With so many firms showcasing their expertise online, an attorney is generally only a couple of keystrokes away from potential clients. But as surprising as it seems in a Web 2.0 world, there are still practitioners in Wisconsin who do not maintain a Web site.

For attorney Mark R. Franklin (depicted at right), who practices in Independence, a relatively rural city in the western part of the state, it’s simply a lack of necessity. “I don’t need it,” he said. “I have all the work that I want.”

The Kulig, Michalak & Franklin lawyer generates the majority of his work through local referrals, though he does some statewide commercial debt collection.

He said most firms in his area don’t have Web sites, and the “tight-knit” local legal community thrives on word-of-mouth work. “We really don’t do any advertising other than when the newspaper needs $20 to congratulate a local sports team,” he said.

But even in a more competitive, urban setting, some firms have yet to create a web presence. Attorney Allen D. Reuter (see photo below), a partner at Reuter, Whitish & Cole SC in Madison, said the general practice firm has taken steps toward launching a site, but there is no sense of urgency.

“Personally, I’m not a big believer that there are a lot of people going on the Net to find lawyers any more so than the Yellow Pages,” he said. “We’ve done well just going by referrals and for the foreseeable future I don’t expect that to change.”

Getting seen

Legal marketing expert Larry Bodine said that in this day and age, a “who needs a Web site?” philosophy is a mistake. “It’s a great way to stay invisible,” he said.

Bodine regards Google searches as one of the most effective ways to find lawyers in specific practice areas, because prospective clients can quickly locate you by name or location. Web pages can provide detailed attorney profiles, testimonials and pictures, which give the consumer a clearer sense of the specific services a firm provides than a Yellow Pages ad.

Plus, said Bodine, a Web site gives attorneys more opportunities to appeal to potential clients. “When someone sends a referral … it is just cast-off work from other firms,” he said. “The advantage of a Web site is you can spell out what you do and what type of client you want.”

For some firms, the lack of a Web site is a matter of economics.

Madison commercial real estate firm Loniello, Johnson & Simonini maintained a Web site for more than decade, but abandoned it approximately 18 months ago to save money. Attorney Craig R. Johnson (shown at right) said the slumping real estate market prompted the firm to reduce its advertising budget, which included temporary closure of its Web site.

“It was purely a financial decision, but when times were better, the Web site generated more money that it cost us,” he said. “I would think we’ll go back to it when the market picks up again.”

And even firms that have gotten along so far without a Web site are open to a change. Reuter said his four-lawyer firm has taken steps toward implementing a site during the last two years by having attorney photos taken and developing a design.

“We will certainly have one,” he said. “But I don’t see it as a marketing necessity. Our main purpose for doing it would be because everyone expects us to have one.”