The majority of websites of law firms are composed in legal brief style: dry, cold and not accessible. The thing is as follows: your prospective customers are frightened. They're in pain. And there they should encounter your site.
I have gone through hundreds of websites of law firms. And nearly all of them commit the same error: they go with credentials, rather than empathy.
Incorporated in 1987. Board-certified. AV Preeminent rated. The first line on more law firm homepages than I can enumerate. And though those things are important (they are very important), they are not what a terrified accident victim is seeking at 11 pm when she or he is attempting to determine whether or not she or he has a case.
The True Answer to why people should hire a lawyer.
Individuals do not employ law firms because they identified the most qualified company. They employ the attorney who listened to their side. The one who claimed in plain English on their site: I understand what you are going through. I have helped people who have been in the exact situation you are. And here is what I can do for you.
That's it. That is the entire formula. And still, the vast majority of law firm websites hide that message, should they have it at all, behind the veils of legal terms and conditions, indirect voice, and photographic depictions of gavels.
The 4 greatest copy errors made by law firms.
1. Use of the We rather than You.
Divide the number of times your home page says we by the number of times your home page says you. You have a problem with a landslide victory of the "we" side. Your site is not your resume, it is a dialogue. And in that dialogue, the client is the protagonist and not you.
Rather than: "We have more than 30 years of experience in dealing with complicated personal injury cases."
Attempt: "You need answers, and an attorney who would battle to the last dollar you are owed."
2. Speaking jargon that your clients do not comprehend.
"Tortfeasor." "Subrogation." "Comparative negligence." They are actual words that are found on actual law firm websites; in the hero section, at that. Your customers are unaware of what these are. More so, they do not care. They would like to know: Can you help me? What will it cost? What happens next?
Save the legalese for your briefs. The copy of your site must be composed on a level of 7th grade reading. That's not dumbing it down; that's respecting your reader's time. The same can be applied in healthcare content, where the difference between clinical and patient language is equally expensive.
3. Burying the call to action.
I have viewed law firm websites that have the phone number displayed only once: in the footer, with 10pt gray text. When one needs to go out of their way and search on how to reach you, they will not. They will press the back button and call your rival.
The text should be in the navigation, the hero, following each practice area description, and in the footer: your phone number and Free Consultation CTA. Make it impossible to miss.
4. Not putting into focus the emotional journey.
When one has just been rear-ended on a highway, he/she is not in his/her rational, information-gathering mindset. They are stressed, confused and most likely in pain. Your website copy needs to acknowledge what they're going through before it does anything else.
One sentence: We know this is one of the toughest things you have ever had to deal with. Leave the legal side of it to us and get down to business.
The Copy Audit Checklist
- Is your headline addressing the problem of the client, and not your credentials?
- Can you see your phone number without scrolling?
- Does your home page use more you than we?
- Would a 7th grader get your descriptions of your practice areas?
- Do you possess 3 or more client testimonials including real names and results?
- Does it have a definite sequel on every page?
What a Real Good Law Firm Copy Looks Like.
The following is a before-after case of one of the personal injury firms I have worked in last year. Their original headline on the home page:
"The Law offices of Robert Seiger: Aggressive Representation of Injured in Detroit Since 1994."
After our rewrite:
"You did not request it. But you have the right to be made whole. We have been able to recover well in excess of 300 million dollars on behalf of injured clients in Michigan. And we do not collect any fees unless you do."
Same firm. Same credentials. Heavy contrast in emotional effect. The number of their consultation requests grew 34% during the first 90 days following the rewrite.
The Bottom Line
Your law firm web site is no trophy case. It is a translation program. All the words in it must be either establishing trust, illustrating competence, or leading the reader to pick up the phone.
When your copy is not getting all three, you are leaving cases and money on the table. And in case you are considering a higher level of content planning than on your homepage, a solid content strategy is the natural next step.
If your law firm needs legal content writing that earns trust before the first call, I can help with practice area pages, attorney bios, legal blogs, and full website copy overhauls.
Authoritative Legal and Regulatory References
The guidance on this page is informed by official legal standards, bar association rules, and regulatory frameworks that govern attorney advertising and professional communication. These sources provide the foundation for compliant, effective law firm website copy.
ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct
The American Bar Association's official Model Rules, including Rule 7.1 (Communications Concerning a Lawyer's Services) and Rule 7.2 (Advertising), which form the basis for state bar advertising regulations governing law firm website content.
ABA Standing Committee on Advertising
Official ABA guidance on lawyer advertising, including interpretations of Model Rule 7.1 and advisory opinions on website content, testimonials, and social media communications for law firms.
FTC Endorsements and Testimonials Guides
Federal Trade Commission guidance on using client testimonials and case results in advertising, including disclosure requirements for atypical results and the substantiation standards for performance claims.
PlainLanguage.gov
The federal plain language initiative providing standards and tools for writing clear, accessible content - directly applicable to the 7th-grade reading level recommendation and jargon-free communication principles discussed in law firm website copy.
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Need a website copy audit or a full rewrite? That's exactly what I do. Let's talk.
