Well that gets to whether the character is being built from 1st level or from higher level. Maybe the answer is to retrain later on and swap the weapon finesse/focus feats for something better when that is a viable option.
An archmage with Arcane Reach, Imprisonment and Quickened True Strike is a good option but getting there with touch-based caster from 1st level is painful...well more painful than usual.
I roughly took the touch-based sorcerer hafling example I used above through a few levels to see the comparisons. It's hardly an uber-build and it's not meant to show how it should be done. Rather it's meant to show spell choices (naturally) become better as level goes up.
LE halfling Sor2
Str 8 Dex 15 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 8 Cha 15
Familiar: raven (no touch attack)
Feats: weapon focus(touch)
Spells Known:
1 - cause fear, shocking grasp
Gear: masterwork light crossbow, spear
AC 13 Spd 20 Init +2 HP 10 For +3 Ref +3 Will +3
Attack Options:
ranged +4 1d6/18/x2
or melee +2 1d6-1/x2
or touch +2 (+5 vs metal armored) 2d8 shock
LE halfling Sor9
Str 8 Dex 15(17) Con 14 Int 12 Wis 8 Cha 17(19)
Familiar: imp (touch attack +9)
Feats: weapon focus(touch), improved familiar(imp), reach spell, rapid metamagic
Spells Known:
1 - true strike, shocking grasp, mage armor, magic missle, feather fall
2 - ghoul touch, scorching ray, darkvision, see invisible
3 - warcry (Book of Exalted Deeds), vampiric touch, fly
4 - greater invisibility, black tentacles
Gear: spear +1 of frost, ring +2, gloves of Dex+2, cloak of Cha+2,
boots of striding and springing, amulet of natural AC +2
AC(with mage armor) 20 Spd 30 Init +3 HP 42 For +6 Ref +7 Will +6
Attack Options:
melee +5 1d6+1d6x2
or (ranged) touch +5 (+9 vs metal armored) 5d6 shock
or (ranged) touch +5 Fort DC16 or humanoid paralyzed for 1d6+1 rounds
or ranged touch +7/+7 4d6 fire
or touch +5 9d6 negative energy (gain half as temporary hp)
LE halfling Sor16
Str 8 Dex 15(19) Con 14 Int 12 Wis 8 Cha 19(23)
Familiar: imp (touch attack +13)
Feats: weapon focus(touch), improved familiar(imp), reach spell, rapid metamagic, weapon finesse, silent spell
Spells Known:
1 - true strike, shocking grasp, mage armor, magic missle, feather fall
2 - ghoul touch, scorching ray, darkvision, see invisible, resist elements
3 - warcry (Book of Exalted Deeds), vampiric touch, fly, dispel magic
4 - greater invisibility, black tentacles, detect scrying, polymorph
5 - night's caress (Libris Mortis), teleport, storm touch (Magic of Eberron), greater blink
6 - disintegrate, mass suggestion, summon monster VI
7 - hiss of sleep (Spell Compendium), limited wish
8 - irresistable dance
Gear: spear +1 of frost, ring +5, ring of free action, gloves of Dex+4, cloak of Cha+4, boots of striding and springing, amulet of natural AC +4, lesser rod of quicken
AC(with mage armor) 27 Spd 30 Init +3 HP 73 For +8 Ref +10 Will +10
Attack Options (add +20 with quickened true strike 3/day):
melee +8/+3 1d6+1d6x2
or (ranged) touch +13 (+14 vs metal armored) 5d6 shock
or (ranged) touch +13 Fort DC18 or humanoid paralyzed for 1d6+1 rounds
or (ranged) touch +13 10d6 negative energy (gain half as temporary hp)
or (ranged) touch +13 9d6 shock + stunned for 1 round
or (ranged) touch +13 15d6 negative energy + 1d6+2 Con
or (ranged) touch +13 undead flea in panic for 1d4 rounds
or ranged touch +12/+12/+12 4d6 fire
or ranged touch +12 32d6, Fort DC21 for 5d6 damage
or touch +13 subject "dances" for 1d4+1 rounds, no save
So now if we convert the high level sorcerer to an archmage...we find that the touch-attack caster is still better off with weapon finesse...
LE halfling Sor14/Archmage 2
Str 8 Dex 15(19) Con 14 Int 12 Wis 8 Cha 19(23)
Familiar: imp (touch attack +13)
Feats: spell focus:necromancy, improved familiar(imp), skill focus:spellcraft, rapid metamagic, spell focus:enchantment, weapon finesse
High Arcana: Arcane Reach (cost 1 7th level spell slot), Mastery of Elements (cost 1 8th level spell slot)
Spells Known:
1 - true strike, shocking grasp, mage armor, magic missle, feather fall
2 - ghoul touch, scorching ray, darkvision, see invisible, resist elements
3 - warcry (Book of Exalted Deeds), vampiric touch, fly, dispel magic
4 - greater invisibility, black tentacles, detect scrying, polymorph
5 - night's caress (Libris Mortis), teleport, storm touch (Magic of Eberron), greater blink
6 - disintegrate, mass suggestion, summon monster VI
7 - hiss of sleep (Spell Compendium), limited wish
8 - irresistable dance
Gear: spear +1 of frost, ring +5, ring of free action, gloves of Dex+4, cloak of Cha+4, boots of striding and springing, amulet of natural AC +4, lesser rod of quicken
AC(with mage armor) 27 Spd 30 Init +3 HP 73 For +7 Ref +9 Will +12
Attack Options (add +20 with quickened true strike 3/day):
melee +8/+3 1d6+1d6x2
or (ranged) touch +12 (+15 vs metal armored) 5d6 energy
or (ranged) touch +12 Fort DC19 or humanoid paralyzed for 1d6+1 rounds
or (ranged) touch +12 10d6 negative energy (gain half as temporary hp)
or (ranged) touch +12 9d6 energy + stunned for 1 round
or (ranged) touch +12 15d6 negative energy + 1d6+2 Con
or (ranged) touch +12 undead flea in panic for 1d4 rounds
or ranged touch +12/+12/+12 4d6 fire
or ranged touch +12 32d6, Fort DC21 for 5d6 damage
or touch +12 subject "dances" for 1d4+1 rounds, no save