What Website Platform Should a Small Law Firm Use?
Questions Law Firms Should Ask When Choosing the Best Platform for Their Website
Why Website Platform Choice Matters for Law Firms
In today’s digital landscape, law firms have a wide array of options; from fully managed, intuitive CMS (content management systems) platforms like Squarespace to complex CMS systems like WordPress. Before committing, it will be beneficial in the long term to evaluate the goals and needs of your law firm.
Getting to the heart of the matter: the best platform depends on the firm’s specific goals, budget, content needs, and technical capacity. Some firms benefit from a complex content management system with advanced features (e.g. WordPress), while others thrive with an intuitive, user-friendly CMS platforms that streamline updates and maintenance (e.g. Squarespace). Understanding these distinctions is key to making a sustainable, effective choice for your law firm.
Let’s unpack the questions law firms should be asking when considering what’s best for their practice.
Quick look at what’s covered in this post. Read on for the details!
Key Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Website Platform
1. How Much and What Type of Content Will the Website Have?
The size of a law firm may dictate how much content will live on its website. The American Bar Association’s Legal Technology Survey Report notes that the most common website elements are attorney profiles, practice descriptions, and contact information. According to their report, attorney profiles appear on virtually all law firm websites (96 % partner profiles, 74 % associate profiles), with legal articles, firm successes, and case content appearing less often. Many small and mid‑size firms often operate websites with a modest number of core pages (e.g. typically attorney bios, practice area descriptions, contact information, and occasional blog posts) rather than large, database‑driven content hubs.
In short, if a firm expects to maintain:
5–100+ core pages
custom attorney profiles
individual practice area pages
legal blog to showcase thought leadership or firm successes
an intuitive platform such as Squarespace may be more than sufficient.
However, firms planning to manage hundreds of content pieces - such as articles, webinars, or research publications - may benefit from a more complex CMS with robust content organization tools, such as what’s capable within WordPress.
2. Who Will Maintain the Website?
Another important factor is who will be responsible for updating the site.
According to the American Bar Association’s 2023 Websites & Marketing TechReport, website management responsibilities are split between outside consultants (24%), one lawyer in the firm (21%), and internal marketing staff (20%). Notably, 60% of solo attorneys report that a lawyer in the firm — often themselves — manages the website, with another 30% using outside consultants.
In short, the ABA’s legal technology survey shows that many law firm websites are maintained by:
lawyers themselves
internal marketing staff
external consultants
In fact, many solo attorneys report managing their own websites.
If non-technical staff will be updating the site, an intuitive and easy-to-maintain platform can be a major advantage.
Complex CMS platforms sometimes require:
developer involvement
plugin management
technical troubleshooting
That additional complexity may not be necessary for firms with simpler content need.
3. What Is the Firm’s Website Budget?
Budget is another important factor when choosing a website platform. The true cost of a website goes beyond the initial design; it includes the ongoing expenses required to maintain and operate the site over time. The tech budget for a large AM 100 law firm is going to be different from that of a small to medium-sized law firm. Let’s take a closer look.
Understanding the full cost picture can help law firms choose a platform that aligns with both their marketing goals and their financial resources. When evaluating website platforms, firms should consider several categories of cost.
1. Platform Costs
Most website platforms charge a recurring fee for access to the platform itself.
For example:
Intuitive CMS website platforms such Squarespace typically charge a monthly or annual subscription fee that includes hosting, security updates, and software maintenance.
Full CMS platforms like WordPress have options from free to a monthly charge to use, and they often require additional paid components such as premium themes, plugins, and hosting.
2. Website Design and Development Costs
Another expense is the initial design build of the website. Costs vary depending on factors such as:
the number of pages
the complexity of the design
custom functionality
content creation or migration
Complex CMS websites, such as WordPress, often require more development time, which can increase the upfront cost. Intuitive CMS platforms, such as Squarespace, may reduce development time because many features are already built into the system.
