Discover Canadian Lawyers

There has been a lot of international talk in the social media about the value of online legal directories. So much so I thought it warrented discussion here in Canada.

I Googled “legal directory” in Google.ca. The were 920,000 results. Searches for  “legal referral service” came back with only 50,300 results. Big difference. Not only in these numbers, but I also think a big difference in the results a lawyer can get from each of these services.

In the case of Directories (like Canadian-lawyers.ca by LexisNexis, Canadian Law List, or even the ever popular YellowPages) they typically offer a generic listing of the lawyer’ s name, firm name, address, contact information, etc. In some case there are extra fees to have a small biography, photographs, and email and website links.  But no referrals to speak of, and no real search engine optimization techniques directed specifically at the listers’ profile page.

Online referral services (like LawyerLocate.ca and LawyerShop) typically offer a great deal more. You often receive a “minisite” for yourself to list your practice details, contact information, etc. and you are provided referrals to individuals searching for your specific type of practice in a specific geographic area. Some referral services are specific to a certain practice area, such as the Canadian Family Law Lawyers Network, which charges not only a “registration fee”, but also a referral fee should you be retained.

Now,  some of you are already aware that I work for LawyerLocate.ca. So you may be thinking that this post is self-serving. Well it is…to a point. But it is also a post to inform you that there are differences between Directories and Referral Services, and to make you aware of this point. And to even make you aware that there are differences from one referral service to the next.

With so many online marketing/advertising options out there for you to choose from, it is important to your research first.  You all work hard for your money. So my question is this: Do you want to put that money into services that mirror the “Listing Book” of old, or do you want to invest in something that puts you and your practice on the cutting edge of internet information technology? Something that gets you internet exposure,  referrals to potential clients,  as well as something that can lead to superior search engine positioning?

Best advice: Search online for those referral services that rank high in the results. Research. Ask questions. Look for references from happy clients. And don’t put your eggs all in one basket.

Think again.

This photograph was taken this morning in the lobby of our offices. I have literally walked by this stack of Yellow Pages every single day for the past several months.

The building where we work is “home” to several law firms and sole practitioners. Even they do not feel compelled to pick up the copy that was designated for delivery to their office – despite the fact that many of them have paid to be advertised in them. 

It is becoming clear that the days of printed phone books are numbered. The Yellow Pages Group recently announced that the residential book is only delivered on request to those who live in major Canadian cities. But did you know that they also have an “opt-out” program for delivery of those printed Yellow Page directories? The questions to consider are:

• How long until that opt-out program becomes an “opt-in” program similar to the residential book delivery?
• With their physical distribution numbers trending downwards, are you paying less for that printed advertisement?

Even the Yellow Pages Group have recognized that peoples’ search methods are switching to online/mobile sources.  Stop and think about the last time you asked your assistant to source something for the firm. Where did they begin their search?  My bet is they started it online with Google, Yahoo or Bing.

So before you sink more of your hard earned money into your printed Yellow Pages advertising, consider these facts:

• Your target audience may have opted out of receiving a copy of the book, and
• Your advertisement may stay “trapped” inside a stack of unopened books (like the ones in our lobby).

My advice to you: consider spending your dollars on online advertising and marketing. Create a search engine optimized website. Combine that with an effective online marketing strategy. And don’t listen to your account executive from the Yellow Pages who continues to insist year after year that you still need a full page, full colour print ad in one of their books.

With the media reporting more than 900 G20-related arrests, it is no wonder we have a huge backlog in bail court this morning.

Thankfully, the Province of Ontario had the foresight to set up the courthouse at 2201 Finch Avenue to process those individuals arrested in the G20 protests. These courtrooms were staffed with extra crown attorneys, security and legal aid to help process thoses charged more quickly.

And thankfully there are people like Adam Goodman in this world to help those who have been charged. For many of those charged over the weekend, it will have been their first introduction to the criminal justice system. And I am sure having counsel readily available to them for guidance during this process will have been invaluable service.

Adam selflessly spent much of Sunday giving his time and knowledge to assist those who had been charged as a result of the G20.

William Gilmour. A Brampton lawyer whose name has become synonymous with law suits and the RCMP.

Recall the 2007 RCMP Scandal over alleged corruption and cover-up within the organization? Bill Gilmour, himself a former RCMP officer, went public saying he has a dozen clients waiting to share stories of serious wrongdoing within the force if they were given protection from reprisals.

Today, Bill is making international headlines (Gay Mountie's $13M lawsuit says RCMP ruined his reputation) as counsel for Donald Cooke, a senior RCMP investigator. Mr. Cooke, who is gay, claims in the $13M lawsuit that a "homophobic culture" in the force, unfounded assault allegations, a public arrest, and a lengthy suspension has ruined his reputation.

I had the honour of meeting Bill in 2002, while I was working at the Osgoode Hall Law Library in Toronto, Ontario. My initial impression was that he was a "Gentle Giant". To this date, I still view Bill in this light. But something tells me that the RCMP's legal team may not think of him this same way!

Craig Penney, a Toronto criminal lawyer, has a very enviable website presence.  I actually had another criminal lawyer once tell me in an email: I really like his site and you should see how effectively he pops up in Google searches without sponsorship. He is my web hero.

Strong words from a colleague hoping to mimic his online presence.

I had an opportunity to chat with Mr. Penney the other day and I asked him a few questions about his website, his approach, and why he thinks it has been so successful. This is what he shared with me:

I realized very quickly that, for potential clients, hiring a criminal lawyer is a very personal decision. Potential clients needed to know not only how I could help, but "who" I was. Before the web, that information had to be conveyed either on the phone or in person.The web changed all that.

Mr. Penney's website does not specifically educate people about the law. It was purposely designed to introduce himself to his potential client and allow them to get a feel for who he is as a person and as a lawyer.  Clients can spend as much time as they want reading about Mr. Penney and his cases, in order to assist them in making an informed decision about whether to hire him or not.

He attributes his website's success to the site's ability to allow potential clients to get a real feel for who he is as a person and lawyer.

His advice to lawyers who ask him about creating a website?  Start, he says, by realizing that clients want to know who you are, and then ask yourself the following:

1. What kind of person are you?
2. What kind of lawyer are you?
3. How can I best convey that information in a website?