Redesign & Migration Goals

1. Transition to Drupal 9: Move from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9 to tap into the platform’s advanced flexibility, supporting future-proof capabilities for a growing law firm.

2. Engage & Innovate: Create a website that reflects Saul Ewing’s innovative brand, offering a seamless user experience with modern interactive features.

3. Attract Competitive Talent: Improve the site’s appeal to lateral attorneys, specifically those with expertise in emerging industries, helping to meet growing practice demands.

4. Cross-sell Services: Implement strategies to increase sales of existing services by promoting cross-selling opportunities.

5. Improve Navigation: Simplify site navigation to make it easier for both internal and external users to find key content quickly.

Key Performance Indicators

• Reduce Bounce Rates: Improve site engagement and keep users coming back.

• Increase Conversion Rates: Guide users through the site and drive meaningful actions.

• Enhance Content Engagement: Make the website more dynamic and interactive, enticing users to explore more content.

Stakeholder Insights & Interviews

To get a sense of the strategic direction for the website, I conducted interviews with key stakeholders from seven departments, including Web & Intranet Development, Marketing, Recruiting, Communications, and more. Some themes that emerged:

Growth & Brand Alignment: "We have grown in new markets, and have a lot of new service areas. So I think our brand needs to catch up to that growth."

Flexibility for Attorneys: "We need flexibility to satisfy the needs of the attorneys. They want their industries to be able to focus on a particular area. And if the site can't accommodate that, it's difficult."

Content Currency: "I could [search for something] right now and probably get results for when somebody who was here 20 years ago, spoke at something in like 1996. It is not kept current."

Navigation Struggles: "We have received feedback directly from client that they couldn't easily navigate to the information they were looking for."

Discovering What Matters Most: User Interviews & Testing

I conducted user interviews and usability testing to identify how different user groups interact with the current website and what matters most to them when choosing a law firm.

User Insights

• Prospective Clients: They tend to rely more on personal referrals than online searches when looking for legal counsel.

• Current Clients: They seldom visit the firm’s website once they’ve established a partnership.

• Lateral Attorneys: These experienced attorneys are shifting toward a stronger work-life balance and a desire for a positive work culture.

• Diversity Matters: Both clients and attorneys highly value diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Website Behaviors & Usability Issues

• Users often search for the wrong service or industry when browsing, indicating poor navigation and categorization.

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• 81% of site traffic tracked through HotJar led directly to attorney bios, revealing the importance of these pages.Website Behaviors & Usability Issues

  
  

  

Proto-personas & Audience Review

Primary Audience

• Prospective Clients: Often too busy for in-depth research; they rely on referrals or quick online searches.

• Lateral Attorneys: Experienced professionals seeking new challenges, work-life balance, and a positive work culture.

Secondary Audience

• Current Clients: Corporate legal teams who network extensively but rely on firm referrals for new partnerships.

• Saul Ewing Attorneys: Experienced in-house lawyers who frequently use the site to find fellow attorneys with specific expertise.

Current Clients

• In-house counsel for a global company

• Relies on network for new attorney partnership introductions

• Enjoys networking at legal conferences and events, in addition to staying up to date on the latest alerts

Saul Ewing Attorneys

• Very experienced

• Works with a talented team of attorneys

• Uses the website to find attorneys within their firm who possess an expertise outside of their own

Competitor Analysis & Insights

I also looked at the competition to help inform our redesign, focusing on four key areas:

• Navigation: How can we improve our primary navigation to meet users' mental models and expectations?

• Attorney Bios: How can we best highlight attorney credentials to establish trust and credibility?

• Interactive Features: How can we incorporate engaging content that enhances the user experience without overwhelming the site?

• Site Search: How can we make site search more efficient so users can find what they need quickly?

Simplifying the Navigation

Wireframes & Sketching Ideas

Once we understood the user needs and expectations, I started collaborating with another UX designer to wireframe the site. We focused on balancing site goals, user insights, and stakeholder priorities while working within a tight deadline.

Mid-Fidelity Wireframes & Page Anatomy

With our user and stakeholder insights in mind, we created mid-fidelity wireframes to establish page structure. Key features included:

• Industry Overview + Contact CTA: Clear industry-focused pages with direct call-to-action buttons for easy engagement.

• Key Contacts: Featured practice group leaders and senior attorneys.

• Related Services: Cross-sell opportunities displayed dynamically to increase service uptake.

• Prestigious Awards & Accolades: Clear visual hierarchy to highlight the firm’s credibility.

Final Thoughts

This redesign project wasn’t just about migrating to Drupal 9—it was about ensuring Saul Ewing’s website truly reflected the firm’s growth, innovation, and client-centric approach. By improving navigation, adding interactivity, and aligning the site with users’ needs, we positioned Saul Ewing’s online presence for future growth while enhancing the user experience across the board.