New website for an international arbitration and corporate law firm in Riyadh: real cost vs local agencies (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For an international arbitration and corporate law firm in Riyadh, the website is read by general counsel, boards and sometimes states before the first call: it must prove partner reputation, experience with arbitral seats and institutions, working languages and sectors. A premium local agency charges a 2026 ballpark of 150,000 to 400,000 SAR for this kind of project, while Kolonell's fixed grid runs from 2,900 USD (Starter) to 8,900 USD (Premium, the multilingual tier). Real cost is judged over three years, adding legal translation, photography, compliance review and maintenance.

What an arbitration firm's site must prove

A general counsel at an infrastructure or energy group looking for counsel on a construction dispute does not read a brochure. They check precise facts. Essential pages:

• Partners: background, actual bar admissions, pleading languages, appointments as arbitrator where public and permitted.
• Arbitration experience: institutions and rules practised (ICC, LCIA, SIAC, ICSID, Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration), described in general terms, with no confidential matter or unauthorised client name.
• Corporate law: M&A, projects, compliance, with the sectors actually covered.
• Languages and offices: Arabic first, then English, and other languages only if the firm genuinely works in them.
• Insights: dated, signed notes on arbitral case law and local reforms.
• Contact and booking: a minimal form, in line with the Saudi Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), enforced by SDAIA since September 2023.

Lawyer communications are governed by Saudi professional rules and, for partners admitted elsewhere, by their own bars (SRA in England, state bar rules in the US). No invented rankings, no unverifiable awards, no promised outcomes. This is not legal advice: your ethics committee signs off the copy.

Real cost: Riyadh versus the Kolonell grid

2026 ballpark based on typical Riyadh agency quotes and public agency rate pages, in SAR with an approximate USD conversion (1 USD is about 3.75 SAR).

Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks (4 to 6 for Premium) and 3 months of support. Gated areas, client portals, integrations and custom apps are priced on quote. Details are in the international offer.

As a professional services reference, Kolonell built the website of TR Signing Group, a signing services company in New Jersey.

Hidden costs and the three year total

Three year total example, with market assumptions clearly stated: Kolonell Premium at 8,900 USD, translation of 30,000 words at 0.12 USD, 3,600 USD, photography 2,500 USD, maintenance at a market assumption of 500 USD per month over 33 months, 16,500 USD. Total: 31,500 USD. The same base with a local agency at 80,000 SAR (about 21,300 USD) gives about 43,900 USD, and with a premium agency at 250,000 SAR (about 66,700 USD), about 89,300 USD.

When a local agency is still the better choice

To be fair: a Riyadh agency is the better fit if you need weekly in-person workshops with partners, if a public tender requires a locally registered provider, if the site must connect to local government systems, or if you want an Arabic content team on site every day. In other cases, the cost gap deserves a discussion.

Questions to ask any provider: who writes the Arabic and who reviews the legal terminology? How is right to left layout handled on tables and forms? Who owns the code and the access? What does an extra partner page cost? What is the real timeline once content is delivered?

Mini case study

Illustrative example: Al Nakheel Dispute Partners, a 9 partner firm in Riyadh. Quotes received: a local agency at 95,000 SAR (about 25,300 USD) or Kolonell Premium at 8,900 USD. The firm adds 3,600 USD of translation and 2,500 USD of photography in both cases.

Launch cost: 31,400 USD versus 15,000 USD, a gap of 16,400 USD. If the firm bills an average of 600 USD per hour, the gap is about 27 billable hours, less than a week of one partner's time on a matter. The choice then turns mainly on the need for on-site workshops.

FAQ

Should the site be Arabic first?

For a Riyadh firm targeting Saudi clients and public entities, yes in most cases. English remains essential for international general counsel; with Kolonell, the Premium tier covers multilingual sites, with languages set in the quote.

Can we mention our arbitration matters?

Only what is public and authorised by the client, described in general terms. Arbitral confidentiality often rules out any mention, even anonymised, without written consent.

What timeline should we plan?

Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks, 4 to 6 for Premium, once content is delivered. Firms often underestimate internal review, which takes 2 to 4 weeks.

Does the PDPL change anything for the contact form?

It generally requires a lawful basis, clear notice and minimal collection. A form with 4 or 5 fields and no dispute details limits the risk.

What does a secure client portal cost?

A gated area for sharing documents is priced on quote, as it depends on hosting, authentication and integrations. Market figures often run from 10,000 to 40,000 USD depending on scope.

Let's scope your project. Partner pages, arbitration experience, insights, Growth or multilingual Premium tier, delivery in 3 to 6 weeks depending on the tier. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.