Solo attorneys have a different set of website needs than large firms — and a different set of constraints. The budget is usually tighter, the decision-making is faster (one person, not a committee), and the stakes are higher, because the website often represents the attorney’s entire professional online presence.
This guide is specifically for solo lawyers thinking about a new website or wondering whether what they currently have is doing its job.
What a Solo Attorney Website Actually Needs to Do
Before getting into design and features, it helps to be clear about what a solo attorney website needs to accomplish. The answer is simpler than most web design agencies make it seem: the website needs to convince a potential client who has found you online that you are the right person to help them, and make it easy for them to contact you.
That is it. Everything else — the design, the content, the features — is in service of those two things.
The Pages a Solo Attorney Website Needs
Many solo attorneys are sold websites with ten, fifteen, or twenty pages when five to seven would serve them better. Here are the pages that actually matter:
Homepage
Your homepage is your first impression. It should communicate immediately who you are, what type of law you practice, where you practice it, and what a potential client should do next. It does not need to be long — it needs to be clear.
About Page
Solo attorney websites have an advantage that large firm websites do not: there is a person behind the website. Potential clients can connect with you as an individual in a way they cannot with a nameless firm. Your about page should reflect that. Tell your story, explain why you practice in this area, and let your personality come through — professionally.
Practice Area Pages
One page per practice area. Each page should be written for the type of client you want to attract for that practice area, and should explain what you do, how the process works, and what makes you the right choice. Aim for at least 600 to 800 words per page.
Contact Page
Simple, clear, and easy to find. Your phone number, a contact form, your office address if you see clients in person, and your hours. That is all this page needs.
Optional: Blog
A blog is optional but valuable over time. Publishing answers to the questions your potential clients are searching for builds your Google rankings gradually and establishes your expertise. It does not need to be frequent — one good post per month is more effective than four mediocre ones.
What Makes Attorney Website Design Work for Solo Practitioners
Your Name and Face, Not Just Your Firm Name
People hire solo attorneys partly because of who the attorney is. A website that leads with your name, your photo, and your voice is more effective for a solo practice than one that tries to look like a large firm. Authenticity converts.
A Phone Number That Is Always Visible
This is the highest-impact change you can make to most attorney websites. Your phone number should be in the header of every page, large enough to read without effort, and formatted as a click-to-call link on mobile. If someone is ready to call you, remove every possible obstacle.
Mobile-First Design
Most of the people who find your website will be on their phones. A website that is hard to use on mobile is turning away potential clients before they ever read a word of your content.
Specific, Not Generic
“Experienced attorney dedicated to client success” could describe every lawyer in your city. “Personal injury attorney helping car accident victims in Tucson since 2015” cannot. Be specific about what you do, who you help, and where. Specificity builds trust and ranks better on Google.
How Much Should a Solo Attorney Website Cost?
The right budget for a solo attorney website depends on your goals and your market. Here is a realistic breakdown:
DIY builders ($0-$500/year): Fast and cheap, but limited in customization and SEO capability. Appropriate only if budget is extremely tight and the website is genuinely temporary.
Freelance template-based ($500-$2,000): Better than DIY, but often with no SEO setup and a generic look. Fine as a starting point for a solo attorney just building a practice.
Specialist attorney website agency ($1,000-$3,000): Custom design, proper SEO foundation, mobile-first development, and an understanding of how legal clients think. The best value for a solo attorney who wants a website that actually generates consultation requests.
At Attorney Website Designers, our Starter package at $997 is built specifically for solo attorneys launching or upgrading their first professional website. It includes everything a solo practice needs: a 5-page custom WordPress website, mobile-first design, on-page SEO foundation, contact form and click-to-call, Google Analytics setup, and 30 days of post-launch support.
The One Thing Solo Attorneys Get Wrong Most Often
The most common mistake solo attorneys make with their websites is treating them as a one-time project that gets built and then ignored. A website that is never updated, never has new content added, and never has its technical foundation maintained will gradually decline in rankings and relevance.
The attorneys who get the most from their websites treat them as an ongoing tool — adding content, keeping information current, and maintaining the technical foundation. Even at a modest pace, this compounds significantly over time.
Getting Started
If you are a solo attorney ready to build a website that actually generates consultation requests, we would be glad to talk through what that looks like for your practice.
See our Starter package for solo attorneys | Book a free 15-minute call | View our portfolio
