Best Website Builders for Law Firms in 2024

A content management system (CMS) is software that supports the decentralized creation and management of information.

Sound confusing? Essentially, it enables multiple users to efficiently organize web pages, blog posts, videos, and other media through an intuitive dashboard. Most CMS for law firms are drag-and-drop tools that let legal marketers build attractive, fully functional sites without coding knowledge.

Law firm websites created through CMS technologies can be easily updated as new cases, legal services, or team members are added. They usually offer features like pre-made templates, integrated marketing features, and mobile optimization right into the flow without advanced web design skills. Some solutions also offer publication tools that let marketers draft blog articles and news content right from the same back end. In summary, it's one of the best ways to build your law firm's website.

Top 7 CMS for Law Firms

Not sure where to start? Our team at Grow Law Firm has compiled a list of the top 7 content management tools for attorneys, highlighting each platform's features, pros, cons, and pricing. We will talk about: 

• Webflow
• WordPress
• Wix
• Squarespace
• LawLytics
• Drupal
• Joomla

1. Webflow

Webflow is a leading visual web development platform that allows users to create fully customized and dynamic websites. Using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, Webflow enables companies and designers to prototype, build, launch, and manage data-driven websites through a completely visual canvas. 

Webflow's unique "visual development" approach translates the user's design into clean, semantic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code, ensuring your law firm's website meets modern web standards. To extend functionality, Webflow offers seamless integrations with over 300 apps and tools. In addition, It provides professionally designed components and templates to accelerate development.

At Grow Law Firm, we regularly use Webflow to build our clients' websites.

Pricing: Webflow offers a free plan, and its paid plans start at $14/mo for the Basic plan and go up to $39/mo for the Business plan.

Pros

• Live prototyping for accurate visualization of design and interactions.
• Flexible hosting and SSL certificates included.
• Seamless integrations with various tools and services.

Cons

• Limited code-level customization compared to traditional web development.
• No mobile app is required for editing; a desktop/laptop is required.
• Pricing plans can be confusing for some users.

2. WordPress

WordPress is a widely used content management system (CMS) for creating and managing websites or blogs. It's free, open-source, and highly customizable, giving you the flexibility to design your website. With its extensive library of free and premium themes and over 59,000 plugins, WordPress allows users to tailor their sites to their specific needs. That's why our experts at Grow Law Firm use it!

Pricing: WordPress itself is free. There is also a free domain name, but if you want professional ones like .org or .com, you need the paid versions. WordPress offers various plans, with the Starter plan starting at $4 per month up to the advanced Cloud plan at $65 per month.

Pros

• Free and open-source, making it accessible to everyone.
• Highly customizable with endless design possibilities.
• Scalable platform suitable for small websites and large enterprises.

Cons

• Requires a third-party hosting provider, which adds additional costs.
• Some plugins and themes may not be compatible or well-maintained.

3. Wix

Wix is a cloud-based platform that enables law firms to create a professional website or online presence with no coding experience required. It offers an intuitive drag-and-drop website builder with over 900 customizable templates to choose from. Wix goes beyond just websites by providing an all-in-one business solution with tools for marketing, client management, online stores, booking functionality, and more. 

Advanced customization is possible through Velo by Wix, their full-stack development platform.

Pricing: Wix offers a free plan that provides access to most of the platform's features but with certain limitations. Premium plans start at $4.50 per month for the Connect Domain plan and go up to $24.50 for the VIP plan.

Pros 

• Stunning modern template designs and powerful customization options.
• All-in-one business solution beyond just websites.
• Excellent customer support.

Cons

• Limited flexibility compared to some other website builders.
• Can't switch templates after publishing.
• Websites are not transferable if you decide to switch platforms.

4. Squarespace

Squarespace is a design-focused website builder that allows anyone to a create beautiful, professional site without coding. It offers a clean, modern interface and stunning pre-built templates specifically tailored for law firms and legal services. Squarespace enables seamless content management, e-commerce capabilities, appointment scheduling, and robust marketing/SEO tools in one platform. It integrates directly with Google and prioritizes search engine optimization to boost online visibility.

Pricing: Squarespace's premium plans start at $16 per month for the Personal plan and go up to $54 per month for the Commerce plan when paid annually.

