FindLaw, owned by Thomson Reuters, has been building websites for attorneys since the early 2000s. They're one of the oldest names in legal marketing. But longevity doesn't mean quality — and the complaints from attorneys who've tried to leave tell a consistent story.
FindLaw's Pricing
FindLaw's pricing has shifted over the years, but current reported ranges:
- Basic website package: $500 - $1,000/month
- Website + SEO + content: $1,500 - $3,000/month
- Premium packages with PPC: $2,000 - $5,000+/month
- Contract length: 12-24 months
At those rates, a two-year engagement costs $24,000 - $72,000. That's a significant investment, and you'd expect to walk away with something to show for it.
You don't.
The Core Problem: You Own Nothing
FindLaw builds websites on their proprietary platform. Here's what that means in practice:
- Your website URL may be theirs. Some firms have reported that FindLaw registered the domain on their behalf — meaning FindLaw controls the domain, not the firm.
- Your content stays behind. The pages, blog posts, and practice area descriptions FindLaw wrote? Those were created on their platform and don't come with you.
- Your SEO history vanishes. Two years of blog posts, backlinks to your FindLaw-hosted pages, and local SEO work — all gone when you cancel. Your new site starts from near zero.
- Redesigning means rebuilding. There's no export button. No way to download your site. When you leave, you're starting over.
This is the lock-in trap at its most extreme. We cover it in depth in The Hidden Cost of Website Lock-In.
What Attorneys Say
The frustration is real and well-documented across legal forums and review sites:
- "I paid $2,000/month for two years and left with nothing." This is the most common complaint. Attorneys feel they were renting, not building.
- "My website looked like every other FindLaw site." Template fatigue is real. FindLaw sites follow a recognizable formula, and potential clients notice.
- "I couldn't make simple updates." Adding a new attorney bio, changing office hours, or updating a phone number required submitting a request and waiting.
- "The SEO results were mediocre." Many firms report that despite paying for SEO, their rankings didn't meaningfully improve — especially in competitive markets.
- "Leaving was a nightmare." Contract cancellation processes are slow, and some firms report being billed after requesting cancellation.
The Domain Issue
This deserves its own section because it's the most damaging. If FindLaw registered your domain:
- You may need to negotiate to get your own domain name back
- During the transition, your firm literally doesn't have a website
- Any domain authority you've built is tied to FindLaw's hosting, not your firm
Always register your own domain. This is non-negotiable. If a vendor insists on controlling your domain, walk away.
Who FindLaw Still Works For
FindLaw's main value proposition is their directory. FindLaw.com is a high-traffic legal directory, and being listed there can drive referral traffic. If directory placement is your primary goal and you're willing to pay for it, FindLaw may have some value.
But for your actual website? There are far better options.
What to Do Instead
At Bindingstone Digital, we built our service as the antidote to everything FindLaw gets wrong:
- $349/month — a fraction of FindLaw's cost
- You own your domain. Always. We'll never register it on your behalf.
- Full buyout option. Pay $4,999 and the site is yours — code, content, everything. Host it anywhere.
- Custom design. Your firm's site won't look like the 10,000 other FindLaw sites.
- No long-term contracts. Month-to-month. If we're not earning your business, you should be free to leave.
Read our full Bindingstone vs. FindLaw comparison for a detailed side-by-side breakdown.
For more on what a law firm website should actually cost, we've put together a comprehensive pricing guide.
The Bottom Line
FindLaw pioneered legal websites, but their model is built on dependency, not value. After spending $50,000+ over two years, you should have a website you own. You shouldn't be starting from scratch.
If you're a law firm evaluating your options, check out our law firm website services or schedule a conversation to see what ownership-first looks like.