How law firms can turn user experience into a strategic advantage
In law and professional services, trust is everything. And more than ever, trust starts online.
Today’s clients expect more from your website than contact details and credentials. They want clarity, speed and confidence. A strong user experience (UX) doesn’t just make your site easier to use – it builds loyalty, improves service delivery, and gives you a competitive edge. In a fast-changing regulatory landscape, it could be your most valuable digital asset.
UX is strategy, not surface
UX is more than a final design layer. It’s the foundation of every digital interaction your clients have with you, from the intro call to the long-term relationship.
Done well, UX is a blend of design, psychology, accessibility and service thinking. It’s about understanding who your users are, what they need, and how they behave – then building experiences that are clear, efficient and inclusive.
For law firms, that might mean:
- Making it easy to find and contact the right lawyer
- Creating a plain-English knowledge centre
- Helping an existing client log in and see case updates without needing to call
- Providing accessible interfaces for clients with visual or motor impairments
- Offering live chat or prompts to guide service selection
- Presenting regulatory information with clarity and care
None of these are nice to haves. Accessibility principles require digital services to be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. The EU Accessibility Act will formalise these requirements. Great UX helps law firms not only meet these expectations, but exceed them.
When UX fails, trust fails
In legal and professional services, where relationships drive revenue, your digital experience plays a critical role. It can reinforce your reputation – or quietly erode it. Done well, UX helps you:
- Build trust: Clear, accessible design signals competence. It shows respect for your clients’ time and their needs.
- Win and retain more clients: Fast, device-agnostic sites and digital tools lead to more enquiries. A smooth onboarding process keeps clients engaged.
- Stay compliant: Effective UX helps users understand how their data is used, navigate tools safely, and access services independently, supporting regulations from GDPR to the EU AI Act.
Incremental UX improvements often lead to big gains in perception, efficiency and retention. The whole is stronger than the sum.
How to build better UX
This isn’t about guesswork or gimmicks. It’s about proper process and proper priorities.
Here’s how we approach the development of better UX:
1. Talk to people
Interview real clients. Watch how they use your site. Run usability tests. Understand friction and fix it.
2. Understand the moments that matter
From lawyer search to document upload, every interaction matters. Identify key tasks and smooth the path. Eliminate dead ends. Make next steps obvious.
3. Design for clarity
Content design is UX. Use plain English, clear headings and helpful labels. Every word should make things easier.
4. Prioritise accessibility
Design for everyone. Use readable fonts, high contrast and keyboard-friendly navigation. Test with assistive tech. Accessibility is usability – for all.
5. Balance security and simplicity
Clients shouldn’t have to trade ease of use for data protection. Strong UX design delivers both.
6. Be transparent about AI
If you use AI for document generation, chat or decision support, make it clear. Explain what it’s doing, why, and how people stay in control. The EU AI Act will demand this. Good UX can deliver it.
Partner with the right team
User experience isn’t something you can tack on. It requires insight, process and sector understanding.
You need a partner that can deliver all three. A partner that’s helped legal and regulated firms improve how their clients interact with them – online and off – by designing digital services that are easy to trust and easy to use.
Your digital partner should understand:
- Your industry: Legal and regulatory context matters. So does tone.
- Your audience: They’ll have varying tech skills, expectations and needs.
- Your systems: Strong UX doesn’t just look good. It seamlessly integrates with case management, billing and CRM tools.
- The stakes: From reputational risk to regulatory compliance, your partner must be experienced.
Let's talk UX
A great digital experience doesn’t just work. It works for your clients.
Seamless UX earns their trust. It reflects your values. And it helps you deliver better service, more efficiently.
Ready to improve yours?
Start a conversation with Richard Hardy, our Creative Director.