In the legal profession, authority and trust are the currency of success. For Harrington & Associates, a boutique law firm based in Chancery Lane, London, their digital presence was failing to reflect their courtroom prestige. Their existing WordPress site was plagued by slow load times and a "template" feel that didn't resonate with their corporate and high-net-worth clients. In a sector where a single click can lead to a multi-year instruction, every second of latency was a lost opportunity.
They partnered with Custom Coded Websites to build a digital platform that combined enterprise-grade security with a sophisticated, high-performance user experience. Here is how we utilized Django to transform their website into their most effective client acquisition tool.
The Challenge: The High Cost of a Slow First Impression
Legal clients often search for counsel during high-stress situations. Harrington & Associates found that their "old" digital presence was creating unnecessary friction:
- Low Mobile Engagement: Potential clients searching on mobile devices in the City or Canary Wharf were bouncing due to 5-second load times.
- Generic Branding: The firm's unique specialisms were buried in a confusing, non-intuitive navigation menu common in off-the-shelf legal themes.
- Lead Leakage: Their inquiry forms were generic and lacked the encrypted, professional feel required for sensitive legal data.
The CCW Solution: A Bespoke Digital Foundation
Our co-founders, Charlie Shortman and Louie Long, designed a solution that moved the firm away from the "rented land" of templates. We built a custom application using the Django framework, specifically chosen for its "batteries-included" security and superior handling of complex content hierarchies.
1. Technical Authority & Speed
Charlie Shortman engineered a backend that prioritized "Time to First Byte" (TTFB). By eliminating the 40+ plugins used in their previous setup and replacing them with native Python code, we achieved a sub-second load time. In the legal market, a fast site communicates efficiency and modern standards. We also implemented a PostgreSQL database to manage their extensive library of legal insights, ensuring that even as their "Knowledge Hub" grows, the site speed remains unaffected.
2. Trust-Centric UX Design
Louie Long focused on "Authority Design." We replaced the stock legal imagery with high-end, custom photography of the firm’s Chancery Lane offices. We designed a bespoke "Specialist Finder" tool that allows clients to reach the correct partner in under two clicks. Most importantly, we implemented an encrypted, custom lead-capture flow that uses Django’s advanced security protocols to protect client confidentiality from the very first interaction.
3. Domination of London Legal SEO
To capture the local market, we implemented a rigorous technical SEO strategy. We utilized Structured Data (Schema.org) to ensure that the firm’s lawyers appeared as "Authoritative Experts" in Google’s Knowledge Graph. By optimizing for local search terms like "Commercial Litigation Chancery Lane" and "Corporate Counsel London," we moved Harrington & Associates from page five to the top of page one for their primary practice areas.
The Results: Quantifiable Growth in High-Value Instructions
The impact of the new custom-coded platform was immediate and measurable:
- Acquisition Rate: A 110% increase in high-value client inquiries within the first four months.
- Site Performance: Loading speeds improved by 70%, achieving a "Green" status across all Google Core Web Vitals.
- Conversion Quality: The firm reported that the average value of online leads increased, as the professional design attracted more corporate-level inquiries.
- SEO Win: Organic traffic from Westminster and the City grew by 150%, significantly reducing the firm's reliance on paid legal directories.
Why Law Firms Are Choosing Custom Django over WordPress
Harrington & Associates' success demonstrates that for professional services, a website is not just a brochure; it is a point of contact. A custom Django build from Custom Coded Websites offers a level of security, speed, and brand alignment that no template can match. In the legal world, where reputation is everything, your digital presence should be as impeccable as your counsel.
Based in London, we specialize in helping legal professionals project authority and win more clients. We don't just write code; we build the digital infrastructure that helps London’s leading firms grow.