2009 TIG Conference Webcasts Now Available
Webcasts from the 2009 LSC Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) Program Conference are now available on IllinoisLegalAdvocate.org. -M
Watch the 2009 LSC Technology Initiative Grants Conference Live Online
If you weren't able to attend the Legal Services Corporation Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) conference that's taking place through Friday in Austin, TX, you can watch sessions live online thanks to Illinois Legal Aid Online (see the full schedule below). You can also follow the conference on Twitter here. -M
Wednesday, Jan. 21:
8:30 am-9:00 am: Opening Remarks
10:45 am-12:15 pm: Project Management for Legal Services
2:00 pm-3:30 pm: Network Securities and Computer Use Policies
3:45 pm-4:45 pm: Meeting the Technology Need
Thursday, Jan. 22:
9:00 am-10:30 am: 2009 Google Apps and Microsoft Office Live
10:45 am-12:15 pm: PowerPersuasion
2:30 pm-3:45 pm: You Never Get the Disaster You Want
4:00 pm-5:00 pm: Trying to Raise Money in this Economic Environment
Friday, Jan. 23:
9:00 am-10:00 am: Tools to Engage Court Leadership
10:15 am-11:00 am: NTAP'S Interactive Support Services
11:15 am-12:00 pm: The Essentials of TIG Project Evaluations and Reports
ILAO Launches Web Pages to Increase Pro Bono Work
Last month, Illinois Legal Aid Online, in partnership with the Public Interest Law Initiative's Pro Bono Initiative launched a series of web pages aimed at encouraging law students, federal government attorneys, retired attorneys, and paralegals to perform pro bono work. These pages contain content that is tailored to each of these groups, including a video showcasing other group members' pro bono experiences, articles that explain the issues around pro bono work, and a list of available volunteer opportunities. - K
The Power of Online Video
A post today by Carolyn Elefant on Legal Blog Watch highlights an interesting study by FindLaw, which indicates that putting an online video on a law firm website can help attract clients:
"FindLaw's studies show that when choosing a lawyer online, consumers visit an average of 4.8 sites before making a decision, as compared to just 1.8 sites when a Web page contains a video. Moreover, an increasing number of Internet users -- 74 percent -- watch videos online every day, proof of this visual medium's online appeal."
View the full post here.
Although a number of legal aid and pro bono websites use videos to deliver substantive content to users, few use online videos to message to clients and volunteers about their services or introduce them to the outstanding advocates in their organizations. While FindLaw's research is clearly geared towards the business of lawyer marketing, its findings are compelling. They speak to the power of online video to improve a client's confidence in, and increased familiarity with, a firm's services ... something that legal aid programs should be very interested in.
Two excellent examples of using online video to highlight the work of advocates can be found at IllinoisProBono.org and IllinoisLegalAdvocate.org, which feature monthly videos on volunteers and legal aid attorneys who are making a difference in their communities. We know that these folks exist all around us, but do our clients and volunteers? -M
