Case Study
When VLN sought a contemporary website that would properly represent their vital legal aid work, ArcStone provided a comprehensive digital transformation.
Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN) has been connecting volunteer attorneys with clients in need since 1966. As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, VLN promotes civil legal services for low-income Minnesotans through volunteer attorney coordination, training, and resource development.
VLN helps people experiencing poverty navigate a wide range of civil legal issues, including bankruptcy, criminal record expungement, eviction defense and expungement, family law, immigration, and other critical legal matters. The organization connects volunteer attorneys with community members who need legal assistance, primarily serving clients in Hennepin and Ramsey counties while providing educational resources, training, and advocacy for improved legal aid access on a statewide basis.
Through the commitment of hundreds of volunteer lawyers, VLN provides thousands of free legal services annually, ensuring better access to justice for people throughout the Twin Cities metro area and beyond. By partnering with some of Minnesota’s top private attorneys, VLN bridges the gap between those who need legal help and those who can provide it, creating a vital safety net for vulnerable communities.
The key change is clarifying that their direct client services focus on the Twin Cities metro area (Hennepin and Ramsey counties), while their training and resource development has statewide reach.
Our Role
- WordPress Redesign & Development
- Accessibility Implementation (WCAG 2.2 AA)
- Multilingual Content Preparation (Spanish/Somali)
- Resource Library Development
- Volunteer Recruitment Optimization
- Content Migration & Organization (278+ pages)
- Video Library Integration
The Challenge:
VLN’s outdated 2009 website no longer met the needs of its diverse audiences—including individuals seeking legal help, volunteer attorneys, and community partners. With over 278 disorganized pages, users struggled to quickly locate critical legal resources. The site lacked multilingual accessibility, excluding key Spanish and Somali-speaking communities, and failed to provide clear calls-to-action for volunteer recruitment. Its outdated structure confused visitors and undercut VLN’s mission, while poor mobile performance hindered access on smartphones and tablets. A full redesign was essential to create a clear, inclusive, and user-friendly platform that effectively supports VLN’s core constituencies.
Our Approach
ArcStone provided a complete WordPress redesign using WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards with comprehensive multilingual preparation for Spanish and Somali content. We redesigned homepage and interior templates with cleaner navigation and developed a new resource library framework that organizes VLN’s extensive legal resources more effectively. The project included integration with existing video assets, a content audit, and training for staff to manage the complex content structure independently. Programmatic content migration was provided for top-level pages, with styling and deeper content entry handled by VLN to maximize the project budget.
Reviewing The Results
VLN now operates a modern, inclusive, and responsive website that better serves Minnesotans seeking legal assistance while effectively recruiting volunteer attorneys. The accessibility-compliant platform welcomes users with disabilities while the multilingual preparation supports VLN’s commitment to serving diverse communities. The organized resource library makes legal information more findable, while improved mobile performance ensures that people can access critical legal resources regardless of their device or technical circumstances.
Domain Authority 31
The WordPress redesign and WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility implementation significantly strengthened VLN’s search engine credibility, establishing their digital platform as a trusted legal resource for Minnesota communities seeking assistance.
2900% Paid Traffic Boost
Strategic paid advertising campaigns delivered an extraordinary 2900% increase in targeted traffic, connecting exponentially more low-income Minnesotans with pro bono legal services and volunteer attorneys ready to help.
84% Organic Traffic Growth
VLN experienced dramatic organic traffic increases following the redesign, with improved resource organization and multilingual content preparation driving more Minnesota residents to find critical legal aid information through search engines.