Law firm website design: practice areas, bios and careful intake

2 min read · Updated

The short answer

Law firm website design has to do what any good site does, plus handle rules most businesses don't face. Give each practice area a page, give each attorney a bio with bar admissions, add a disclaimer to contact forms that sending a message doesn't create an attorney-client relationship, and keep every claim inside your state's advertising rules.

Pages every firm needs

  • A page per practice area, written around the client's problem.
  • Attorney bios with bar admissions, education and the matters each handles.
  • Office locations and the courts or counties you practice in.
  • A clear way to start: phone, form, or consultation booking.

Intake without risk

Contact forms invite people to describe their situation. A short note near the form, saying that sending it doesn't create an attorney-client relationship and asking them not to include confidential details yet, protects both sides. Your bar may have specific guidance.

Advertising rules on the website

Your website counts as advertising under most states' professional conduct rules. That affects results claims, testimonials, words like "specialist", and in some states required labels or disclaimers. Build them in from the start rather than retrofitting them.

Questions

Should we publish case results?

Only where your state allows it, with any required disclaimer.

Do attorneys need individual pages?

Yes. Clients often choose the lawyer before the firm.

Is live chat a good idea for a law firm?

Only if it's staffed or clearly tells people what happens next, and it carries the same disclaimer as the form.

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