Law firm logos: Why they change

Over the course of a few posts, I’d like to look at some of the reasons that law firms (and companies in other sectors) change their logos and related topics. The reason this is so important is that asking, “why should we change” is the fundamental question that everyone should ask before embarking on a serious brand initiative. Afterall, it’s no small undertaking. Emotion, cost, and commitment of people are all serious obstacles for anyone driving the efforts.

Maybe changing the logo isn’t necessary anyway, but having a bulletproof answer to the question is vital and can be the key to creating meaningful change that will advance the firm.

Here are 6 reasons that firms change their logos.

✔️ Our logo no longer reflects who we are
This is the most common reason I see with firms. When you read your “About Us” language and then look at your logo, is there a disconnect? Have you recently better articulated your brand strategy? It may be time to change your logo or at least all of the visual tools around it.

✔️ There’s a change in the competitive landscape
Does your logo look outdated and have all of your competitors moved forward and evolved the visual landscape?

✔️ We’ve had a leadership change
Not always a great reason to change, but it does happen. Sometimes, new leadership is put in place to advance the firm or change direction and sometimes, new leaders want their thumbprint shown.

✔️ We’ve changed (or shortened) our name
Many firms in recent years have shortened their brand name, embracing the way to which they are referred in the market. This doesn’t mean your legal name needs to change but it does better reflect how your brand lives in the minds of its audiences.

✔️ We’ve merged
Mergers and acquisitions often result in a new name but just as often, one name stays and the resulting logo is a reflection of the combined culture and business.

✔️ Our logo is broken
If logos can’t be used consistently in a variety of applications and mediums, then it may be broken. Can you shrink it to small sizes and it is still legible? Is it tiny on a step-and-repeat banner? Does it fall flat on social media? It may be broken.

While this list outlines reasons why, it doesn’t answer the questions around how to manage the process and what you expect your logo to do. Below are some of the topics I'll aim to cover in future posts but please also reach out if you have other questions.

- Objections you’ll face
- What to expect from a logo
- How to start the process
- Evolution vs. Revolution