The Irony Law Firms Can't Afford to Ignore
Law firms frequently counsel clients on regulatory compliance—including ADA requirements. Yet a surprising number of legal websites contain accessibility barriers that violate the very laws they help clients navigate. This creates not only legal exposure but also a credibility problem that sophisticated clients will notice.
The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to law firm websites just as it applies to any other place of public accommodation. Courts have consistently held that websites of professional services firms—including law firms—must be accessible to people with disabilities. And with an estimated 61 million Americans living with a disability, an inaccessible website means excluding a significant portion of potential clients.
⚖️ The Professional Stakes
High
Lawsuit Vulnerability
Ethical
Professional Obligations
Reputation
Client Trust at Risk
Understanding ADA Title III Requirements for Law Firms
The legal framework for website accessibility has become increasingly clear. Here's what law firm partners and marketing managers need to understand:
1Law Firms as "Places of Public Accommodation"
ADA Title III explicitly lists "professional offices of healthcare providers" as places of public accommodation—and courts have extended this reasoning to law offices. When a law firm maintains a website that potential clients use to learn about services, contact attorneys, or access client portals, that website becomes an extension of the firm's physical office.
The Legal Standard:
- •Websites must provide "full and equal enjoyment" of services
- •Barriers must be removed when "readily achievable"
- •WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the recognized technical standard
2DOJ's Clear Position on Website Accessibility
The Department of Justice has been unambiguous: the ADA applies to websites. The 2024 rule for state and local governments explicitly requires WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance, and the DOJ has repeatedly stated that the same principles apply to private entities under Title III.
🔍 Key DOJ Statement:
"Covered entities must ensure that the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations they provide to the public are equally available to people with disabilities."
3Growing Body of Website Accessibility Case Law
Federal courts have ruled repeatedly in favor of plaintiffs in website accessibility cases. While the landmark Gil v. Winn-Dixie case and subsequent Robles v. Domino's Pizza decision set important precedents, the volume of cases continues to grow—with professional services firms increasingly targeted.
- •Over 4,000 ADA website accessibility lawsuits filed in 2025
- •Professional services firms increasingly targeted
- •Serial plaintiff firms actively scan for non-compliant websites
Ethical Obligations Beyond Legal Requirements
For law firms, accessibility isn't just about avoiding lawsuits—it touches on core professional responsibilities.
📜 Professional Responsibility Considerations
- ✓Competence (Rule 1.1) — Attorneys who advise on ADA compliance should demonstrate that competence in their own digital presence
- ✓Diligence (Rule 1.3) — Allowing known barriers to remain on a firm website may raise diligence concerns
- ✓Supervision (Rules 5.1, 5.3) — Partners have supervisory obligations over marketing materials and firm communications
- ✓Access to Justice — Bar associations increasingly emphasize removing barriers that prevent people from accessing legal services
💡 Consider This:
When a potential client with a visual impairment can't navigate your website to contact your firm, they'll find a firm whose site works for them. This isn't just lost revenue—it's a failure to serve the community your firm claims to represent.
Most Common Accessibility Failures on Law Firm Websites
Based on our analysis of legal websites, these accessibility issues appear most frequently. Many stem from common legal website design patterns that weren't built with accessibility in mind.
Missing Alt Text on Attorney Photos
Attorney headshots without descriptive alt text make it impossible for screen reader users to identify attorneys. Fix: Add meaningful alt text to all images
Contact Forms Without Labels
Consultation request forms often use placeholder text instead of proper labels, breaking screen reader compatibility. Fix: Associate labels with form fields
Inaccessible Practice Area Dropdowns
Mega menus and practice area navigation that can't be operated with a keyboard. Fix: Ensure full keyboard operability
Low Contrast "Call Now" Buttons
Critical call-to-action buttons with insufficient color contrast against backgrounds. Fix: Achieve 4.5:1 contrast ratio
Video Testimonials Without Captions
Client testimonial videos and attorney introduction videos lacking captions or transcripts. Fix: Add synchronized captions
PDF Brochures as Scanned Images
Firm brochures, fee schedules, and intake forms posted as untagged PDFs that screen readers can't parse. Fix: Use tagged, accessible PDFs
Auto-Playing Background Videos
Hero videos that auto-play and distract users, without pause controls. Fix: Provide pause/stop controls
Client Portal Accessibility: A Critical Concern
Many law firms now offer client portals for document sharing, case status updates, and secure communication. These portals present unique accessibility challenges that go beyond the public-facing website.
🔐 Client Portal Accessibility Checklist
- ✓Login process works with screen readers and keyboard navigation
- ✓Multi-factor authentication offers accessible alternatives (not image-only CAPTCHA)
- ✓Document uploads announce success/failure to assistive technology
- ✓Secure messaging forms have proper labels and instructions
- ✓Case status updates are conveyed in text, not just color-coded indicators
- ✓Session timeouts provide warnings that screen readers announce
⚠️ Third-Party Portal Warning:
If you use a third-party client portal solution, verify its accessibility claims. Request a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) from the vendor. You remain responsible for the accessibility of services you offer to clients, even when provided through third-party software.
How to Achieve Law Firm Website Accessibility
Making your law firm's website accessible requires a systematic approach. Here's a practical roadmap based on the ADA compliance best practices for 2026:
1Conduct an Accessibility Audit
Start by understanding your current state. Automated scanning tools like RatedWithAI can identify the majority of technical WCAG violations in minutes. For a complete picture, combine automated testing with manual review.
- •Run automated scans on all key pages (homepage, practice areas, attorney bios, contact)
- •Test forms with keyboard-only navigation
- •Verify client portal accessibility separately
2Prioritize Critical Path Issues
Not all issues carry equal weight. Focus first on barriers that prevent users from completing key tasks:
- •Contact/consultation forms — This is how clients reach you
- •Main navigation — Must work for keyboard users
- •Attorney profiles — Key decision-making content
- •Practice area descriptions — Core service information
3Implement Fixes
Work with your web developer or agency to address identified issues. Common fixes include:
- •Adding alt text to all images
- •Associating form labels with input fields
- •Ensuring sufficient color contrast
- •Making navigation keyboard-accessible
- •Adding captions to videos
4Publish an Accessibility Statement
An accessibility statement demonstrates commitment and provides a channel for users to report issues:
- •State your accessibility commitment
- •Reference WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance goals
- •Provide contact information for accessibility issues
- •Offer alternative ways to access information
5Establish Ongoing Monitoring
Accessibility isn't a one-time fix. New content, design updates, and plugin changes can introduce new barriers. Establish regular scanning and testing as part of your website maintenance routine.
⚠️ A Word About Accessibility Overlays
Some vendors sell "overlay" widgets that claim to make websites accessible with a single line of code. As legal professionals, you should know: these tools do not provide ADA compliance, and plaintiffs' attorneys specifically target websites using them.
- ✗Overlays cannot fix underlying HTML structure issues
- ✗Many overlay companies have been named in lawsuits themselves
- ✗The disability community has broadly condemned these tools
- ✗Courts have rejected "overlay defense" arguments
The only path to true accessibility compliance is fixing the underlying code. There are no shortcuts.
The Business Case for Law Firm Accessibility
Beyond compliance and ethics, accessible websites deliver tangible business benefits:
26%
of adults in the US have some form of disability
$490B
annual disposable income of people with disabilities
Better SEO
Accessible sites perform better in search rankings
All Users
Accessibility improvements benefit everyone
Law Firm Accessibility
Scan Your Law Firm's Website
Get a comprehensive accessibility report identifying WCAG violations across your firm's digital presence. Know your compliance status before plaintiffs' attorneys do.