Tech Question
Have You Turned to Craigslist for Clients?
Posted Apr 28, 2009 2:40 PM CST
By Molly McDonough
We know that when consumers are on the hunt for a used set of bunk beds or a handyman, the first place they often go these days is Craigslist, a popular and free online classifieds service.
So it stands to reason that these same consumers might be open to hiring a lawyer who advertises there.
This made us wonder …
Have you done business on Craigslist? If so, tell us about your experience. If not, why not?
Answer in the comments below.
Read last month’s question: Are You Ready for an e-Reader & Paperless Briefcase?
Featured answer:
Posted by Joan: "As it is currently configured, the Kindle is a start, but still too cumbersome and expensive. Downloading caselaw should be free, since it’s free on the net. Hardbound law books are often outdated before they are published. Any e-book must include ability to highlight, mark notes and use as you would a hardcover book.
Hooking to the Internet and automatic updates of caselaw would be great.
I’d love to see a viable e-book for lawyers and law students. And, it saves trees. I’m still working on storing all files electronically. Will get there. As a solo, I’m always looking for ways to reduce overhead."
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Comments
All I know-
Apr 29, 2009 12:06 AM CST
Is that only the cheapest attorneys on Earth post job listings on Craigslist. I saw an immigration position, in the Back Bay area of Boston, for $28k. For an attorney, mind you. I saw another position in Boston - corporate law, > 3 years’ experience, that offered $45k, with health benefits negotiable. As law school tuition goes up, salaries go way, way down. For $28k, I might as well work at Target and get health insurance and decent hours.
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David Leibowitz
Apr 29, 2009 3:44 AM CST
I’ve placed an ad in Craigslist. The price is right. I am not the least expensive lawyer in my field. My guess that my typical client will find me through Google rather than Craigslist where price seems to matter more than anything else.
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Paul Begemann
Apr 29, 2009 5:01 AM CST
I have for specific services, such as real estate closings. I link to my website, and I have that the ads do result in hits and calls and closings. The price is great (0), and I have found that the ads rank pretty high for relevant search terms on Google. I am considering automating my ad placement if I can figure out an easy way to do it tthat is reliable.
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T Doucet
Apr 29, 2009 6:03 AM CST
I advertise my book, 23 Legal Defenses to Foreclosure, on Craigslist with a message geared to attorneys looking to get into the practice area. It usually generates traffic from the city I post in, and results in a few sales each day for about a week after the posting.
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Penny Hilton
Apr 29, 2009 7:45 AM CST
I have posted 3 ads for our referral service relating to 3 different areas of law. I can’t see that it hurts, but have no evidence that it helped.
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Cindy
Apr 29, 2009 9:13 AM CST
I decided to try to barter my services as a divorce attorney in exchange for a backyard deck or finishing the basement of my house. I got a few replies and interviewed some. I found that most didn’t have the experience I was looking for or had circumstances where a comparable trade wasn’t likely.
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fed up
Apr 29, 2009 9:50 AM CST
Craigslist may be useful for clients to post their legal needs, so that interested lawyers can reply. It is a big waste for a consumer to contact lawyers through a referral service, when most are only looking for a big$$ home run case.
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johnx
Apr 29, 2009 5:55 PM CST
i placed an ad on craiglist and got a lot of people needing a free lawyer but i did get one harassment case that settled with a major corporation within a couple of weeks for $7500.00.
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