The verdict in three sentences
For a Zurich law firm, a local agency is the better choice when the site must read as native German, when the partners want workshops in the office and a portrait session on site, or when the project includes a client extranet. A remote studio like Kolonell fits an internationally oriented boutique (arbitration, corporate, tax, private clients) that works mostly in English, already has or can book its photos, and wants a fixed price of 2 700 CHF, 4 500 CHF or 8 200 CHF with delivery in 3 to 4 weeks. In both cases, the content must respect the Swiss rules on lawyer advertising and professional secrecy, and the partners sign off every word.
Which criteria decide between a Zurich agency and a remote studio?
| Criterion | Zurich agency | Kolonell (remote studio) |
|---|---|---|
| Physical presence | Workshops at your office, meetings with partners | No physical meetings; Google Meet calls at your hours |
| Photos and video | Can organise partner portraits and office shots | Not included: you supply photos or book a Zurich photographer |
| Language | Native German copy usually available, plus English | Native English or French copy included; German supplied by you or quoted separately |
| Time zone | Same as yours | Team in Senegal (GMT): 1 hour behind Zurich in winter, 2 in summer |
| Price, 2026 order of magnitude | 15 000 to 60 000 CHF and more | 2 700 CHF / 4 500 CHF / 8 200 CHF, fixed |
| Timeline | 8 to 16 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Ownership | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
| Support | Maintenance contract | 3 months included, 6 in Premium |
The agency ranges are cautious orders of magnitude based on public price lists of Zurich digital agencies, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co profiles and hourly rates commonly published in Zurich (often 140 to 220 CHF per hour). They are not official figures.
When is a Zurich agency the better choice?
Say it plainly: in several situations, a local agency is the right call.
- Your practice is mainly domestic and German-speaking. Litigation, employment or real estate work for Swiss clients calls for flawless German copy, and Kolonell does not write German.
- The partners expect in-person workshops to agree on positioning, and a portrait shoot in the office on the same day.
- You need a client extranet, a document portal or integration with your practice management software. Kolonell quotes such applications separately; a local agency can scope them in a room with your IT provider.
- You are a large firm with several offices, dozens of profiles and a marketing team that wants weekly on-site reviews.
When does a remote studio like Kolonell fit a Zurich firm?
- Your clients are international: arbitration parties, foreign investors, founders, family offices, expatriate private clients. English leads, French is often useful, German can be added from your own text.
- You have a clear budget and want a fixed price instead of hourly billing at Zurich rates.
- You already have good photos, or you are happy to book a local photographer for half a day.
- You want speed: a new boutique after a spin-off from a larger firm often needs a credible site within a month.
Each plan includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, a written update every week, native English or French copywriting, 3 months of support (6 in Premium), the domain in your name and all access handed over. A bilingual FR/EN site is included from Premium. Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery. The full offer is on our international websites page.
What does a Zurich law firm site need, and which rules frame it?
Zurich firms serve banks and insurers on and around Paradeplatz, multinationals' Swiss holdings, startups from the university and ETH ecosystem, commodity and trading companies, and wealthy private clients. Clients read profiles closely: admissions, languages, practice areas, publications.
| Element | Starter 2 700 CHF | Growth 4 500 CHF | Premium 8 200 CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice area pages | Main areas on one page | One page per practice area | Full structure by area and industry |
| Lawyer profiles | Team page | Profile per lawyer with admissions and languages | Detailed profiles, publications, speaking |
| Insights or publications | No | Simple news section | Insights with categories |
| Contact form with confidentiality notice | Included | Included | Included, routed by practice |
| Bilingual FR/EN | No | No | Included |
| German version | Supplied by you or quoted separately | Supplied by you or quoted separately | Supplied by you or quoted separately |
On compliance, only what is certain. The Swiss Federal Act on the Freedom of Movement for Lawyers (BGFA/LLCA) allows lawyers to advertise provided the advertising is objective and meets the public's need for information, so no superlatives and no promises of outcome. Professional secrecy means no client names, matters or logos without explicit consent, and a contact form should warn visitors not to send confidential details before a conflict check. Rankings from legal directories appear only if the firm actually obtained them, in the wording the directory allows. The revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD/revDSG) has applied since 1 September 2023 and covers forms, cookies and hosting choices. Your cantonal bar rules may add detail. This is not legal advice.
How do the prices compare over three years?
| Item over 36 months | Zurich agency (mid-range) | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Website build | 28 000 CHF | 4 500 CHF |
| Maintenance (same assumption, quoted on request at Kolonell) | 150 CHF per month over 33 months, 4 950 CHF | 4 950 CHF |
| Partner portraits | Often in the agency quote, 1 800 CHF | Zurich photographer booked separately, 1 800 CHF |
| German translation of 10 pages | Often included | Supplied by you or translator, 2 500 CHF |
| New profiles and practice pages | 8 hours at 180 CHF, 1 440 CHF | Quoted before work, assumption 900 CHF |
| Indicative total | 36 190 CHF | 14 650 CHF |
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
A local freelancer typically quotes 5 000 to 15 000 CHF for a comparable site, often without copywriting. Fill in this grid with each supplier before deciding.
Which questions should you ask any supplier?
- Who writes the German, English and French pages, and who checks legal terminology?
- How will the copy stay objective under the lawyer advertising rules?
- Where is the site hosted, and which cookies and form tools are used under the nLPD?
- Who owns the domain, design files and code at the end?
- What does maintenance cost after the support period, in writing?
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Claudia R. is managing partner of a seven-lawyer arbitration and corporate boutique near Paradeplatz, with mostly foreign clients. A Zurich agency quotes 38 000 CHF for a German and English site with a portrait shoot. She chooses Kolonell Premium at 8 200 CHF for an English and French site, adds a German version translated by a legal translator for 3 500 CHF and a local photographer for 1 800 CHF. Total: 13 500 CHF, about 24 500 CHF less. Her trade-off: the associates review the German text themselves and there are no on-site workshops.
FAQ
Can Kolonell write our German pages?
No. Copywriting is native English or French; German is supplied by you or quoted separately. A legal translator for 10 pages often costs 2 000 to 4 000 CHF.
Can we publish client names and deals?
Only with explicit client consent, because of professional secrecy. Many Zurich firms describe 3 to 5 anonymised matter types instead.
How long does a Premium law firm site take?
A written schedule is agreed at kickoff, usually 4 to 6 weeks. Partner approvals are often the longest step, so plan one review round per week.
Can you build a client extranet?
That is a custom application, quoted on request. The 4 500 CHF Growth site can link to an existing secure data room from launch.
How is payment handled?
By bank transfer or Wise in CHF: 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery, for example 2 250 CHF twice for Growth.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current site, your practice areas and the languages you need, and we will reply with a fixed-price plan delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. Request your free quote or see the international offer.
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.