Friday, June 4, 2010

Why Do Law Firm Websites Suck?





I left my old trusty law firm in January to join a public company as in-house counsel. Now, with some distance, I am even more amused with the law firm need to do excessive and utterly corny marketing. I went to the firm's website today to look up a colleague (for work purposes). These are the pictures that rotate through the homepage.

What the heck is going on here? What are these pictures and what do they have to do with a law firm? I guarantee that the firm has no actual offices near any of these places. The green steps photo. Okay, very nice. Sort of art-gardeney. What is that supposed to be telling me? Bryan Cave is a green sea of manicured art grass?

As my friends pointed out, the Stairway to Nowhere is also intriguing. So, you're trapped - you can't jump the fence, and if you do, you're in a world of green digitally mastered bamboo. Great.

Each of these remind me of the mind-trick scenes in Fight Club where Edward Norton went to his happy place in a cold cave, and saw either a penguin or Helena Bonhom-Carter say "Slide." Then he snaps out of it.

The Great Wall of China on a bridge inside the Grand Canyon must represent the meshing and serious legal understanding of multiple and dynamic cultures. I think?

I suggest this as the new image to appear on the homepage. There you go. Free of charge.




1 comment:

  1. I was a trial attorney for the National Labor Relations Board for 22 years before I had to retire on a disability pension after 9 years of a serious chronic illness. While I did not work for a big law firm I was a prosecutor and did litigation, and I agree that the practice of law can suck. I worked with many attorneys who worked at the big "sweat shop" firms, and they were always very stressed out and unhappy. I still have serious health problems now, but I am glad to be out of that "world". I started a craft business - "Robin's Nest Treasures" and I am happy. I may still do some part-time legal work, but it will not be the same pressure as the full-time grind. I hope that your new job brings you more personal satisfaction and happiness. Life is too short. I love your Blog. You are very talented. Let your creative side blossom! It will bring you great joy! Best wishes to you from Pittsburgh, PA.
    Robin
    http://www.robinsnesttreasures.etsy.com/
    http://www.robinsnesttreasures.blogspot.com/

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