Pros 

• Massive library of high-quality, professionally designed templates.
• Great for creating interactive and engaging legal content.
• No hosting, security, or maintenance hassles.

Cons

• Limited design flexibility and customization options.
• No true multi-language or localization tools.
• Customer support is only available through email.

5. LawLytics

LawLytics is a specialized website platform created exclusively for lawyers and small law firms. It provides an all-in-one solution for creating a professional online presence, managing website content, and generating leads. Unlike generic website builders, LawLytics is focused on the unique needs of legal practices. 

Their marketing specialists handle the initial website setup, design, and migration to their platform. Once live, lawyers can easily manage and update their site's content through LawLytics' user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and dashboard.

Pricing: LawLytics pricing is based on a monthly membership model, rumored to be around $200/month. This covers the cost of the website platform, hosting, and access to their team of legal marketing experts. ‍

Pros 

• Focused on the legal industry, providing industry-specific features and designs.
• User-friendly drag-and-drop editor for easy content management.
• Assistance from marketing specialists for website setup and migration.

‍Cons

• Limited marketing tools and services beyond website creation.
• Law firms do not own their websites, which can be a drawback if they decide to switch platforms.
• Some users have reported limited SEO capabilities, affecting website ranking in search results.

6. Drupal

Drupal is a free, open-source CMS platform that offers a robust and highly flexible solution for building websites and digital experiences. While not specifically designed for the legal industry, Drupal's modular architecture and extensive functionality make it an excellent choice for law firms looking to create a powerful online presence. 

With its strong emphasis on accessibility, security, and scalability, Drupal provides a solid foundation for creating complex, feature-rich websites tailored to the unique needs of legal practices.

Pricing: The pricing for Drupal is not publicly available. Interested parties need to contact the Drupal team for pricing information

Pros 

• Extensive customization options through modules/themes.
• Freedom from licensing fees or vendor lock-in.
• Large ecosystem with ample development resources.

Cons

• Migration between major versions can be complex.
• Performance can suffer on lower-end hosting.
• Some argue that the PHP core makes it less efficient than other CMSs.

7. Joomla

Joomla is a free, open-source CMS that provides a user-friendly platform for creating and managing websites. While not specifically designed for the legal industry, its flexibility and customizability make it a viable option for law firms looking to build a professional online presence. 

Joomla strikes a balance between ease of use and robust features, offering a wide range of functionality through its extensions and templates. With its strong community support and regular updates, Joomla can be an attractive choice for firms seeking a cost-effective CMS solution.

Pricing: According to the website, Joomla is free to use. However, it is unknown whether additional costs will be incurred since the plan is not available on the website. You might need to contact their representative.

Pros 

• Highly customizable with extensions/templates.
• Open-source with no licensing fees.
• Suitable for simple to complex website needs.
• Logical categorization of extensions by function.

Cons

• More complex than most CMS platforms. 
• Extension libraries can be disorganized.
• Frequent updates may cause compatibility issues with existing extensions
• Vulnerable to hacking and malware due to the use of extensions.

What Is the Best CMS Software for Lawyers?

While we have discussed the top 7 content management systems (CMS) for law firms, in our experience at Grow Law Firm, Webflow and WordPress are the best of the best. They've proven themselves to be highly effective solutions.

Webflow offers a highly visual approach without sacrificing technical sophistication. It also has advanced technical features under the hood to handle demanding workloads smoothly. Perhaps most importantly, its open API allows seamless syncing with other legal content management software like Clio. WordPress, on the other hand, is a popular choice among law firms due to its flexibility and scalability. With thousands of customizable themes and plugins available, it's easy to create a website that reflects a law firm's unique brand and needs.

Both Webflow and WordPress excel at Search Engine Optimization. Their XML sitemaps, clean architecture, and intuitive content structures help legal websites rank highly in search and drive qualified leads. Both platforms also offer analytics to closely track engagement and monitor what content or pages resonate most with viewers.

How Much Does It Cost to Design a Lawyer Website?

The cost of designing a lawyer's website can vary greatly depending on several factors, such as the complexity of the site, the number of pages, the level of customization, and the designer's experience. Using a content management system (CMS) website builder can offer a cost-effective and efficient solution for creating a professional-looking website.

