FindLaw Alternatives After the Internet Brands Acquisition

You may have heard the news that Thomson Reuters has agreed to sell FindLaw to Internet Brands. U.S. News and World Report shared that in recent quarters, FindLaw’s growth has lagged behind that of its other legal services. Pending regulatory approvals, FindLaw joined well-known legal marketing platforms like Nolo, Martindale, and Avvo in Internet Brands’ portfolio in the fourth quarter of 2024. 

This Thomson Reuters brand is well-known for their legal directory, website design, and marketing services. If your firm is currently working with FindLaw, you might be concerned about what the acquisition means for your law firm’s marketing, but it may be too soon to know how this acquisition will impact your account. During this transition, it’s important to be alert to how this acquisition could affect your marketing—and what your other options might be.

Common FindLaw Complaints—Can You Relate?

In recent years, online grumbling about Findlaw has increased. Attorneys have turned to online forums to share about poor return on investment, lack of flexibility and customization, and overall cost. There have been complaints about a lack of transparency from the company, as well as poorly implemented website and marketing services leading to an overall frustrating client experience. 

While we can’t know for sure what the Internet Brands acquisition of FindLaw will mean for their clients, we can draw some inferences from how their current legal marketing platforms operate. Internet Brands owns Avvo, Nolo, and Martindale, so it’s reasonable to imagine that they will operate in a similar way. 

Unfortunately, Avvo, Martindale, and Nolo get similar reviews when it comes to their marketing services. One of the biggest knocks is return on investment; attorneys often report that they are paying more, and receiving fewer qualified leads. The implication is that if you’re not satisfied with FindLaw’s services now, the Internet Brands acquisition may not improve your opinion of them. If that prospect is motivating you to look for alternatives, you may be wondering where to start.

Five Things to Think About in a Move From FindLaw Website

Of course, most attorneys like the idea of having a website marketing program that generate high-quality leads. However, many solo attorneys and small law firms simply need a website solution that provides a professional online presence without having to invest in ongoing services that exceed their needs. If you’re contemplating a move from FindLaw, or simply looking to begin a relationship with a new legal marketing agency, here are some things to consider.

Client Service

One of the complaints about FindLaw and similar platforms is the level of staff turnover and the disconnect between account managers and those who are actually implementing the various account services. It’s important to ask how an agency you are considering managing accounts and the process you can expect from them. It is important to have a single point of contact that is responsible for taking your website project from start to finish,  or managing their marketing services to ensure cohesion across all campaigns. 

Customization

Different law firms have different needs, but Findlaw and other companies sell packages of services that may not be customizable to those needs—forcing law firms to pay for unnecessary services. If moving to a new provider, find out if you can customize the services you will receive, or if you are limited to fixed offerings. Many smaller agencies like ours offer a variety of website design options and create tailored marketing solutions to align with your business goals. 

Contracts

Especially if you’ve had to extricate yourself from a long-term FindLaw contract, you may be wary about getting locked into a contract with another provider or digital marketing agency. You will feel much more at ease if your agency doesn’t require long-term contracts. For us, we hope you’ll stay with us for all of your website care needs, but you’ll have all the tools you need to make your site work on whatever hosting and marketing provider you choose. 

Ongoing Marketing Services

Many of the attorneys looking for an alternative to Findlaw are frustrated that there is little transparency about what they are getting for their marketing investment; It’s often not clear who or how their marketing is being managed or monitored. Selecting an agency that is reporting to you on a regular basis and explaining the performance of your campaigns brings clarity to your return on investment.

Website and Content Ownership

Who owns “your” website? It stands to reason that it should be your law firm, but that isn’t always the case. Leaving FindLaw, or another platform with similar practices, can be like a bad divorce: you’ll get out, but you won’t take much with you, and you’ll be starting from scratch. That includes the potential loss of SEO and search rankings accrued during your time on the platform.

Looking to Make the Switch? Learn About Our Law Firm Website Design and Marketing Services

Moving to a new digital marketing agency is an important decision, and there are a lot of options out there. Take the time to gather the answers you need to make an informed choice. The Modern Firm offers website rescue services that make it easier to transition from a legacy provider like FindLaw, and you have full ownership of any website we develop for you. 

We can even do a website rescue that avoids the need for you to buy out your design and content from your old provider. If you feel handcuffed to a legacy provider by fears that a move will tank your search rankings, we can often allay those fears and ensure a smooth transition. 

To learn more about alternatives to FindLaw, and what other agencies have to offer, contact The Modern Firm to schedule a consultation with our marketing professionals.