Does Your Law Firm Need an App?

There's an app for everything nowadays. Food delivery? There's an app for that. Car service? There's an app for that too. House cleaning? Yard work? Home maintenance? Catching Pokemon? Anything you want delivered? Yup. Yup. Yup. Yup. Yup. There are more than a few apps for all of this and then some.

Some law firms have even jumped on board the app bandwagon. But does your law firm need one? And what would it do differently than your website? 

In the end, whether or not your firm needs an app really just depends on what kind of clients you want to attract, or what clients you already have and want to keep.

Law Firm Marketing Apps

When it comes to client marketing, there is definitely a benefit to having a downloadable app, particularly as the demand for the mobile web continues to rapidly grow and mobile apps can provide a superior mobile experience.

For the potential clients that download your app, they'll have a constant reminder of your firm on their devices, regardless of what your app actually does. Even a business card style app that simply mirrors your website can accomplish this. Just make sure that once opened, a potential client can call, text, or chat with the firm from within the app. But don't make a pointless app.

The more helpful your app is to legal consumers, and the better it looks and works, the more likely you are to convert app users into actual clients (quality really matters). You can consider providing helpful information about local laws, or legal news and issues pertaining to your firm's areas of expertise. Or, you may want to consider having your app scrape posts from your firm's blog (which you diligently post on every week) in order to provide app users with content that will make them think twice before deleting your app to get more photo storage on their smartphones.

Protip: Size matters. The smaller your app is in terms of bytes, the better.

Law Firm Matter Management Apps

Enterprise software and apps are incredibly helpful for businesses and law firms. In addition to employees and associates using matter management apps and software, a law firm's app can provide clients with a portal to their individual matters.

A law firm's client-facing (portal) app should allow a client to message their attorney directly, upload documents, review documents, and track deadlines and tasks. Providing an interface like this for clients, especially in app form, is sure to please as it can increase efficiency and reduce miscommunication.

Related Resources:

• Does Your Law Firm Still Need a Landline? (FindLaw's Technologist)
• Will Blockchain Disrupt Entertainment and Copyright Law? (FindLaw's Technologist)
• Protect User Information From Online Markets (FindLaw's Technologist)