The cost of these has fallen dramatically and if you are faced with a quote into the thousands for a modest site look elsewhere. Indeed it is possible to do your own very easily these days but the right designer will probably make it look better!

The vital thing is planning and content. Done properly this does take time but it is worth it. After all, most of us use the web to find everything these days and it is extremely likely that your website will be the first point of contact for new and returning clients, the thing they see before anything else in or about the firm.

Too many sites talk in glowing terms about the length of experience of the partners and what wonderful people they are but this is meaningless for most visitors. They take your competence as a given. Instead you need to put yourself in their shoes. What can you do for them? Nice, chatty information on the services you offer What will give them confidence in you and encourage them to call for an appointment? Information. Put in plenty of legal stuff, written in journalistic style, not legalese, so that they can see what they could be faced with. It will make your firm look giving, friendly and less daunting. What do they need to know before coming? The paperwork they need to bring for identity checks, how to find you, when you are open, which bus routes you are on and where the nearest rail station is, parking, maps - all that sort of practical, useful stuff. Who might they see? Pictures of your staff will mean they are already slightly familiar with what to expect and it takes some stress out of things but make everyone smile and look welcoming. The cost of a professional photographer for a couple of hours may well be worthwhile for this. Badly lit mugshots on someone's own digital compact camera always look awful. Fresh news about the firm - success stories, recent awards such as panel memberships, IT upgrades, anything that will make you look really on the ball. BUT don't let this stagnate. Websites have a shelf life and statements such as "As we enter 2004, we are better equipped than ever" will turn anyone off! Get your designer to set up such pages in such a way that you can log in and type directly into them yourselves. It is perfectly possible and that way you can keep them fresh.