By Legal Futures Associate Conscious Solutions
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) may seem like just another item to add to the never-ending to-do list, but it’s more than just another regulation; it’s a step toward making the digital world inclusive for all. For law firms, it presents both a legal requirement and a real opportunity to improve user experience, expand reach, and show your firm’s values in action.
What is the European Accessibility Act?
Firstly, if you’re unaware, the EAA was published in 2019, requiring businesses that offer services to EU users to make their digital content accessible. This includes websites, mobile apps, PDFs, presentations, and other digital content.
The Act applies to businesses serving EU markets, not just those based in the EU. So, if your law firm has EU-based clients or website visitors, you could fall within its scope.
Could your law firm be exempt?
There are limited exemptions:
- Companies with fewer than 10 employees
- Annual turnover of less than €2 million
- Businesses that can prove an undue financial burden
However, most law firms with an established online presence will need to comply.
What’s the timeline?
- 28 June 2025: New and updated websites must comply.
- 28 June 2030: All existing websites must comply.
Since most law firm websites are updated regularly, it’s best to treat them as “updated” and act as soon as possible.
What does compliance mean?
The EAA doesn’t define its technical standards, it references EN 301 549, which aligns with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.
For an explanation of the guidelines, read our blog on digital accessibility standards.
To summarise some key requirements from the WCAG, your website should:
- Be keyboard navigable
- Be compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers
- Use proper heading structure and semantic HTML
- Include text alternatives for non-text content (e.g. alt text for images, transcripts for video and audio)
- Offer clear link text (no more “click here”)
- Ensure sufficient colour contrast
- Be readable at 200% zoom
- Avoid auto-playing media and intrusive popups
- Work across mobile and desktop devices
- Avoid flashing content that could cause seizures
It’s recommended to align with WCAG 2.2, which is expected to become the new baseline in 2026. This helps future-proof your site and improves overall user experience.
What are the risks of non-compliance?
Each EU country sets its own enforcement rules, but penalties may include:
- Fines (one-off or daily until fixed)
- Legal action
- Reputational damage
- Public announcements
- In rare cases, business suspension or imprisonment
Most countries are expected to offer warnings first, but it’s risky to rely on leniency. It’s also important to remember that implementing changes and adhering to these rules is only going to make your website and digital presence work better for everyone, so there’s really no harm in investing in your website now.
Why does this matter beyond compliance?
1 in 4 UK adults has a disability, and for pension-age adults, that rises to 45%. By ensuring your website is accessible, you can reach a broader range of potential clients.
Another good reason to make your website accessible is it will also likely improve SEO, since search engines and screen readers rely on similar cues. Additionally, many of the features which make a website accessible also improve the overall user experience (UX), enhancing your website for everyone, not just users with disabilities.
If your law firm promotes inclusivity and diversity in its “About Us” page, in its values or mission statement and more, it is counterintuitive not to ensure your website is accessible to all.
If you’re still not convinced that adhering to the EAA is important for your law firm, have a read of our blog post on why EAA is essential.
Can you rely on accessibility overlay plugins?
An accessibility overlay is a small widget pinned somewhere on the site, often a blue box with an icon of a man. It aims to provide users with additional controls to improve the accessibility of a website. They are often marketed as a quick an easy solution for accessibility compliance.
While tempting, these plugins that promise “accessibility in one line of code” are not EAA-compliant and often make the accessibility experience worse for the people they are designed for. They can conflict with users’ assistive tools and introduce GDPR concerns.
The European Commission has explicitly stated that overlays are not an acceptable compliance solution.
What does the process of becoming compliant involve?
We’ve put together a nine-step checklist to help ensure your law firm is compliant, which you can find on our website, but here’s a quick overview of what you need to keep in mind:
1. Set your target
Choose to conform to WCAG 2.1 AA (minimum) or 2.2 AA (recommended).
2. Identify key user journeys
Choose which areas of your site to focus your efforts on. Prioritise important areas like enquiry forms, payment portals, and contact pages, and refer to analytics data to find the most visited pages on your website.
3. Audit your website
Use automated tools like Chrome Lighthouse or Accessibility Checker to assess WCAG conformance, and perform a manual checks such as testing your website can be navigated with just a keyboard. Compile a list of any fixes which need to be made.
4. Prioritise fixes
Address the most critical and wide-reaching issues first.
5. Assign roles and timelines
Ensure design, development and content teams are aligned on what needs doing — and by when.
6. Implement and re-test
Apply changes and re-audit to verify compliance.
7. Keep documentation
Maintain records of your audits, changes, and an up-to-date accessibility statement on your website.
8. Monitor regularly
Make accessibility part of your website’s ongoing maintenance, especially after major updates.
9. Train your team
Ensure everyone, from your website developers to your legal copywriters to senior leadership, understands the basics of accessibility. After all, it’s everyone’s responsibility, not just a developer’s job.
Need support getting EAA-ready?
Conscious has been helping UK law firms succeed online for over 21 years. If you’d like to audit your website, improve accessibility, or align with WCAG 2.2, get in touch at sales@conscious.co.uk or call 0117 325 0200.
