11 Asian Legal Business | January-February 2025 The Briefs Law firm branding needs to evolve with time With countless firms touting “fullservice” offerings and clinging to names from historic mergers, creating a unique identity can prove as challenging as spotting a single star in a corporateblue sky. But as market forces shift and client expectations evolve, many forwardthinking firms are starting to break free from “the way it’s always been” mindset. New market dynamics has been compelling them to reimagine their market presence with fresh eyes and bold strategies. One of the most notable law firms rebranding examples has been the one of Freshfields. Last year, the oldest firm in the Magic Circle has shortened its tongue-twisting Anglo-German moniker and replaced its blue palette with a black-and-white motif. In 2023, Japanese Big Four firm Nishimura & Asahi marked its evolution into a foreign law joint enterprise with a green “Nishimura Arrows” logo, featuring origami-inspired paper airplanes that blend traditional Japanese heritage with pronounced global ambitions. “Regardless of a firm’s size, ensuring alignment of the brand strategy with their business strategy and vision is crucial. Simply allowing a brand to exist without integrating it into the firm’s strategic goals won’t achieve the optimum results, whether that be bringing lasersharp focus to the proposition or needing to attract the very best of talent”, says Greg Hobden, chief client officer at Living Group, an independent global brand and digital agency headquartered in New York. One of the most visible aspects of legal sector branding has been the predominant use of blue in visual identities. However, firms are now recognising the value of visual differentiation. As Hobden notes, “When a prospect is presented with a stack of proposal responses, they might instinctively say, ‘oh, grab me the magenta one.’ It’s a point of difference, even at that subtle aesthetic end.” This shift towards distinctive visual identities reflects a broader transformation in how law firms approach branding. The challenge lies not just in standing out visually, but also in crafting authentic brand narratives that resonate with clients. While many firms are embracing brand transformation, the results vary significantly. “Some big firms out there are doing it well, and some are doing it atrociously - they’re using that exercise as a tick box exercise and just saying what they think that their audiences want to hear. Any transformation must be based on rich analysis and insight into what it is the firm should be famous for,” Hobden observes. Successful brand evolution requires more than superficial changes, and firms must ground their rebranding efforts in solid research and genuine insights. Hobden points out that this process includes conducting thorough panel research during the discovery phase and following up with measurements at six- and twelve-months post-launch to assess the impact and recall of the changes. Similarly, when it comes to name changes, firms must approach decisions strategically. “It’s not on a whim to change the name at all. It needs to be grounded in deep insight from across every stakeholder group,” Hobden emphasises. There’s been a trend that sees law firms gradually yield to more streamlined names as shorter, more contemporary monikers can signal progressive change and future focus. Take Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of Japan’s Big Four firms, which recently condensed its name to the crisp acronym of “AMT” to showcase the firm’s “forward-looking change.” Yet, as Hobden emphasises, these naming decisions need to authentically align with client expectations and market realities. In addition, when it comes to brand transformation, geography matters more than many firms realise. While European and U.S. firms often boldly embrace change, their Asian counterparts tend to tread more cautiously, according to Hobden. This creates an interesting challenge for global firms trying to maintain a consistent brand identity across diverse markets in their office networks. “Many firms say that they have a global reach, but sometimes that’s not so strong in every part of the world,” Hobden points out. Hence, the key lies in finding the sweet spot between global consistency and local relevance - maintaining core brand elements while tailoring messages to resonate with local audiences. Branding specialists say successful law firm branding in today’s market requires crafting an authentic narrative that sets firms apart while building trust and delivering value, rather than following universal templates or chasing the latest trends.
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