Website upkeep for law firms: what goes stale first
On law firm websites, articles written under a rule that has since changed go stale first, followed by mentions of deadlines that have passed and profiles of lawyers who have left. Event listings for past seminars linger too. A visible "last reviewed" date on every article is the single most effective fix.
Find out which pages need a review
Enter your address and see what no longer matches today's date. Free for one website, always.
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So geht es
- 1Enter your address. Type your firm's website address into the field.
- 2Let us look. DustOff reads the visible text on your main pages.
- 3Read the result. Every dusty passage appears with an excerpt and a reason.
- 4Get reminded. Add your email so DustOff checks again on your rhythm.
Where legal content quietly stops being true
Legal writing carries a promise that most other web copy does not: that it reflects the law as it stands. When the law moves and the page does not, the gap is not cosmetic.
- Articles written under a rule or rate that has since changed
- References to deadlines that have already passed
- Attorney profiles for people who have left the firm
- Statutory references given without a date of last review
- Seminar and speaking announcements from previous years
Why this matters more here than elsewhere
For most businesses, an outdated page is an embarrassment. For a firm, it is closer to a credibility question: a client reading advice tied to an old rule may act on it, and the cost of that mistake falls on them, not on you.
A dated article also affects how the whole page reads. A visitor who spots one outdated reference tends to distrust the rest of the article too, even the parts that are still accurate.
A rhythm that fits how firms actually work
Give every article a visible date of last review. Anything older than two years goes on a short review list, checked whenever the relevant area of law changes — not on a fixed calendar that ignores what's actually moving.
Between those reviews, a regular outside look catches the rest: DustOff reads the published text and reports what no longer matches today's date, without needing access to your content system.
What to do instead of deleting
Removing an older article usually loses more than it fixes — search visibility, internal links, and the client questions it used to answer. A short, honest update note at the top, with the outdated section corrected, keeps the value while removing the risk.
Häufige Fragen
- Should old articles be deleted?
- Usually not. A visible note on the current status, plus a short correction of the key points, works better than removing the page.
- Does a visible review date actually help?
- Yes. It signals to clients and search engines that the text is deliberately maintained, not simply left in place.
- How often should articles be reviewed?
- At least once a year, plus immediately after a relevant change in the law. Deadline-specific articles need a check right after the date passes.
- What about lawyer profiles after someone leaves?
- Update or remove the profile the same week they leave, and redirect their old contact details so enquiries don't disappear.