Short answer
A law firm website maintenance plan should cover security, backups, software updates, forms, content accuracy, and basic performance checks. It should also name the person responsible and set a repeatable schedule. Some tasks need attention every month; others can be reviewed quarterly or after a major change. Before choosing a vendor or service plan, confirm exactly which tasks are included and which remain your firm's responsibility.
Which tasks belong in the plan?
Think of maintenance as a mix of technical upkeep and routine quality checks. A website can load properly while still showing an outdated phone number, broken intake form, or former staff member. Both kinds of problems matter to visitors.
| Task | Suggested cadence | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Backups | Weekly or before major changes | Confirm backups run and know how restoration works |
| Software and security updates | Monthly, or when updates are available | Apply supported updates and review security alerts |
| Forms and contact details | Monthly | Test submissions, routing, phone numbers, and email addresses |
| Content and staff listings | Quarterly and after changes | Check service descriptions, biographies, locations, and office hours |
| Links and page display | Quarterly | Test important links and review pages on mobile and desktop |
| Domain, hosting, and SSL | Monthly | Confirm renewals, site availability, and secure connections |
| Analytics and page speed | Quarterly | Look for unusual changes and pages that load or behave poorly |
These are practical starting points, not rules that fit every site. A firm that changes staff, services, or locations often may need to check those details more frequently.
Who should be responsible?
Assign an owner for each task, even if one person handles most of them. That person might be an office manager, marketing coordinator, attorney, or website provider. The important point is that someone knows what is due and how to report a problem.
A simple responsibility list can prevent gaps:
- Firm contact: approves content changes and confirms contact information.
- Website provider: handles the technical tasks listed in the service agreement.
- Backup contact: can reach the provider or access the site if the primary contact is unavailable.
- Approver: reviews significant changes before they go live.
Keep login details in a secure password manager. Document who controls the domain, hosting account, website files, analytics, and any connected services. Confirm what access you retain if you change providers.
What should you confirm about security and backups?
Ask how often backups run, how long they are retained, and whether restoring a backup is included. A backup is useful only if it can be restored. Find out who to contact if the site is unavailable, a form stops working, or you suspect an account has been compromised.
Also confirm who handles software updates and security monitoring. A provider may include hosting but exclude hands-on maintenance, or may include updates but charge separately for repairs. Get the scope in writing rather than assuming that “maintenance” includes every technical task.
Check that the website uses HTTPS and that its SSL certificate renews properly. Confirm domain renewal responsibility and the email address that receives renewal notices. If the firm uses third-party tools for scheduling, chat, analytics, or payments, identify who updates and monitors those connections.
How should you review content and functionality?
Set aside time to test the website as a prospective client would use it. Open the main pages on a phone, find the phone number, and submit each contact form. Check that submissions reach the right inbox or system, and confirm that any automatic replies still make sense.
Review practice descriptions, attorney biographies, office locations, and business hours. Remove outdated staff details and check that links to client resources still work. The firm should approve statements about its services and credentials; a maintenance provider should not make those decisions on the firm's behalf.
Keep a short change log with the date, the person who approved an edit, and what changed. This helps staff trace errors and makes future reviews faster. For substantial changes, check the live page after publishing rather than relying only on a preview.
What does a maintenance plan cost, and what should it include?
Compare the scope, not just the monthly price. A low-cost plan may cover hosting alone. A more complete service may include backups, updates, uptime checks, troubleshooting, and a set amount of content support. Ask whether work is performed automatically, on request, or only after an extra fee is approved.
Use this checklist when comparing proposals:
- Are domain registration, hosting, and SSL included?
- Who updates the website software and checks for security issues?
- How often are backups made, and is restoration covered?
- Are form testing, broken-link checks, and content edits included?
- What response time should you expect when the site is down?
- Are there setup fees, contracts, renewal terms, or charges for leaving?
- Does the firm retain ownership and access to its site and data?
A website service may bundle maintenance with other tools, so separate the website tasks from practice-management or intake features when comparing offers. LegalWebDesigns includes domain, hosting, and SSL in its $49 monthly plan, with $0 setup and no contracts; review the pricing page for the current plan details.
What to do next
- List the website tasks your firm already performs and identify anything that lacks an owner.
- Test the main contact form, phone number, email links, and mobile display.
- Ask your current provider for the written maintenance scope, backup schedule, and restoration process.
- Compare at least two plans by included tasks, exclusions, ownership, and cancellation terms.
- Put recurring reviews on a calendar and assign a primary contact plus a backup.
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