What do you do if you find yourself, suddenly, in a legal bind? Who do you turn to if you do not have the slightest idea of your rights as a citizen and you do not have your own lawyer? Believe it or not, lots of folks have been caught in this kind of a jam. But lucky for them, more often than not, the solutions are no more than a click away.

A resourceful legal website is certainly beneficial to anyone who needs quick and accurate information about a law suit or anyone who wants to learn more about legal matters. Since people are accustomed to logging on to their computers for all sorts of reasons--to read breaking headlines, check the weather forecast, download recipes, and book airline tickets etc.--it is logical to think that they would turn to a computer when searching for answers to a range of legal concerns.

What is more, a website is an obvious way to promote your company and attract new clients. There are numerous elements that could appear on your site. A full-fledged site defines your company's mission, explains its background, introduces its employees, and lists contact information. But you can also include several different elements. Consider the following:

- a dictionary of legal terms - a variety of legal forms - a directory of lawyers (organized by specialty or geography) - FAQs and an "Ask the Expert" column - links to articles covering timely lawful issues - legal case histories

No matter what your company specializes in, a website can be tailored to cover your areas of expertise. It is also possible to make it as interactive as you desire. Perhaps you want to link to lively message boards and current blogs, or offer the opportunity to have live chats with lawyers. Whatever elements you include, the ultimate purpose of a functional, practical site is to provide information in a way that is as accessible and helpful as possible.

Let's face it, the ordinary citizen is pretty clueless when it comes to determining lawful behavior, be it at home, at the office, at work, or at play. While we all have an idea of what is legitimate and permissible, most of us don't grasp the exceptions to the rule or understand the fine print.

Of course, it is impossible to cover every aspect of the law on one website and it is impossible to list all the fields of interest here. But a carefully constructed legal website can, indeed, be a source of comfort and a fount of information for the general public. Here are a few examples of the subjects you might choose to address on your website (either in depth or in a general manner):

- Bankruptcy laws - Accident insurance - Copyright law - Entertainment law - Investment law - Criminal law and criminal procedures - Discrimination laws - Employment laws - Family law

It is about time the field of law earned a positive reputation. Your company can blaze the trails by putting up an attractive, effective site that not only showcases your services, but also bestows valuable knowledge on those in need.