3. Ongoing Maintenance and Technical Support
Websites require ongoing maintenance to remain secure, functional, and up to date. With complex CMS platforms such as WordPress, this may include:
installing software updates
updating plugins and themes
monitoring security vulnerabilities
fixing compatibility issues
optimizing performance
Because these tasks require technical expertise, many WordPress developers charge for monthly website maintenance packages to handle updates, backups, and security monitoring in addition to the website hosting cost.
By contrast, many intuitive website platforms such as Squarespace handle software updates, hosting, and security automatically as part of the website hosting cost, reducing the need for ongoing technical maintenance.
Why Total Cost Matters
When comparing website platforms, it’s helpful to look at the total cost of ownership, not just the initial build price. The best choice ultimately depends on the firm’s budget, marketing strategy, and tolerance for technical management.
4. Who is Managing Long-Term Maintenance and Security?
Every website requires ongoing attention to remain functional, secure, and up to date. This is especially important for law firms, which must maintain professional credibility and protect sensitive information.
Let’s take a look at the differences between full CMS platforms (e.g. WordPress) and intuitive CMS website platforms (e.g. Squarespace).
With full CMS platforms like WordPress, ongoing maintenance often includes:
Software updates: Complex CMS platforms frequently release updates to fix bugs, improve performance, and patch security vulnerabilities. Minor core updates may be applied automatically, though this may result in incompatibility with third party plugins, thus manual monitoring and maintenance may be required.
Plugin and extension management: Many features rely on third-party plugins, which themselves need updates and sometimes troubleshooting to prevent conflicts. These updates are typically not installed automatically by default. The law firm’s IT or web team will need to manually apply such changes.
Security monitoring: Law firm websites are frequent targets for cyberattacks, including malware, hacking, or unauthorized access. The law firm may need to pay for third party monitoring and security plugins to protect data.
Performance optimization: Ensuring the website loads quickly and reliably may require caching, image optimization, and server management.
Failing to maintain these areas can lead to broken functionality, security breaches, and poor user experience.
Many intuitive website platforms, such as Squarespace, handle these tasks automatically. Features include:
Fully managed hosting: No need to set up or maintain servers.
Automatic updates: The platform updates itself and any built-in features, removing the need for manual software management.
Security baked in: SSL certificates and malware protection are typically included by default.
Performance monitoring: Sites are optimized for speed and reliability without extra configuration.
For smaller firms without dedicated IT staff, this can be a major advantage. Attorneys or marketing teams can focus on content, client experience, and marketing, rather than technical maintenance.
Quick Glance → Which long-term maintenance and security best fits the needs of your firm?
5. Does the Firm Need Advanced Search or Filtering?
Not all law firm websites are simply marketing brochures. Some function more like interactive databases that allow visitors to quickly find specific attorneys, case results, or resources. The need for advanced search or filtering can significantly influence the choice of platform.
Examples of Advanced Search or Filtering Needs:
Attorney Directories
Larger firms often have dozens, or even hundreds, of attorneys across multiple offices and practice areas. In these cases, visitors may want to filter or search by:
Practice area
Office location or jurisdiction
Industry focus
Bar admissions or credentials
Without a structured system and flexible templating, creating and maintaining these filters manually would be time-consuming and error-prone.
Case Results or Settlements
Firms that publish litigation results or settlements may want visitors to search or filter cases by:
Case type
Settlement size or verdict amount
Jurisdiction or court
Outcome or legal strategy
A CMS with database capabilities allows these results to be stored as structured data, with templates dynamically generating lists or detail pages for each case. This ensures accuracy and makes updates far easier.
Resource Libraries and Articles
Some firms maintain extensive content libraries with hundreds of blog posts, white papers, guides, webinars, or videos. Visitors may want to filter content by:
Topic or practice area
Industry focus
Author
Publication date
Structured filtering improves usability and helps potential clients or prospects find the information they need quickly.
When is Advanced Filtering Necessary?
A website with advanced search or filtering capabilities offers several benefits:
Visitors can quickly find the attorney, case, or resource relevant to their situation.
Content is stored in a structured way so templates can automatically generate pages and lists.
