Website & Client Portal for Sterling & Associates
We redesigned a 14-attorney law firm's website and built a secure client portal — resulting in 89% more consultation requests and cutting document exchange time from days to minutes.
The Challenge
Sterling & Associates had operated with the same website since 2017 — a WordPress theme that looked like every other law firm online. Generic stock photos of gavels and handshakes, walls of legal jargon, and a contact form buried three clicks deep. The site loaded in 4.1 seconds and scored 38 on Lighthouse.
Beyond the website, the firm had a document problem. Client onboarding required physical paperwork: intake forms, retainer agreements, medical authorizations, and financial disclosures. Paralegals spent an average of 3 hours per new client collecting, scanning, and filing documents. Document exchange with existing clients relied on email attachments — a compliance risk given the sensitivity of legal files.
The partners wanted two things: a website that generated consultations without the firm looking like it was advertising (a common concern in legal marketing), and a client portal that simplified document management while maintaining attorney-client privilege standards.
Our Solution
The website redesign centered on trust signals and conversion without aggressive marketing language. Each practice area page follows a specific structure: clear explanation of the legal issue, the firm's approach and track record, client testimonials (with consent), and a prominent consultation booking widget powered by Calendly. Attorney profiles include credentials, case experience, bar admissions, and personal video introductions.
The client portal, built as a protected section of the Next.js application, gives each client a dashboard with their case status, upcoming deadlines, shared documents, and a secure messaging system. Document upload and e-signatures happen through the portal using DocuSign integration, eliminating the paper shuffle entirely. All data is encrypted at rest and in transit, with role-based access ensuring only assigned attorneys and paralegals can view case files.
SEO work targeted location-specific practice area keywords: "personal injury lawyer [city]", "family law attorney [city]", and similar high-intent queries. We created dedicated landing pages for each practice area in each of the firm's three service areas, with unique content addressing local court procedures and precedents.
Implementation Process
1
Audit & Strategy(2 weeks)
Reviewed competitor websites for 8 local firms, audited existing SEO positions, interviewed paralegals about document workflows, and mapped the client onboarding process.
2
Design & Content(3 weeks)
Designed the visual system, wrote content for 22 practice area pages, recorded attorney video introductions, and created the portal UX.
3
Development(3.5 weeks)
Built the website with Payload CMS, developed the client portal with encrypted document storage, integrated Calendly and DocuSign, and implemented the security layer.
4
SEO & Launch(1.5 weeks)
Implemented schema markup for LocalBusiness and Attorney, set up Google Business profiles, configured 301 redirects, and launched with a local PR push.
Results
Within 90 days, the new website was the firm's top source of new client consultations — surpassing referrals for the first time in the firm's history.
89%
More consultations
Monthly consultation requests from 24 to 45
3.1x
Organic traffic
Ranking in top 3 for 12 local practice area keywords
< 2 min
Document exchange
Clients upload documents directly, attorneys review within the portal
3 hrs→20 min
Client onboarding
Digital intake forms and e-signatures eliminated paper workflows
97/100
Lighthouse score
Up from 38 — fastest law firm website in the metro area
Technology Stack
N
Next.js 15
Website and client portal with SSR
P
Payload CMS 3
Content management and case data
P
PostgreSQL 16
Encrypted data storage for client records
D
DocuSign API
E-signatures for retainer agreements and authorizations
C
Calendly API
Online consultation booking
Ready to Start?
No commitments. Tell us what you need and we'll tell you how we'd solve it.
“The portal changed how we work with clients. No more chasing people for signed forms or lost documents. And the website finally represents the quality of our practice.”
— Senior Partner, Sterling & Associates
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