The verdict in three sentences
An employer-side employment law firm in Berlin that serves French companies is not selling hours, it is selling cross-border expertise few firms can offer: German employment contracts for French groups, works council rules, social security for remote workers, dismissals under the Kündigungsschutzgesetz. A credible German French website costs roughly EUR 9,000 to 18,000 net in 2026, with the French version at EUR 2,500 to 5,000. Its strength will come from regular legal updates (2 articles a month) published within the BRAO and BORA advertising rules.
Who needs to find you, and with which searches
The audience is narrow: HR directors and payroll managers at French companies opening a German subsidiary or hiring German residents, plus German groups employing staff in France. They search for operational answers: 'embaucher un salarié en Allemagne', 'Betriebsrat obligation entreprise française', 'licenciement salarié allemand préavis', 'A1 certificate posting Germany'. Each query deserves an expert page written by a lawyer at the firm and reviewed before publication.
The site must also reassure an HR director in under a minute: team with photos and languages spoken, detailed practice areas, recent publications, fee models (fixed fee, retainer, hourly) and simple meeting booking.
| Website element | Goal | 2026 ballpark (EUR net) |
|---|---|---|
| Custom design and build | Serious, readable image | 3,000 to 6,000 |
| Practice pages (8 to 15 pages) | Rank on business queries | 2,000 to 4,000 |
| Full French version | Reach French groups | 2,500 to 5,000 |
| Legal update module and newsletter | Steady visibility with HR teams | 1,000 to 2,000 |
| Booking and secure contact form | Conversion and confidentiality | 500 to 1,000 |
| Maintenance, backups, security | Uptime and updates | 90 to 160 a month |
Professional rules: what German bar rules allow and forbid
Section 43b BRAO allows lawyer advertising only when it is factual and not aimed at a specific mandate in an individual case. BORA adds rules on specialist titles: 'Fachanwalt für Arbeitsrecht' may only be used by lawyers who hold it. The site needs a complete Impressum (chamber, professional title, liability insurance, applicable rules), must avoid success rate claims, should not name clients without written consent, and must comply with GDPR on contact forms. The French version must stay consistent and must not imply the firm is admitted to a French bar if it is not.
| Point to watch | 2026 rule | How it shows on the site |
|---|---|---|
| Impressum | Mandatory | Footer and legal notice page |
| Success claims | Prohibited if misleading | No 'win rate' figures |
| Client testimonials | Tightly restricted | Prefer anonymised cases |
| Specialist title | Only if officially granted | No 'Fachanwalt' without the title |
| Fees | Clear information expected | Fee models page |
| Personal data | GDPR | Encrypted form, retention period |
Realistic budget and timeline
A 20 to 30 page site in two languages is delivered in 8 to 12 weeks. The first two weeks define priority practice areas and keywords, the next four cover design and drafting, and legal translation (by a specialist translator, not a raw tool) plus QA take the final stretch. The most underestimated item is lawyer time: plan 15 to 25 hours of review in total. The 2 monthly legal updates then cost roughly EUR 400 to 900 a month when drafted with a legal writer and approved by a partner.
Two practical points often decide the project. First, the French pages should be written by or with a French-speaking lawyer, because HR directors in Lyon or Strasbourg spot translated legal jargon immediately. Second, the booking flow should ask only for company name, headcount in Germany and the topic, so a partner can prepare a 30 minute first call. Firms that add a short fixed-fee audit of German employment contracts typically see 1 in 4 enquiries convert into a paid first engagement.
Mini case study
Dr. Anna Becker, partner at a 9-lawyer firm in Berlin, invests EUR 14,000 net in a bilingual site, plus EUR 120 a month of maintenance and EUR 600 a month of legal updates. First-year cost: 14,000 + 1,440 + 7,200 = EUR 22,640. After eight months, the site produces 6 qualified enquiries a month from French HR teams. If 2 become clients at an average annual fee of EUR 8,000 (advisory and litigation), the firm adds EUR 16,000 of revenue per month of signings. Two months of signings comfortably cover the first-year investment.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
Do we need a full French version or just a few pages?
A full version of practice and team pages is recommended for French groups, at EUR 2,500 to 5,000. Legal updates can be translated selectively, for example one in two.
Can we publish client cases?
Yes, if fully anonymised or with the client's express written consent. Anonymised cases with figures (timeline, settlement amount) are the most persuasive.
How many articles do we need to be visible?
Two a month for 12 months, 24 publications in total, is usually enough to rank on niche queries such as German subsidiaries of French groups. Consistency matters more than volume.
Can the site show fees?
Yes, a fixed audit fee or monthly retainer can be shown with its conditions. It reassures HR directors comparing 2 or 3 firms.
How long until launch?
Plan 8 to 12 weeks, including 2 to 3 weeks of legal translation into French and review by a French-speaking lawyer at the firm.
Related reading: our guide to a corporate relocation company website in London and our SEO services.
Let's scope your project. Practice pages, French version, legal updates and bar rule compliance: we define scope and schedule in a first call. 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.
