The verdict in three sentences
For a law firm in West Bay, Lusail or the QFC, a successful redesign first protects what brings clients in: practice area pages, lawyer profiles and publications, in both Arabic and English. The main risk is a badly migrated bilingual structure (URLs, hreflang tags, orphan pages), which can push pages out of search results for weeks. Budget USD 8,900 on Premium (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote, RTL scope specified) and 3 to 4 weeks of build once content is ready, with legal review of the Arabic added to the schedule.
Signs a redesign is due
- The Arabic version is a partial translation: some profiles or publications exist only in English, with no link between the two languages.
- Practice area pages (construction disputes, corporate, employment, commercial arbitration) are too thin to answer the precise searches of in-house legal teams.
- Lawyer profiles are out of date after arrivals or departures.
- The site does not render Arabic right to left properly on mobile.
- The privacy notice no longer matches the forms in use.
What budget for a redesign in Doha?
A 2026 ballpark from typical Doha agency quotes, converted at QAR 3.64 to USD 1 (the riyal's fixed peg).
| Option | Redesign budget | Typical timeline | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doha freelancer | QAR 8,000 to 25,000 (approx. USD 2,200 to 6,900) | 4 to 8 weeks | Bilingual structure rarely well built |
| Local agency, bilingual site | QAR 25,000 to 120,000 (approx. USD 6,900 to 33,000) | 8 to 16 weeks | On-site meetings, Arabic copywriting possible |
| Kolonell Growth | USD 4,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | One language, native English copywriting |
| Kolonell Premium | USD 8,900 | 3 to 4 weeks, content ready | The multilingual tier, languages and RTL scope set in the quote |
| Arabic legal reviewer | USD 1,500 to 3,000 | 1 to 2 weeks | Third-party cost, independent reviewer |
| Client portal, CRM or document management integration | On quote | Depends on scope | Specific integrations |
A firm publishing only in English can stay on Growth; once Arabic is required, Premium is the right tier. Tier details are on the international websites page.
A realistic timeline
| Phase | Duration | Watch point |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory of English and Arabic URLs | 3 to 5 days | Spot pages with no counterpart |
| Bilingual architecture and hreflang plan | 2 to 3 days | One URL per language, reciprocal links |
| Content: practice areas, profiles, publications | 2 to 3 weeks | Partner sign-off |
| Design and build, RTL included | 3 to 4 weeks | Mobile tests in Arabic |
| Arabic legal review (third party) | 1 to 2 weeks | In parallel with the build |
| 301 redirects, launch, Search Console monitoring | 1 week, then 4 weeks of monitoring | 404 errors per language |
Risks and how to counter them
| Risk | Symptom | Countermeasure |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking loss | Fewer visits to practice area pages | Complete 301 map, sitemap submitted in Search Console |
| Wrong hreflang | English version shows for Arabic searches | Reciprocal tags tested before go-live |
| Lost publications | Broken links from LinkedIn or newsletters | Full migration with dates and authors |
| Outdated profiles | Departed lawyers still listed | HR sign-off before switchover |
| Downtime | Site offline during switchover | Overnight switchover, rollback plan |
| Non-compliant copy | Unsuitable promotional wording | Partner review before go-live |
General frame: Qatar has its onshore courts and the Qatar Financial Centre, which has its own legal framework; the rules on foreign law firms and lawyer advertising should be checked by the firm. Law No. 13 of 2016 governs personal data privacy, and a firm established in the QFC should check which regime applies to it. No page promises a case outcome. This is not legal advice.
When a local agency is preferable
If your partners want in-person workshops in West Bay, if you want an Arabic-speaking legal writer to draft the Arabic content from the first version rather than a reviewed translation, or if your internal procedures require a Qatar-based provider, a Doha agency is the better choice, even at a much higher budget. A remote studio fits when the English content is ready, the Arabic review goes to an independent lawyer and the schedule is tight.
Questions to ask any provider: who builds the redirect map for each language, how are hreflang tags tested, do the domain and code stay in the firm's name, what written price for maintenance after the 3 months of included support (on quote at Kolonell), and who reviews content before go-live.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Layla, managing partner of a construction disputes firm in West Bay, runs a site with 8 practice areas, 25 profiles, 60 publications and 10 firm pages, so 103 pages per language and 206 URLs to redirect or keep.
Local agency option: a quote of QAR 90,000, roughly USD 24,725, over 14 weeks, Arabic copywriting included. Studio option: Premium at USD 8,900, plus an independent Arabic legal reviewer at USD 2,500, so USD 11,400, over 6 weeks in total (3 to 4 weeks of build after 2 weeks of content). The gap is about USD 13,325. Layla picks the studio because her English publications already exist and only the Arabic review is missing. A firm whose Arabic version must be written from scratch would weigh the local option more heavily.
FAQ
How long does a bilingual site redesign take?
Plan for 3 to 4 weeks of build once content is ready, plus 1 to 2 weeks of Arabic review. Search Console monitoring continues for 4 weeks after launch.
Is Arabic included in the price?
Premium at USD 8,900 is the multilingual tier: languages and RTL scope are set in the quote. Legal review of the Arabic by an independent lawyer is a third-party cost, roughly USD 1,500 to 3,000.
Should we keep every publication?
As a rule, yes: they earn links and visits. For 60 publications in two languages, the 301 map means 120 lines to check.
Does a QFC firm have the same data obligations?
The QFC has its own legal framework, separate from Law No. 13 of 2016. Have the firm check which regime applies before drafting the privacy notice, allowing 2 to 3 days.
Is a secure client portal possible?
Yes, on quote, alongside the site. It is priced by feature (document upload, matter tracking) and often adds 2 to 4 weeks to the schedule.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your page count per language, your practice areas and target date, and we will come back with a scope and a priced tier. 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.
