Putting the law online
Date Posted: Friday, April 27, 2007Author: Christen Pears
_thumb.jpg&h=200&w=235&fltr[]=usm|80|1.0|2)
International News Categories:
Legal
Latest Articles:
- God’s word is a mirror
- Saving energy, saving the environment
- The importance of training our children
- Bermuda’s bike laws - don’t punish responsible riders
- Conscription and the young black male
- Parenting: why court isn’t the answer
- Bermuda 2008: Tourism and Hospitality
- The possibilities and pitfalls of growing up in Bermuda
- Amsterdam: a gem of a city
- My love affair with vintage
Search International News:
More and more people are doing business online. Whether you’re looking for a loan or want to find the best deal on a car, the Internet is usually the first port of call. But how many times have you logged onto a website only to find out-of-date information and an infuriating layout that makes you click straight back into your search engine? When it comes to having online presence, businesses can no longer afford to be sloppy. A website that looks like an afterthought will turn customers off immediately.
When developing their new site (http://www.mjm.bm), law firm Mello Jones & Martin were determined to avoid the pitfalls. The result is a surprisingly enjoyable web experience that’s interesting, informative and pleasing to look at. The experts think so, too, and the site was recently awarded the 2007 Internet Advertising Competition Award for Best Legal Interactive Application. The competition is held annually by the Web Marketing Association to acknowledge excellence in online advertising, recognise the individuals and organisations responsible and showcase award-winning Internet advertising.
“Winning the award proves that the website is doing what we wanted it to do. We’re also proud on a local level because it’s an international award and we’re helping to put Bermuda on the map,” says Danielle Brosseau, MJM’s Information and Services Manager.
A librarian by profession, she is also responsible for MJM’s electronic resources and, along with Practice Director Peter Weedon, was one of the key figures in the development of the new site.
She says: “The old website was brochure style and was created to be on paper. There was no interactivity. We wanted to re-vamp it so it was more reflective of our personality. We didn’t want to stray too far away from the conventions that are already established in the legal online world but we also didn’t want to be ‘just another website’. We wanted to offer something a little bit different.”
They’ve certainly succeeded. MJM’s website demonstrates just how much can be achieved by investing in market research and good design. One of the key aspects of the development process was ensuring the entire MJM team was on board. Danielle and Peter worked with an advisory committee, which represented all sections of the firm, ranging from partners to managers and even law students.
“It made for some interesting debates but we knew the site had to be representative of everyone,” explains Danielle.
MJM had already carried out a considerable amount of research and knew what they wanted to achieve. Canadian company, Tantramar Interactive Inc., who have experience in both graphic and web design were selected to design the site.
One of the first things that strikes someone visiting the site is the photography. There are no stuffy shots of men in ties staring grimly into the camera. Instead the images, which were taken by LookBermuda, are relaxed and allow the personality of the subject to come through. Danielle attributes the overall look to Tantramar’s background in graphic design.
She says: “They’ve got an eye for really interesting visuals and that’s one of the things that really brings the site to life.”
The site is much more interactive than its predecessor, allowing visitors to subscribe to updates and email members of the team layout. There’s also a search function and the pages are all printer-friendly. The layout and simple-to-use navigation reflect the large amount of research carried out. The taglines that appear on the site such as: ‘approachable people’ and ‘trust earned’ were among the phrases people used to describe MJM.
“There’s a lot of information in there but we haven’t just stuffed it in. We spent a lot of time thinking about how the information was organized and did a lot of usability testing,” explains Danielle.
The site was designed to appeal to all of the firm’s users, whether local or overseas clients, students or people looking for jobs. There’s even information for overseas visitors on subjects such as the Bermuda climate and local attractions, as well as links to useful websites.
The content management system was designed to allow MJM staff to easily update the website, which means it is always populated with new content. Articles, legal news and updates on partners are among the items added at least twice a week. The entire design process took six months but although the site is fully functional, it will continue evolve as new features and content are added.
Danielle says: “We never thought it was going to be a static product. It was always going to change and move with us, which means there will always be something new to see.”
For more information visit www.mjm.bm