The verdict in three sentences
For a London law firm, the website build contract matters as much as the design, because it decides who owns the domain, hosting account, code and content on the day you part ways with the agency. Typical London agency contracts for a firm site in the £15,000 to £50,000 range (2026 ballpark) often leave ownership, acceptance criteria and exit terms vague, while Kolonell's fixed grid of £2,300, £3,900 or £6,900 covers delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support, with the remaining terms written in the quote. Before signing anything, insist that compliance sign-off of marketing content is an explicit acceptance step, alongside the SRA digital badge and any price transparency pages.
Which clauses should a London law firm insist on?
Whether your firm sits in the City, Holborn, Canary Wharf or the West End, and whether it focuses on commercial, employment or private client work, the same clauses protect you. Read the table as a checklist for the contract, the statement of work or both.
| Clause | What to require | Why it matters for a law firm |
|---|---|---|
| Scope and page list | A numbered list of pages, templates and forms, with languages | Avoids disputes over whether lawyer profiles or the insights archive were included |
| Domain and hosting | Domain and hosting account registered in the firm's name, agency added as a user | You keep control if the relationship ends |
| Code, design and content ownership | Assignment of rights in the custom design, code and copy on final payment; third-party licences listed | Lets you move provider without rebuilding |
| Payment milestones | Payments tied to deliverables, not dates | Cash follows progress |
| Acceptance testing | Written criteria, a test window and a defined number of revision rounds | Ends the endless almost-finished phase |
| Change requests | A written change process with a price or rate stated before work starts | Keeps the budget readable for the partners |
| Warranty and support | A defect correction period and the support term after launch | Clarifies who fixes what after go-live |
| Confidentiality and data processing | Confidentiality clause plus a UK GDPR processor agreement if the provider hosts or touches form data | Enquiry forms carry personal and sometimes sensitive data |
| Exit and handover | Delivery of files, credentials, redirect map and documentation within a set period | Avoids being held hostage by a former supplier |
How does a typical agency contract compare with what you should ask for?
The left column reflects common wording in standard agency terms seen in the London market; it varies widely, so read your own draft line by line.
| Topic | Typical local agency contract | What to ask for | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £15,000 to £50,000, day rates for extras | Fixed price per scope, rates for extras stated upfront | Fixed grid: £2,300, £3,900 or £6,900 |
| Timeline | 10 to 16 weeks, often without a date commitment | Dates linked to content delivery by the firm | 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready |
| Ownership | Licence to use, sometimes retained by agency | Assignment on final payment, list of third-party licences | Written in the quote |
| Acceptance | Deemed accepted after a short silence | Written criteria and a test window | Written in the quote |
| Support | 30 days of bug fixes, then retainer | Defined support term and post-launch rate | 3 months included, after that on quote |
| Project contact | Account manager, sometimes rotating | A named contact in your time zone | Project manager reachable in UK hours |
| Exit | Handover on request, fees possible | Handover list and deadline in the contract | Written in the quote |
You can compare the tiers on the international websites page.
How should milestones and acceptance work in practice?
Tie each payment to a deliverable you can check: approved sitemap and page list, approved design of the home page and a practice area page, a staging site with all pages, then launch. A common market pattern splits payments into three or four milestones; whatever the split, the last payment should follow acceptance, not precede it.
Acceptance criteria worth writing down for a London firm:
- Every page in the list exists, with approved copy, on desktop and mobile.
- Enquiry forms deliver to the right inbox, include a clear statement that submitting a form does not create a solicitor and client relationship, and collect only what the first conflict check needs.
- The SRA digital badge displays correctly, and if you offer services within the scope of the SRA Transparency Rules, the price and service information pages are live and accurate.
- The privacy notice, cookie consent under PECR and processor arrangements reflect UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, with the ICO's guidance as reference.
- Key templates are tested against WCAG 2.2 AA, which supports your duties under the Equality Act 2010.
- Your compliance lead (often the COLP) has signed off all marketing content, including lawyer biographies and practice descriptions.
Agree on revision rounds per milestone, for example two rounds on design and one on build, and state what counts as a new change request. This is not legal advice: have your own contract reviewed by the firm's lawyers.
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Illustrative example: Priya is managing partner of a fictional employment boutique in Holborn with nine lawyers. A London agency quotes £24,000, with change requests billed at £95 per hour. She expects about 20 hours of changes once partners review profiles and practice pages.
- Agency route: £24,000 + (20 x £95 = £1,900) = £25,900
- Kolonell Growth at £3,900, plus an independent accessibility auditor at £1,500 (a third-party cost) = £5,400
- Difference: £25,900 minus £5,400 = £20,500, before any change requests priced in the Kolonell quote
The saving matters less to Priya than the clauses: she asks both providers for the domain in the firm's name, an ownership assignment on final payment and a written handover list, and compares answers in writing.
FAQ
Who should own the domain and hosting account?
The firm, always, with the agency added as a user. Moving a domain held by a former supplier can take 1 to 4 weeks of back and forth, which is avoidable.
How many revision rounds are reasonable?
Two rounds on design and one on build is a common baseline for a 15 to 30 page firm site. Anything beyond should follow a written change request with a stated price.
Is compliance sign-off really an acceptance step?
It should be. Without it, a site can be accepted and invoiced while lawyer biographies or price pages still need corrections, and those corrections then become paid changes.
What does Kolonell include in the fixed price?
Each tier, from £2,300 to £6,900, includes delivery in 3 to 4 weeks, a project manager reachable in UK hours, native English copywriting and 3 months of support. Ownership, acceptance and handover terms are written in the quote.
Do we need a data processing agreement with the web provider?
Under UK GDPR, a written processor agreement is required when a provider processes personal data on your behalf, such as hosting enquiry forms. Ask for it before the first form goes live.
Let's scope your project. A London law firm website with clear ownership, milestones and acceptance criteria, from £2,300 to £6,900, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
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.
