Practice-area pages for law firms: organise around client problems, not internal departments

Why department pages underperform

Law firm websites are often structured like the firm’s internal organisation. A page for employment law lists everything the team does in one paragraph: contracts, dismissals, discrimination, restructuring, immigration and pensions. It serves the firm’s structure, but not the client who has just been dismissed and wants to know what to do before a deadline expires.

Search behaviour reflects urgency and specificity. People search for unfair dismissal, divorce with children, contesting a will, buying property abroad, debt collection or GDPR fine appeal. A generic department page rarely matches those needs well.

Map pages to client problems

Start by listing the problems clients bring to the firm, the questions they ask in first consultations and the matters the firm wants more of. Group them into pages that match distinct search intent. A page about challenging a dismissal and a page about drafting executive contracts serve different clients even if the same team handles both.

This does not mean creating dozens of thin pages. Each page should justify its existence with substantive explanation, relevant procedure, practical next steps and firm-specific expertise.

Problem pages

Specific issues clients face, such as dismissal or inheritance disputes.

Service pages

Defined services, such as contract review or company formation.

Audience pages

Specific client groups, such as start-ups, employers or international families.

What a strong practice-area page includes

A strong page explains the problem in plain language, the relevant legal framework at a high level, typical steps and timelines, important deadlines, documents the client should gather, possible outcomes described realistically and when to contact a lawyer. It should reflect the jurisdiction and, where relevant, the courts and authorities the firm deals with.

It should also show why this firm is credible: relevant lawyers, qualifications or recognised specialist titles, languages, publications and anonymised examples where professional rules allow. Claims should be factual and avoid promising results.

Fees and intake

Uncertainty about cost stops many clients contacting a lawyer. Pages should explain how fees work for that type of matter: fixed fees, hourly rates, initial consultation fees, legal expenses insurance or legal aid where applicable. Exact prices are not always possible, but clear principles build trust.

Intake should be tailored to the page. A dismissal page may ask for the termination date and contract type; a probate page may ask about the date of death and whether there is a will. Forms should collect only what is needed for triage and conflict checks before confidential details are shared.

Local and multilingual detail

For firms serving local clients, city-specific detail can matter: courts, authorities, office location and common local issues. For firms serving international clients, English or other language pages may be needed. Translation should be accurate and reviewed by lawyers or legal translators.

Avoid duplicate city pages with swapped names. Local detail should reflect real practice and genuine differences.

Measuring page quality

Useful measures include qualified enquiries by page, consultation bookings, matter types opened, search visibility for relevant problems and engagement with key sections. Enquiry volume alone can mislead if pages attract matters the firm does not handle.

Practice-area pages should be reviewed when laws, procedures or fees change. Outdated legal content damages trust and can mislead clients, so every page needs a responsible lawyer and review date.

Professional advertising rules vary by country, so firms should check that content, titles and claims comply with local rules.

Where this sits in what we do

This article covers one decision inside a wider engagement. The solution page sets out how that engagement runs, what it includes and what it costs to find out.

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