Advanced Filtering May Not Be Necessary
Most small or mid-size firms do not require advanced search or filtering. Typical scenarios where filtering is overkill include:
Solo or boutique firms with fewer than 20 attorneys
Firms with a more focused scope of practice areas
Firms with a blog or resource section
For these firms, visitors can navigate using simple menus or links, and pages can be updated manually without creating complex templates or structured databases.
Key Takeaway
Before choosing a website platform, law firms should carefully evaluate whether their audience needs to filter or search complex content.
If yes → A CMS with structured content types, dynamic templates, and database-backed search is likely necessary.
If no → An intuitive, easy-to-maintain platform will typically suffice and reduce the need for ongoing technical maintenance.
6. Will the Law Firm’s Website Need Complex Integrations?
Some firms integrate their website with external tools such as:
CRM platforms (Customer Relationship Management). These help law firms manage client information, track interactions, and streamline communications.
marketing automation systems
event registration software
client portals
These integrations sometimes require custom development or API (Application Programming Interfaces) access, which can be easier to implement on full CMS platforms such as WordPress.
However, if a firm’s website is primarily designed to:
present the firm professionally
explain practice areas
introduce attorneys
generate consultations
collect contact form submissions or consultation requests
then a platform such as Squarespace may work just as effectively as a complex CMS platform.
7. What Is the Firm’s Marketing Strategy?
The complexity of a website should align with the firm’s marketing goals. Let’s take a look at examples of a streamlined versus high-content marketing strategy.
Streamlined Website Marketing Strategy
Many small and mid-sized firms use their website primarily as a professional online presence and to garner organic internet traffic. For these firms, the website’s goals are often to:
Establishing credibility: Showcasing attorneys, practice areas, and firm values.
Providing essential information: Office locations, contact information, and services offered.
Generating leads: Simple contact forms, consultation request pages, or email campaigns.
Occasional content publishing: Blog posts or updates to maintain SEO and client engagement.
Drive Organic Traffic: Via thoughtfully implemented SEO, AI SEO, and GEO.
Platform implication: For this type of strategy, an intuitive, easy-to-maintain CMS platform (e.g. Squarespace) is often sufficient. These platforms allow staff to quickly update content, add new practice areas, or publish a blog without extensive technical knowledge. They reduce maintenance overhead while supporting the firm’s marketing goals.
High Content-Driven Marketing Strategy
Some law firms aim to establish thought leadership and a strong online presence through high-volume content marketing. Their websites may include:
Extensive publishing: Hundreds of blog posts, legal alerts, white papers, or guides.
Resource libraries: Searchable databases of articles, case studies, client guides, and multimedia content.
Advanced categorization: Tagging and filtering by practice area, industry, jurisdiction, or topic.
Lead generation campaigns: event registrations or gated content.
Thought leadership initiatives: Highlighting industry commentary, or published research.
Drive Organic Traffic: Via thoughtfully implemented SEO, AI SEO, and GEO.
Platform implication: For these firms, a more complex CMS (e.g. WordPress) may be justified. These platforms support large volumes of content, advanced search and filtering, and integration with marketing automation and CRM systems.
8. What Website Platform Should Your Law Firm Use?
Quick look → Intuitive CMS Platform (e.g. Squarespace) vs. a Full CMS Platform (e.g. WordPress)
This Decision Matrix can help your law firm quickly assess which type of website platform is most appropriate based on your goals, needs, and budget.
In summary, what’s the best website platform for your law firm?
The best platform is the one that meets your firm’s goals without adding unnecessary complexity or maintenance. For some firms, an intuitive, easy-to-update platform is the right fit; for others, a more robust CMS supports high-volume content and advanced features. By reviewing the questions and decision tools in this blog, your firm can determine which platform will make your website both effective and manageable for years to come.
If you’re evaluating website options for your small law firm, let’s talk about your needs and explore whether I’m the right fit to build a site that supports your firm and marketing goals.
This blog draws on industry research, legal technology surveys, and website design best practices to help law firms evaluate website platforms and make informed decisions.
Cited Resources:
American Bar Association. (2023). 2023 Websites & Marketing TechReport. Retrieved from https://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_practice/resources/tech-report/2023/2023-websites-and-marketing-techreport/
