Teardown 01: Law firms
We reviewed 20 law firm websites in Malaysia. Firm names removed, patterns kept. Four patterns turn a firm with decades of work behind it into one that looks like every other firm on the page.
Why this matters
A client with a dispute or a deal looks at three or four firms before contacting one. The website is the only part of that comparison the firm controls.
Most of the sites we reviewed don't make the case for hiring the firm. They confirm the firm exists.
Twenty firms across corporate, disputes, conveyancing and general practice, from two-partner boutiques to firms with over 100 lawyers. On each site we read the homepage, the firm page, the people page and one practice area, and scored five things:
20
Malaysian law firm websites reviewed in October 2026
14 of 18
run on WordPress. None run on Webflow.
Two sites could not be fully assessed: one firm has merged and its site is a notice page, and one returned too little to review. Counts on this page are out of the 18 that could.
What we found
Pattern 01
10 of 18
open with a slogan, a welcome or the words Advocates and Solicitors
The same six words appear across the set. None of them tells a prospect what the firm does, for whom, or why it would win their matter. Swap the logos and the heroes are interchangeable.
What it costs the firm: the one screen every visitor sees is spent on words competitors use too.
Pattern 02
15 of 18
show practice areas as a bare list or an icon grid
Five sites list more than 30 practice areas. A list of 34 tells a prospect the firm can take their matter. It does not tell them the firm is the right choice for it. Only one site in the set put a named lawyer with a direct line on a practice page.
What it costs the firm: specialism is invisible. A disputes firm with a Chambers ranking reads the same as a general practice with a wide net.
Pattern 03
15 of 18
list lawyers with a name and a title, and nothing else
No bio on the listing, no direct email or phone, and no way to filter by practice. About half show no partner photos. Clients hire lawyers, not firms. If the site won't show them who they would work with, they go to LinkedIn, and the firm loses control of the first impression.
What it costs the firm: its strongest asset, the partners, is the hardest thing to find.
Pattern 04
9 of 18
lead with the founding year as their main proof
Since 1905, since 1964, 40 years. Only five sites show any testimonial, and about seven offer no proof beyond self-description. Almost none name a matter, a deal value or a type of client they have won for. Eleven have no next step beyond a phone number or Learn more. Nine show nothing dated on the homepage, and six carry a footer year from 2025 or earlier.
What it costs the firm: longevity proves the firm has lasted, not that it wins. A stale site tells a prospect nobody is looking after it.
The alternative
CTS Lawyers, Kuala Lumpur. A dispute resolution firm established in 1989, rebuilt on Webflow by our team in eight weeks.
CTS Lawyers
Before, a hard-coded site brought in no leads in 35 years of practice, and the firm paid an agency monthly for minor changes. Now the specialism is stated in the first paragraph. Legal 500 and Chambers rankings sit on the homepage. Sixteen lawyers appear with photos, titles and profiles, and each practice area has its own page.
600%
More website conversions, measured against the previous eight years
CTS Lawyers
1 a day
Leads from the website, after 35 years with none
CTS Lawyers
Mike was exceptionally responsive, professional, and committed throughout the entire project. He took the time to gain a deep understanding of our industry, our objectives, and the unique requirements of our business.
8 keywords
On Google page one within three months of launch
CTS Lawyers
Checklist
If the answer to two or more is no, the site is costing you clients you never hear about.
01
And for whom. A slogan or a welcome gives a prospect nothing to compare.
02
Name who handles each type of matter, and give a direct way to reach them.
03
Recent rankings, matters and client words carry more weight than a date.
04
One action on every page, not a phone number in the footer.
05
An insight, a news item or a current ranking shows the firm is active.
We take on a limited number of law firm projects each quarter. Join the waiting list and we will review your site against the same five questions before the first call. Professional services and finance firms only.
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