Law Firm Practice Area Launch Playbook

Who this is for

Law firms and solo practitioners adding a new practice area or launching one on their website.

Before you start

• The scope of the new practice area and the jurisdictions it covers.
• A responsible lawyer who reviews and approves every page.
• The professional conduct and advertising rules that apply to the firm.
• A contact or intake process for enquiries in the new area.

Step 1

Plan within the rules

Decide what to explain and how to stay general.

1. 01List the questions people ask when they first face a problem in this area.
2. 02Separate general explanation from anything that would be advice on an individual situation.
3. 03Check planned topics against the conduct and advertising rules that apply to the firm.
4. 04Plan a practice area page as the hub for the explainers.

Step 2

Create reviewed explainers

Write plainly, accurately and for the right jurisdiction.

1. 01Write explainers that describe the process, the usual steps and the terms a reader will meet.
2. 02State the jurisdiction each explainer applies to and when it was last reviewed.
3. 03Tell readers clearly that the page is general information and how to get advice on their situation.
4. 04Have the responsible lawyer approve each page and record the approval.

Step 3

Publish and route enquiries

Connect explainers to the firm’s intake.

1. 01Publish the practice area page with the first explainers.
2. 02Link every explainer to the practice area page and the enquiry process.
3. 03Add the practice area to the firm’s navigation and lawyer profiles.
4. 04Add explainers as new common questions arise, each reviewed before publication.

Step 4

Measure and keep current

Law changes; the pages must change with it.

1. 01Check which explainers appear in search and for which questions in your search console.
2. 02Track enquiries in the new area and the pages they came from.
3. 03Re-review every explainer on a schedule and whenever the law changes.
4. 04Withdraw any page the responsible lawyer can no longer approve.

Common pitfalls

• Explainers that read as advice on the reader’s own case.
• Pages that do not say which jurisdiction they apply to.
• Describing outcomes the firm has achieved in a way the conduct rules do not allow.

Where Opus Rank helps

Tutorials for the parts of this plan you can do in Opus Rank.

• Create a content brief

  Record the jurisdiction and limits before a draft is generated.

• Edit in the article workspace: saving, versions and history

  Make the reviewing lawyer’s corrections before publication.

• Content language and region

  Set the language and region the explainer applies to.

Related playbooks

• Consultancy Launch Playbook
• Accounting Firm Launch Playbook
• Financial Advisory Launch Playbook