Are you seizing full advantage of the web and modern technology?

I confess to my lawyer's inbuilt resistance and suspicion of "new fangled" technology. I have however dragged myself into the 21st century and signed up for Twitter! A whole new world has opened up. Easy to join I can now search out and connect with like- minded people and target audience just by a quick press of a button.

Still talking about the web and how you can stay ahead of the crowd - a new and innovative website has just been launched in Yorkshire LegalandFinancial100.co.uk. The constant challenge facing all of us myself included is how to win more leads and clients. Put yourself in a potential clients shoes - it's confusing to say the least.

How do you discover who is the best lawyer for the job?

Whose judgement and recommendation do you listen to?

It is a well-known fact that we all have different convincer strategies when it comes to making important decisions. Robert Caldini's book The Psychology of Influence and Persuasion talks about the power of social proof following the crowd. Increasingly rather than rely just on word of mouth, people are looking to Google and the web to research, provide solutions and source their professionals. Newly launched in Yorkshire, http://www.legalandfinancial100.co.uk reflects the changing pattern of buyers and could help increase your potential in reaching those web savvy clients and bring a different dimension to your marketing.

Founder Tim MacLean, himself a lawyer is clear "The aim of Legal and Financial 100 is to act as an exclusive 'one stop shop' for people seeking legal and financial advice. It will bridge the gap between professionals and potential clients by helping people to find the most qualified specialists in the field they require". The model is attractive for both lawyers and potential clients. From the clients perspective it simplifies and streamlines the vexed question of who to use. From a busy lawyers perspective it is attractive for a variety of reasons. If you hate networking or are just too busy why not have a 3rd party concentrating on lead generation? Solo practitioners and entrepreneurial lawyers have been quick to see the advantages - it raises their profile and builds a following providing a different lead and income stream. Interestingly it has been reported that a significant number of members are women lawyers who see the model supporting them in their quest to gain recognition. Callers are initially interviewed by Legal and Financial 100 staff not only to verify but also to maximise the opportunity to add value and of course to cross refer to benefit members - 100 Legal specialists and 100 Financial specialists hence the name!

Jane Wintringham @ Develop4choice

About The Author: Jane Wintringham publishes her Leading Women Lawyers newsletter for women lawyers and is for everyone interested in developing their talent.

www.leadingwomenlawyers.co.uk