Working with an agency like GLF means you benefit from both proven attorney website solutions and expert guidance. Digital marketing agencies help with planning, content population, and configuration of vital practice management integrations or security protocols. Ongoing support services are also available to facilitate future changes internally. Remember, if you don't use an agency, you'll have to learn it all yourself.

On average, a basic lawyer website with a simple design and basic features can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000. However, more complex websites with custom design, advanced features, and a lot of content can cost upwards of $10,000 to $20,000 or more.

Benefits of Lawyer Website Builders

Lawyer website builders offer a streamlined way for legal practices of all sizes to establish an online presence. When selected strategically, they provide:

• Cost-effectiveness: Law firms can create a website that meets their needs and budget without breaking the bank. With a website builder, lawyers can save money on web development costs and allocate their resources to other important practice areas.
• Time-saving: Lawyers can use pre-designed templates and drag-and-drop tools to create a website that meets their needs without spending hours coding or learning complex web development skills. 
• User-friendliness: With a website builder, lawyers can create a website accessible to a wide range of audiences, including those who may not have a technical background.
• Higher rankings: Lawyers can optimize their websites for search engines using built-in SEO tools and features. This can help law firms increase their visibility online and attract more clients.

How to Choose a CMS for Your Law Firm

Choosing the right legal content management software can make all the difference in efficiently organizing and showcasing your legal content. With so many options available, it's important to consider your law firm's unique needs. Below, we'll explore the key factors to keep in mind when selecting CMS for law firms, ensuring that you find the perfect fit for your legal content management needs.

— Dashboard

The CMS dashboard is the centralized hub for organizing, editing, and publishing content. An intuitive, easy-to-navigate dashboard makes routine updates and version management seamless. Look for customizable dashboards tailored for legal teams with streamlined access to things like case and attorney profiles.

— Publishing Tools

Legal professionals often need to publish various content types, including blog posts, case studies, attorney bios, practice area descriptions, and legal resources. Look for features such as a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor that allows you to format text, insert images, and add multimedia elements without needing to code. Additionally, the ability to schedule content for future publication, set expiration dates, and manage revisions can streamline the content publishing process for legal teams.

— CMS Integrations

You sometimes need to integrate various software solutions for practice management, client communication, document management, and more into your CMS. So, you need to look for a CMS that offers out-of-the-box integrations or has an open API that allows for custom integrations with essential legal software, such as practice management systems (e.gClio, PracticePanther), client portals, document management solutions, and billing and accounting tools. 

— Analytics

Effective analytics features provide valuable insights into website performance, user behavior, and content engagement, enabling legal professionals to make data-driven decisions and optimize their online presence. Look for a CMS that offers built-in analytics tools or seamless integration with popular analytics platforms like Google Analytics. Additionally, consider a CMS that provides content-specific analytics, such as tracking views, shares, and engagement for individual pages or blog posts.

— Technical Support

Many of these platforms may have hiccups while you or your team are using them, so you have to evaluate the support options offered by different CMS providers, including documentation, community forums, knowledge bases, and direct support channels. Look for a CMS with an active and responsive support community where you can find answers to common questions, troubleshoot issues, and seek guidance from experienced users or developers.

It's also important to assess the frequency and reliability of software updates and security patches, as well as the provider's responsiveness to addressing vulnerabilities or bugs.

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Design a Professional Law Firm Website with Grow Law Firm

Webflow, WordPress, and the other website builders we've discussed offer robust features to showcase services, update legal resources, and capture new cases. However, actually designing and optimizing an effective legal website that actually attracts and converts prospects into clients can require serious expertise. That's why you need to partner with a professional agency like Grow Law Firm.

Our experienced designers and developers leverage cutting-edge technologies and industry best practices to create visually stunning, user-friendly, and high-performing websites that effectively communicate your value proposition to potential clients. Once the site is launched, we provide ongoing support to ensure it achieves its full potential.

Our services extend beyond just website design. We also offer law firm SEO and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising services to help increase your online visibility and generate more qualified leads for your law firm.

Contact us today to learn more about how Grow Law Firm can help you create a professional law firm website that sets you apart from the competition.