Ownership5 min read
Do You Actually Own Your Law Firm Website? A Checklist Before You Sign
Many firms discover they do not own their website only when they try to leave their marketing vendor. Here is what ownership really means, the clauses to look for, and how to check your setup in an afternoon.
On this page
- Why does website ownership matter so much for a law firm?
- What does it actually mean to own a website?
- Does paying for a website mean you own the copyright?
- Who owns your domain name?
- What happens to your website if you leave your marketing company?
- What should a law firm website contract include?
- How do you take back control of a website you do not own?
- How ownership works at LawFirmWebAgency
- Sources
Key takeaways
- Website ownership is a bundle: domain, copyright, platform, photos, phone numbers and Google accounts.
- Paying for a website does not transfer its copyright. You need a signed written assignment.
- If the site only runs on the vendor's platform, leaving means rebuilding.
- Make the firm the primary owner of its Google Business Profile, Analytics and Search Console.
- Before switching vendors, archive the site and redirect every old URL to protect your rankings.
Short answer: You own your law firm website only if five things are true: the domain is registered to your firm, you hold administrator access to the hosting and the site, the contract assigns the copyright in the design, code and content to you, the photography is licensed to your firm, and your Google Business Profile, Google Analytics and Search Console list the firm as owner. Paying for a website does not by itself transfer the copyright. Under U.S. copyright law a commissioned website generally belongs to whoever created it, unless a signed written agreement transfers it.
Why does website ownership matter so much for a law firm?
A law firm website gathers value over years: rankings, inbound links, reviews attached to its profile, content your attorneys wrote and the phone numbers clients have saved. When the vendor owns the platform, that value stays with the vendor. Firms usually discover this at the worst moment, when they decide to leave and learn that the site, and sometimes the domain, does not come with them.
What does it actually mean to own a website?
Ownership is not one thing. It is a bundle of separate assets, and each one can sit with a different party:
| Asset | Where to check | What owned looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | Your registrar account | Your firm is the registrant and you hold the registrar login |
| Design, code and content | Your contract | A signed written assignment of copyright to the firm |
| Platform and hosting | Your contract and hosting account | The site can be exported and run elsewhere |
| Photos and video | License records | Licensed to your firm, not to the vendor's account |
| Phone numbers | Your carrier and call tracking provider | Numbers held in the firm's account and portable on request |
| Google Business Profile | The profile's people and access settings | A firm account is primary owner and the vendor is a manager |
| Analytics and Search Console | Admin and owner settings | A firm account has administrator or owner rights |
Does paying for a website mean you own the copyright?
Not automatically, and outside an intellectual property practice it is an easy point to miss in a marketing contract. Under the Copyright Act, work by an independent contractor is a “work made for hire” only if it falls into one of nine statutory categories and both parties sign a written agreement saying so. A website does not fit those categories neatly. Without a written assignment, the designer or agency generally keeps the copyright in what it created, and the firm has, at most, a license to use it.
Look for a clause that assigns all rights in the design, code and content to the firm on payment. Be wary of clauses that license the site to you for the duration of the contract, which means the license ends when the contract does.
Who owns your domain name?
Whoever is listed as the registrant holds the domain. Many registration records are now redacted for privacy, so the reliable check is your own registrar account: if you cannot log in and see the domain, you do not control it. If the vendor registered it, ask in writing for a transfer to a registrar account in the firm's name, and once it arrives, turn on auto-renew and the registrar lock.
What happens to your website if you leave your marketing company?
It depends entirely on the platform and the contract. If the site runs on a proprietary system, you may receive a copy of your text and images, but not a working website. If it runs on a standard platform and you own the code, it can move to new hosting with no change visitors would notice. Before signing anything, ask the vendor to describe in writing exactly what you receive if you leave, in what format and within how many days.
What should a law firm website contract include?
- Assignment of copyright in the design, code and content to the firm.
- The domain registered in the firm's name from day one.
- Administrator access for the firm to hosting, the site, analytics and the Google Business Profile.
- Photo and video licenses held in the firm's name, or transferable to it.
- Ownership and portability of any tracking phone numbers.
- A defined exit process: what is delivered, in what format and how quickly.
- Clear terms on length, renewal, notice period and termination fees.
How do you take back control of a website you do not own?
- Audit. Work through the table above and note who holds each asset today.
- Read the contract. Find the ownership, license and termination clauses before you give notice.
- Request in writing. Ask for the transfer of the domain, account ownership and any assets you have paid for, and keep the correspondence.
- Archive the current site. Save copies of every page. Some state bars require firms to keep copies of advertising for a set period, and you will want the content for the rebuild anyway.
- Map every URL. List every page that ranks or earns links, and plan a permanent (301) redirect from each old address to its new equivalent, so the search value you built carries over.
- Fix your listings. Once the new site is live, update your phone number and website link on your Google Business Profile, bar profile and directory listings.
How ownership works at LawFirmWebAgency
We charge a fixed, one-time fee: $2,995 for the Firm Website package, or $3,995 with brand identity included. There is no monthly retainer, no contract and no renewal. Your firm owns the design, the code, the content and the domain outright from day one. See our pricing, read how we approach law firm website development, or start your website.
Sources
This article is general information for law firms about websites and marketing. It is not legal advice, and LawFirmWebAgency is not a law firm. Check your state bar's current rules before you publish any advertising.
