Ward Hadaway

A leading firm

Ward Hadaway is a leading UK law firm with offices in Newcastle, Teesside, Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester, and a team of over 400 legal professionals. Our partnership with the firm dates back to 2013, giving us deep insight into their services, structure, and audiences. When the firm underwent a major rebrand with Gardner Richardson, we were brought on board to translate their refreshed visual identity and strategic direction into a powerful new digital platform.

“Thank you to the fantastic team at Cargo who have built our nest of websites of which we are very proud – a really successful partnership.”

James Sykes

Head of Marketing at Ward Hadaway

User experience first

With a deep understanding of Ward Hadaway’s audiences and services, our first priority was reimagining how users navigate the site. We focused on clarity and simplicity, mapping intuitive user journeys that make it easier for clients, prospective employees, and partners to find what they need quickly. Every decision was shaped by user needs, ensuring the site feels effortless and engaging from the first click.

Modular design system

The firm’s new brand direction provided the foundation for a refreshed visual approach. We translated this into a flexible, modular design system that brings consistency and cohesion across the site while allowing for creativity and variety where needed. Each component was designed to work seamlessly together, ensuring pages can be built and adapted over time without compromising on structure or style.

A flexible CMS

After seven years of evolution, the previous site had become complex and difficult to manage. This project was the perfect opportunity to reset. We streamlined the back end and built a custom, modular CMS that gives Ward Hadaway’s marketing team complete control over content creation and management. Linking related content is now simpler, pages can be built more flexibly, and managing the site day-to-day is faster and more intuitive.

A lasting partnership

Our relationship with Ward Hadaway spans more than a decade, and it continues to grow. Beyond the initial redesign, we work closely with their team on an ongoing basis — evolving the website, refining functionality, and supporting new strategic initiatives as the firm’s needs develop. That long-term collaboration means we’re not just maintaining a platform, but actively helping it grow and adapt to support Ward Hadaway’s ambitions well into the future.