The verdict in three sentences
For a 6-lawyer firm practising employment and innovation law in Montreal, Squarespace is the cheapest entry point (EUR 25 to 50 a month) but brings in almost no files for lack of serious local SEO. A freelancer at EUR 2,500 to 6,000 works if the firm can provide content and decisions, while an agency at EUR 8,000 to 18,000 is justified once the site must win business clients. The right test is total cost over 3 years against the number of qualified first meetings, with a site that complies with the Barreau du Québec advertising rules.
What professional rules require from a law firm website
The Code of Professional Conduct of Lawyers in Québec allows advertising under conditions. The site must be accurate and not misleading, with no comparison or disparagement of other lawyers, and no guaranteed outcomes or misleading success figures. Claims of specialisation must reflect real expertise, and fees, if shown, must be clear about what they include. Testimonials need care, because selective or unverifiable endorsements can breach the duty of accuracy.
These rules change the writing: no "best lawyer in Montreal", no success rates, transparent fee information. A supplier who does not know them costs you one to two weeks of corrections.
The three options compared
| Criterion | Squarespace | Freelancer | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront price | EUR 0 to 300 (template) | EUR 2,500 to 6,000 | EUR 8,000 to 18,000 |
| Monthly cost | EUR 25 to 50 | EUR 30 to 80 (hosting, updates) | EUR 80 to 250 (maintenance) |
| Timeline | 2 to 4 weeks (internal time) | 4 to 8 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Content writing | By the firm | Often by the firm | Legal copywriter possible |
| Local SEO Montreal | Limited, little technical control | Fair if the freelancer specialises | Strategy by practice area and area served |
| Practice area pages | Usually 3 to 5 | 6 to 10 | 10 to 20, with FAQs and articles |
| Online booking | Simple widget | Calendly or similar | Qualifying form and follow-up |
| Main risk | Invisible on Google | Dependence on one person | Budget above actual use |
The difference is acquisition. A search such as "employment lawyer Montreal" or "intellectual property lawyer startup Quebec" needs dedicated pages per practice area, in French and English, structured data and a well-kept Google Business Profile. Squarespace lets you write these pages but gives little control over speed and detailed markup.
Total cost over 3 years and return
| 3-year item | Squarespace | Freelancer | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | EUR 300 | EUR 4,500 | EUR 12,000 |
| Subscription or maintenance | EUR 1,400 | EUR 2,200 | EUR 5,400 |
| Partner time (writing, follow-up) | 60 h | 40 h | 20 h |
| Value of that time at EUR 200 an hour | EUR 12,000 | EUR 8,000 | EUR 4,000 |
| Real total cost | EUR 13,700 | EUR 14,700 | EUR 21,400 |
| Qualified first meetings per month (estimate) | 1 to 2 | 3 to 5 | 5 to 9 |
Partner time is the line everyone forgets. Once included, the gap between Squarespace and a freelancer almost disappears, and the agency costs only EUR 6,700 to 7,700 more over 3 years. These meeting volumes are 2026 orders of magnitude for a firm of this size: they depend mostly on regular content and client reviews.
Mini case study
Claire Tremblay, partner at a 6-lawyer firm in Montreal, bills an average employment advisory file at EUR 3,500. With the agency option, she targets 6 qualified first meetings a month and a 25% conversion rate, so 1.5 files a month.
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Over 36 months that is 54 files, or EUR 189,000 in fees. With Squarespace, at 1.5 meetings a month and the same rate, the firm gets about 13 files, or EUR 45,500. The EUR 7,700 difference in total cost versus Squarespace is covered by the third extra file. Even with these assumptions halved, the agency option remains profitable.
FAQ
Can a lawyer show fees on the website?
Yes, and it helps transparency, as an hourly rate or indicative fixed fees. A written fee agreement is still expected for each matter.
Is Squarespace enough for a 6-lawyer firm?
For a digital business card, yes, at EUR 25 to 50 a month. To get 3 to 9 first meetings a month from Google, the practice area structure and technical SEO are rarely sufficient.
How many pages should we plan?
One page per practice area and audience, so 10 to 20 pages for 6 lawyers, plus lawyer profiles, a fees page and 1 to 2 articles a month, in both French and English.
How long does a law firm website take?
6 to 10 weeks with an agency, of which 2 to 3 weeks come from partners writing and approving content.
Should we budget for SEO after launch?
Yes, around EUR 300 to 1,200 a month for serious local SEO, depending on the number of practice areas and competition in Montreal.
Let's scope your project. Describe your practice areas, target clients and deadlines: we propose a structure that fits professional rules, an indicative budget and a 6 to 10 week plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
