Building a professional cross-border standalone website for a law firm requires consideration of the unique characteristics of the legal industry and the needs of international operations. Here are the key points for creating a law firm website using WordPress:

1. Pre-Planning

Target Positioning:

• Define service regions (which countries/regions)

• Identify primary practice areas (immigration law, business law, intellectual property, etc.)

• Analyze target client demographics

Compliance Requirements:

• Ensure compliance with legal advertising regulations (varies by country)

• Necessary disclaimers and terms & conditions

• Data protection compliance (e.g., GDPR)

2. WordPress Core Setup

Theme Selection:

• Recommended professional legal themes: Lawyer, LegalPress, or Astra Pro

• Ensure theme supports multilingual functionality (WPML or Polylang plugins)

Essential Plugins:

• Multilingual support (WPML)

• Booking system (Amelia or Bookly)

• Security protection (Wordfence)

• Form tools (Gravity Forms or WPForms)

• SEO optimization (Yoast SEO or Rank Math)

3. Key Page Design

Homepage:

• Professional banner + overview of core services

• Prominent emergency contact information

• Brief introduction to the legal team

Services Page:

• Detailed breakdown by practice area

• Showcase successful cases/precedents (with client authorization)

• Explanation of service processes

Attorney Profiles:

• Display professional qualifications

• Education and work experience

• Practice areas and language proficiency

Contact Page:

• Multiple country contact details

• Online inquiry form

• Virtual office/map display

4. Cross-Border Functionality

Multilingual Support:

• Professional legal terminology translation

• Clearly visible language switcher

Timezone Handling:

• Online booking system with automatic timezone detection

• Business hours displayed based on visitor location

Payment Integration:

• Consultation fee payments (if applicable)

• Multi-currency display and payment options

5. SEO & Marketing Strategy

Content Marketing:

• Regularly publish legal knowledge blogs

• Case analyses (without disclosing client privacy)

• Legal updates and news

Local SEO:

• Google My Business optimization

• Registration in local directories

• Structured data markup

Conversion Optimization:

• Prominent CTA buttons

• Integration of live chat tools

• Emergency contact number

6. Security & Maintenance

Data Security:

• SSL certificate required

• Regular backup solutions

• Encrypted storage of client information

Continuous Updates:

• Regular review and updates of legal content

• WordPress core and plugin updates

• Security monitoring

7. Recommended Development Process

• Needs analysis & content planning (1-2 weeks)

• Design & prototype confirmation (1-2 weeks)

• Development & implementation (3-6 weeks)

• Testing & content population (1-2 weeks)

• Launch & initial SEO setup (1 week)

• Ongoing optimization & maintenance

For law firms without an in-house tech team, it is advisable to engage an experienced WordPress  development team specializing in legal websites to ensure the site is both professionally compliant and effective in converting potential clients.