Branding for Lawyers
3 Ways to Stand Out in a Uninspiring Industry
When you meet a lawyer at a dinner party or networking event, what is your first reaction?
Do you recoil?
Do you think about the giant bill you got for your messy divorce, or the car accident you were in or the lawsuit against your employer?
Maybe you think about the scheming lawyers you see on TV and the movies.
And yes, there are the lawyers out there that give everyone a bad name, but there are also lawyers out there who want to do things differently, who have big hearts and truly care about their clients. And this is why, it’s time for the industry as a whole to undergo a rebrand.
And in this blog post I’m going to share how – as a lawyer – you can shake up the law industry by creating a brand that stands out (it’s not that hard), builds trust with your audience and shows the world that all lawyers aren’t bad.
*If you’d prefer to watch the video version, scroll to the bottom of this post.
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When I looked up images for lawyers these are some of the images came up...
Lots of black suits, crossed arms, beige, gold, grey, somber, bla… Nothing here stands out. Nothing here inspires connection or trust. It all feels rather contrived and status quo.
Then we look at the logos and it’s more of the same. Black, gold and blue…gavels, pillars, wreaths, and scales.
There are literally pages of law logos with a scale. You could buy one of these for less than $50 and you’ve got a logo…that looks like a million other law firms.
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Here are 3 ways you can stand out, build trust, and create a law practice that aligns with you.
1. BE DIFFERENT
Just because things have always been done a certain way in your industry, doesn’t mean it’s the right way or the only way.
It’s time to forge your own path. This is the only way to get noticed.
Competition is intense and you can’t set yourself apart through things like exceptional customer service, high-quality products and friendly staff. These are table stakes. What makes you different has to be so much more than the bare minimum.
Your difference has to be something that no one else offers or that you offer in a unique way.
A great example is our client Meredith Holly of Eris Conflict Resolution. Meredith is a lawyer and a life coach. She combines these two worlds to stop sexual harassment, create a safe and healthy work environment, and help her clients keep the career they love.
She brings compassion and knowledge to a challenging situation. Her clients feel seen, heard, and supported.
What is it about you or your team that is unique? A skillset, experience, previous career? Is it a particular problem you solve or how you solve it?
It’s time to dig in a do the deep work to discover this.
2. ALIGN YOUR VISUAL BRAND
Many clients come to be not feeling connected to their brand. They don’t love the logo, they’re embarrassed by their website and they don’t even go on social media because they don’t know what to say.
This is because they led with design. They created a logo and website but they didn’t do the deep work and the visual brand never really aligned or represented them.
Think first. Design Later.
Doing the deep work to discovered what makes you different, and how you want to be known and needs to happen first. Only then can you create a visual brand that aligns with you, your vision, and your mission.
Our client Craig Sandberg is a trial lawyer based in Chicago who specializes in medical malpractice and personal injury.
Before we worked together, his logo and website were not particularly memorable. His website was full of factual content but missing a personal touch...Craig's personality and what makes him different was missing from his brand.
Working together, we discovered that his calm nature is his biggest differentiator. He can put people at ease throughout a very difficult and vulnerable time in their lives. Doing the deep work to discover this allowed us to create a visual expression that fit Craig perfectly.
Choosing colours and fonts that aren’t typical is a great way to start. Also stay away from the tried and true (and highly overused) pillars and scales I mentioned earlier.
I highly encourage you to find inspiration from businesses outside of your industry.
Once you’ve got a unique visual brand that fully represents you, your law practice and what you stand for, you’ve got to remain diligently consistent. And with a brand that you love, this will be easy.
3. UPDATE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
Let’s go back to those photographs I shared with you in the beginning. Don’t do this. Find inspiration in fashion photography, wellness brands, wedding businesses…basically anything but other law firms. Or real estate – don’t look there either. I’ll be tackling that industry in my next blog post!
Once you have clear and powerful messaging and a memorable visual brand – getting the photography right is easy. You’ll know how to dress because you know the brand colours and personality. You’ll have a deep understanding of who you serve and what makes you different and your photographer will be able to capture all of this.
During the design process, Craig Sandberg hired an amazing local Chicago photographer to capture new photographs of him for the website. They are bright and approachable – and totally different than most of the lawyer photographs I’d seen.
This entire brand is SO different than anything I've seen for personal injury and medical malpractice lawyers.
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In an industry with so little individuality, there is a huge opportunity for any lawyer to stand out and be memorable. Let’s start a movement towards approachable and human focused brands in law.
Interested in being a part of the movement? I’d love to connect about working together. Here’s the link to book a call.