| Firm Name |
Design |
Content |
Usability |
Interactivity |
Intangibles |
Total |
| Preston Gates |
7 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
33 |
| On this day, there is a virtual tour of the Orange County office that was entertaining. The only flaw is that it did not provide a link back to the main site. The web presence continues to be classy and clean. It is not so much that this site has slipped, as others have just gotten a lot stronger. I still like seeing each office providing a breakdown of relevant content. What happened to the “story ideas” for journalists? |
| Smith Gambrell |
8 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
4 |
33 |
| Things were looking good until SG got bit by the IMA update police dog, Old Feller. Last press release—five months ago? No upcoming seminars? Yet, overall, it is still such a great site. Like the past seminar video and presentations. The “cases, deals & settlements” is a nice addition. The firm highlights some nice print publications. And an SG attorney was recently knighted by the Pope himself. Holy Moses! The recruiting section is still a flash spectacular. And the site is still an IMA fav. |
| Vinson & Elkins |
7 |
6 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
33 |
| There are lots of good usability functions to help you along the way—multi-faceted navigation opportunities, from the main left-hand bar to good drop-down boxes, effective keyword search results. The “client services” section is one of the best. The extranet link shows a number of options available for particular practices. There could be a little more subdivision among the pages (scrolling content), the home page could be a bit stronger, and the content organization strengthened. But, the site does an effective job, and does not look like every other site—which is a plus. |
| Waller Lansden |
7 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
33 |
| Repeat after me...the attorney directory should not just be alphabetical. Fortunately, that was the low point on what overall is an excellent site. The home page was newsy and recently updated, divided into firm news and legal news. The “information center” was also a well-organized compliment to good practice descriptions. Areas for improvement, you ask? Expand the “offices” pages. And power up that bio searching. |
| Wiley Rein |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
33 |
| Nothing new to report about wrf.com. A well-built site can last you quite awhile, and that is the case here. The first “news” item was added…today…which is always good come review day each year. Minor inconsistencies in navigation. No upcoming events? And the attorney bio choices are too limited. The “highlights” are still a highlight. Well-maintained and user-friendly. |
| Barnes & Thornburg |
7 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
32 |
| The home page is clean, well-designed and professional. The introduction on the home page is good, but I would suggest cutting it in half, and adding two to four news-like items. It is almost too clean (i.e. like a slick brochure…not what you want people to think, if you want them to return early and often). Good bios. It would be better if you had a few more bio search options. Still like the foreign language pages off the home page. |
| Cleary Gottlieb |
8 |
7 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
32 |
| Another successful contestant from “Law Firm Web Site EXTREME MAKEOVER”. Cleary’s home page is tasteful and successfully understated. The use of changing black/white photos from the firm’s collection (with explanations) is a nice touch. Some attorney bios even have multiple versions for different specialties (how many of you out there want that for yourself?). The organization, materials and layout are strong as well. There are also log-ins for the firm portal and an alumni section. Multiple foreign language options exist as well. The site hits every end-user audience, as opposed to the previous site’s total focus on recruiting. Time and money well spent. One problem with functionality on this day—the search mechanism did not work. |
| Epstein Becker |
5 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
32 |
| The EBG site has shown to have some legs, with the same look and structure for a few years now. The suite of databases preceded many of the db sites out there today, in structuring and coordinating the law firm web site components (well). While nothing strikes you as awesome, they do provide the information most visitors would seek. Not the prettiest girl at the party, but she’s got a good head on her shoulders. |
| Hodgson Russ |
8 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
32 |
| This site has had a long and successful run. Last year, IMA said that the slip was in maintaining freshness. Interesting. My first thought was how well maintained and up to date it was. Way to get back on the horse! The question now is whether you add a few additions or do a little site re-do. I still would like to see a better attorney directory layout, and more detail in locations. Yet, I still like the way most of the site is organized, with the home page focus on practice areas. Still strong after all these years. |
| Jenkens & Gilchrist |
7 |
8 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
32 |
| Home page detail hits you like a punch in the face. The latest press release and article are at your fingertips. They do not waste your time showing you the latest that the site has to offer. The excellent newsletters still need better highlighting. The front page features are a little too much on the horn-blowing side. Mix it up a bit. There is viable content in that site that better deserves some home (page) cookin’ as well. WILL ALWAYS LOVE…good contact and office information, letting me know the document type. |
