FAIRFAX, Va., April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- How does a cutting edge technology lawyer make his printed business card relevant in a world in which contact information is stored digitally, in PDAs and Smartphones?  The answer lies in the adoption of QR Codes.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110412/PH81270-a )

For years, business cards have been the traditional means of exchanging contact information.  They are still effective at giving potential clients an instant impression of a business or individual, but it is impossible to provide all of the important information about a business or person on seven square inches of card stock.  Moreover, most people now store the contact information of their personal and business associates digitally, in their PDA or Smartphone.  Transferring contact information from a business card to a mobile device can be a tedious process, involving either re-keying the information or using a computer attached to a business card scanner.

A new solution to this problem is the use of QR Codes.  A QR, or Quick Response, Code is a two dimensional code readable by QR barcode readers and camera phones.  It can be printed on ordinary paper and used to store (and transfer to the scanning device) contact information, a website URL, and other information.  Originally developed to track parts through the manufacturing process, QR Codes are common in parts of Asia and Europe but have only recently found their way into the United States.  Here, they have most often been used in interactive marketing campaigns in magazines and other printed materials and have been virtually ignored by the professional services industries.

Starting this month, Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C. offered its 55 attorneys the option of having a QR Code printed on each of their business cards.  Anyone receiving such a business card can scan the QR Code to access biographical information on the attorney or transfer the attorney's contact information into a PDA or Smartphone.

Jonathan D. Frieden, a principal of OFP and an e-commerce and technology attorney, is the first member of the firm to adopt this new technology.  Mr. Frieden's QR Code, link below, directs people to his biographical information on the firm's website, which offers visitors the option to download his contact information in vCard format.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110412/PH81270-b )

Accordingly to Mr. Frieden, "QR Codes bridge a gap between how we exchange information and how we store it. Clients and prospective clients are looking for the fastest way to capture and store our contact information, without retaining unnecessary paper.  By utilizing this technology, we're helping them do that."

"Odin Feldman is definitely an early adopter of QR codes in the legal profession, especially on stationery.  Among our 30,000 + law firm clients, they are one of the first to leverage this technology on business cards enabling the recipient to create an interactive mobile on-line experience to learn more about attorney they just met.  In a profession that celebrates legal precedents, few law firms are willing to be the first when it comes to marketing.  I commend Odin for their quick response," said Susan Jacobs, Director of Marketing, for All State Legal, the company that prints OFP's business cards and stationary.

Ed Lyons, Sales Representative with All State Legal, added: "OFP is making it easier for their clients to stay connected and do business."

About Odin, Feldman & Pittleman

Odin, Feldman & Pittleman is a Northern Virginia based law firm with attorneys practicing in litigation, real estate, bankruptcy & creditors' rights; corporate, securities, tax and finance; family law and domestic relations; labor and employment; technology and intellectual property; e-commerce; trusts, estates and tax planning; arbitration and mediation; banking and finance; and construction law.

Contact: David Novak
703.218.2340
David.Novak@ofplaw.com

SOURCE Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C.