A Philippine law firm’s website is its most controllable professional impression. Unlike a referral from a colleague or a mention in a directory, the website is where a prospective client’s first independent research happens — and it is entirely in the firm’s control. The quality of that impression determines whether the visitor becomes an inquiry, or clicks the back button and tries the next search result.
The short answer
A law firm website needs clear practice area pages, attorney profiles with IBP membership and bar admission details, a consultation inquiry form, and a tone that conveys professional authority without violating IBP advertising guidelines. A solo practitioner fits the Starter tier (₱65,000–₱85,000). A multi-attorney firm with multiple practice areas belongs in the Business tier (₱120,000–₱180,000).
Practice area pages that rank and convert
Clients searching for legal help in the Philippines search specifically — “labor law attorney Makati,” “annulment lawyer Philippines cost,” “corporate lawyer SEC registration.” Each of these is a distinct search intent that converts best when it lands on a dedicated practice area page.
A well-structured law firm website organizes practice areas as individual pages, each covering:
- What the area covers and common matters handled
- The firm’s specific experience in that area
- What a client can expect from the engagement process
- Any relevant Philippine-specific context (BIR, SEC, NLRC, NBI procedures, etc.)
Practice areas worth individual pages in the Philippine legal context:
- Corporate law and SEC registration
- Labor and employment law (NLRC proceedings, constructive dismissal)
- Real property and land registration (LRA, DAR, DENR matters)
- Family law (annulment, legal separation, VAWC, DSWD matters)
- Immigration law (visas, alien employment permits)
- Criminal defense
- IP and trademark registration (IPO Philippines)
- Tax law and BIR disputes
Focus on the areas where the firm genuinely works. Depth on two or three practice areas builds more credibility than shallow coverage of twelve.
Attorney profiles: the conversion section
The decision to hire a lawyer is personal. Clients who have researched a firm online and then call or email have typically already looked at the attorney profiles and formed an opinion. Strong profiles include:
- Full name and professional title
- Roll number and year of bar admission
- Law school and graduation year
- Practice area focus (specific, not generic “all areas”)
- Languages spoken (English, Filipino, regional languages — particularly relevant for provincial clients)
- Bar and court admissions (IBP chapter, courts of admission)
- Professional organizations and distinctions
- Professional photograph (not a passport photo or a photo from a firm event)
Avoid: invented titles, vague claims like “widely experienced” without specifics, and photos that look unprofessional.
IBP rules and what you cannot do
The IBP Code of Professional Responsibility (and the more recent Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability, or CPRA) restricts certain forms of lawyer advertising. On a website, the clear restrictions are:
- No testimonials from current or former clients about case outcomes
- No guarantees or promises of specific results
- No solicitation of clients through third-party solicitors
- No use of the Supreme Court’s seal or IBP’s logo without authorization
What is permissible: factual descriptions of practice areas, attorney credentials and experience, publications and speaking engagements, general information about the legal process, and contact information.
A law firm website blog that publishes genuinely useful legal information — an explanation of the TRAIN Law for small businesses, a guide to SEC registration steps — is both permissible and highly effective for search visibility.
Consultation inquiry form
The primary conversion mechanism for a law firm website is a consultation inquiry form. Unlike a medical appointment form, a legal inquiry form should:
- Collect name, contact number, email address
- Include a brief description of the legal matter (dropdown categories or short text)
- Include a confidentiality notice: “Information submitted here is treated as confidential and subject to our [Privacy Policy]”
- Set expectation for response time: “We will review your inquiry and respond within one business day”
Avoid forms that ask for excessive detail before the initial contact — most prospective clients are cautious about disclosing too much before speaking with a lawyer.
Local SEO for law firms
Most legal clients in the Philippines search with location intent — “Makati corporate lawyer,” “BGC employment lawyer,” “Pasig labor attorney.” Local SEO setup for a law firm website:
- Google Business Profile with all practice areas listed
- Consistent NAP (name, address, phone) across the website and GBP
- Location-specific content where relevant (e.g., “legal counsel for SEC-registered businesses in Ortigas”)
- Schema markup for attorney/legal service type
Budget
Solo practitioners and small boutique firms fit the Starter tier (₱65,000–₱85,000): 5–7 pages, practice area descriptions, attorney profile, consultation form, basic SEO, Google Business Profile. Multi-attorney firms with multiple practice areas and a requirement for a blog/resource center belong in the Business tier (₱120,000–₱180,000). Care Plans at ₱4,000/month cover updates and security.
If you are building or rebuilding your law firm’s website, send the details through the contact page and get a response within one business day.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Philippine law firms advertise their services online?
- Yes, with restrictions. The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Code of Professional Responsibility allows lawyers to have websites and publish information about their practice. However, paid advertising that 'solicits' clients, testimonials, and specific claims about case outcomes are restricted. A law firm website is considered informational and is generally permissible — the line is drawn at aggressive solicitation and false or misleading claims.
- Should a law firm list attorneys' fees on its website?
- Not as a general rule, and not in the way product prices are listed. Fees vary by case complexity, client circumstances, and the nature of the engagement. Law firm websites typically list practice areas and engagement models (retainer, per-case, hourly) without specific peso figures. Transparency about how you charge — even without exact numbers — builds trust.
- What practice areas should a law firm website list?
- List only the practice areas where the firm genuinely has active cases and expertise. A small firm claiming to do everything from TRAIN Law compliance to criminal defense to immigration law is a credibility red flag. Clients searching for specific legal help respond better to focused practice area descriptions that demonstrate real depth.
- How important are attorney profiles for a law firm website?
- Very important. Clients hiring a lawyer are hiring a person, not a logo. Attorney profiles should include: IBP membership number, year of admission to the bar, law school and graduation year, practice area focus, notable case types handled (without violating confidentiality), languages spoken, and a professional photo. This is the trust-building section that converts a website visitor into an inquiry.
- Does a law firm website need a privacy policy?
- Yes. Client contact forms, consultation inquiry forms, and any intake process that collects personal information is subject to RA 10173. Your Privacy Policy must explain what information is collected, why, and how it is stored. Legal information submitted through a consultation inquiry form is particularly sensitive — secure form handling and clear confidentiality disclosure matter for the legal profession.
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