Google search will prove that the term "Law Firm 2.0" is starting to pop up around the Web, meaning the way in which technology will impact and shape the future of law practice. And in the legal field’s evolution, the growth of technology has, in many ways, mirrored what is happening in the new Web. The last few years have shown a staggering increase in attorney and law firm blogging. Legal wikis are gaining traction, and community-based applications are being developed to share research, resources and experiences across firms, practices and geographies. The users are controlling the content, continuously improving their own online experience and interacting with others interested in doing the same. Online referral networks, social networks and RSS feeds are creating an on-demand network of knowledge with people interacting to share information, highlight expertise and, most importantly, more effectively enabling firms to reach out to clients and successfully grow their businesses.
The legal Web 2.0, as in the general Web revolution, is a transformation toward a more collaborative, flexible, entrepreneurial and fully-engaged approach to law practice. Learning how to effectively incorporate the concept and technology of Web 2.0 into practice can reap huge benefits for firms and open new dialogues and new client bases. It’s virtually just a few clicks away; the technology is accessible, easy to use and, in most cases, extremely affordable. It is light years away from the practitioner setting up a static Web site and waiting for the telephone to ring.
As mentioned in the previous article, the growth of wikis is inextricably tied into the technology of Web 2.0. A wiki is a Web site that enables its users to create and control content. Wikis are essentially group discussions held online, with the information produced through the discussions improving in value as more users participate. Wikipedia is probably the most well-known example of a wiki; this online encyclopedia is perpetually developed and updated by its user community -- basically anyone with a Web browser and some information. Wikis are being used as collaborative tools to write articles or books, share experiences on a particular topic, create a perpetually updated database of research, knowledge or news on a subject. Here is where we find the growth of the legal wiki...
According to some sources (some of which are wikis), the first legal wikis began appearing in the mid-1990s as group authoring platforms and collaborative research databases. Since then, more legal professionals are finding new ways to leverage wikis in their businesses. Some examples of legal wikis include CopyrightExperiences, IPdailyupdate, Wiki Law School, Wex and LawGuru.com's Wiki Project. The benefits are in the collaboration, ease of use and speed. The information grows as participation grows. And interest in legal wikis is undoubtedly growing.
The quality of a wiki's information is going to be as strong as the user community. In addition, many wikis rely, in large part, on the assumption that users have the best motivation when participating in a wiki, and that a benefit of a user community is that it has the ability to quickly identify and remove inaccurate or misleading information. For firms or group less inclined to trust user intention or unknown level of expertise, wikis can be created for more specific user groups, through a registration or screening process. They also can be created to be completely private, housed on extranets and accessible to a select group of users, perhaps just to individuals within the firm, or to the firm and clients, etc.
Inherent is delving into the world of wikis and is in the process of creating a series of collaborative research tools for a client. We look forward to sharing more information about how this technology is helping our clients in a future Client Alert.
Inherent is excited to announce these newly-launched sites:
Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto [New York, NY] - www.fitzpatrickcella.com
Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, LLP [New York, NY] - www.hnrklaw.com
We are also excited to announce the start of these new projects:
Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP [Los Angeles, CA] - This project includes nearly everything! Inherent will be developing: a new logo/brand, new print materials (including a brochure), a custom Web site with the Dynapsis content management system, a proposal generator and electronic signature cards for all 110 attorneys plus staff members. Furthermore, branded e-mail services will be provided as will support for MP&G's online library catalog.
Hoagland, Longo, Moran, Dunst & Doukas [New Brunswick, NJ] - Inherent is excited about the opportunity to develop a new, custom Web site design with the complete Dynapsis content management system for this 85 attorney firm, based in New Jersey. As part of Phase II of this project, Inherent also will be developing a proposal generator for the firm.
Curiale Dellaverson Hirschfeld & Kraemer, LLP [San Francisco, CA] - This mid-sized firm specializes in Employment Law; in addition to adding online registration for the firm's seminars/events, Inherent will be developing a series of podcasts that will allow the firm to utilize voice and imagery to personalize its seminar offerings online. A full Dynapsis content management system will be developed with the new, custom design, and custom-designed e-mail newsletter templates will be created for use with Inherent's e-mail services.
Of course, all programs will be hosted at Inherent's award-winning hosting facility based in Portland, Oregon... Stay tuned for announcements when these new projects launch!
