Employment law firm website in London: freelancer or studio? (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For an 8-lawyer employment law firm pursuing mandates from HR directors and executive teams, the website is a business development tool, not a brochure. A freelancer (3,000 to 6,000 EUR) works if the firm supplies its own content and accepts dependence on one person. A studio (7,500 to 14,000 EUR) is justified once the firm wants practice pages built for search, verified regulatory compliance and maintenance that survives a departure.

What the three quotes actually contain

Price gaps rarely come from design. They come from time spent on the practice architecture (redundancy, TUPE, tribunal claims, collective consultation), writing, and post-launch support. Figures below are in EUR (roughly 0.85 GBP per EUR in 2026).

A freelancer at 480 EUR a day for 9 days bills about 4,300 EUR: a fair price for a clean site, provided the firm delivers copy and photos. Most firms underestimate this: writing 8 practice pages takes 15 to 25 hours of lawyer time, so 4,500 to 9,000 EUR of lost billable time.

Regulatory constraints that change the quote

The SRA Transparency Rules and the SRA Code of Conduct govern how solicitors communicate: price and service information for certain areas (including employment tribunal claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal), complaints procedure, regulatory status, and no misleading statements. A poorly written site exposes the firm to an SRA query.

A studio that knows these rules avoids a partial rework, often billed 1,800 to 3,500 EUR when the issue surfaces after launch.

The single-person dependency risk

With a freelancer, maintenance (updates, backups, security) rests on one person. If they change careers or become unavailable, the firm sometimes inherits a site with no admin access or documentation. In every case, require: domain and hosting in the firm's name, source code delivered, a written maintenance contract (70 to 180 EUR a month).

Mini case study

Emma, managing partner of an 8-lawyer employment law firm in London, compares a freelancer at 4,500 EUR and a studio at 11,500 EUR.

• Freelancer option: 4,500 EUR plus 20 partner hours writing practice pages at 400 EUR an hour, so 12,500 EUR real cost.
• Studio option: 11,500 EUR, content written by the studio and approved in 5 hours, so 13,500 EUR real cost.
• Difference: 1,000 EUR. A single redundancy programme or HR advisory mandate is worth 10,000 to 30,000 EUR in fees.

If optimised practice pages bring 2 extra qualified matters a year, the gap is covered by the first mandate.

FAQ

Can a freelancer build a site as good as a studio?

Often yes on the technical side. The difference lies in content, search and continuity: a freelancer at 480 EUR a day cannot write 10 practice pages within a 4,000 EUR budget.

How many pages does an employment law firm need?

Count 12 to 20 pages: home, firm, 6 to 10 practice areas, team, pricing, insights, contact. Practice pages generate most qualified enquiries.

Should the site target employees or employers?

You need to choose. A firm targeting HR directors gains by focusing pages on companies with 50 to 500 staff, which changes vocabulary and keywords.

How long to become visible on Google in London?

First local rankings arrive in 3 to 6 months with 2 articles a month. A complete Google Business Profile speeds up visibility on « employment solicitor London ».

Should we budget monthly costs after launch?

Yes: 70 to 180 EUR a month for maintenance, and 350 to 1,000 EUR for regular content if partners do not write themselves.

Let's scope your project. Tell us your priority practice areas, target clients and the time your partners can give to content: we propose an SRA-compliant scope between 7,500 and 14,000 EUR, delivered in 6 to 9 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.