When someone searches for a lawyer, they usually have a specific problem and want to know whether the firm handles it. Before they call, they check the practice areas, the office location and the contact details. A law firm website that answers those three questions plainly is more useful to them than one full of general statements about justice.
This is general guidance rather than legal advice. Check the current advertising rules for your practice with your state bar council before you publish the wording.
Practice areas, described factually
List the areas of law you practise, using the terms a non-lawyer would search for. A visitor looking for help with a property dispute should find "property and land disputes" on the page, not only a formal legal term. Keep each description short and factual, without promises about outcomes.
If you don't handle a type of matter, say so. A visitor who is sent to the right firm early saves you both time.
Office location and how to reach you
Give the office address, the nearest landmark and the office hours. If you see clients by appointment only, say so. Show a contact number, an email address and the way you prefer to be contacted. A map link helps a visitor find the office without calling.
Check that every detail matches your enrolment papers and your letterhead, so the website, the directories and the courts all show the same information.
How a first consultation works
Many visitors want to know what happens after they make contact. Explain the steps in plain words: the enquiry, the first conversation, what documents to bring and what happens next. If there's a charge for a consultation, the rules on disclosing fees apply, so confirm the position with your state bar council before stating a figure.
What to leave out
Avoid claims such as "winning" or "success rates", promises about how a matter will end, and client testimonials that could identify a client. Keep the site free of comparisons with other firms and of any language that pressures a visitor to instruct you.
Keep the page accurate
Practice areas change as a practice grows, and office details change when a firm moves. Review the page at least once a year, and whenever you take on a new area or change your address. An out-of-date page can mislead a visitor who depends on it.
Quick checklist
- List the areas you handle in terms a non-lawyer would search for.
- Remove any area you don't practise.
- Show the office address, a landmark, the office hours and whether visits are by appointment.
- Match every detail to your enrolment papers and your letterhead.
- Explain the first consultation step by step.
- Review the page at least once a year.
What to do next
The lawyer websites page shows how practice areas, office details and the disclaimer usually fit together. The layout behind this is covered on the business websites page, which suits any law practice building its first site. List the practice areas first, then check each one against what you actually handle.