Designing Change: Refreshing Legal Brands Without Losing Their Identity by Epigram
In a sector built on precedent, tradition, and reputation, change can feel like a risk. Nowhere is that truer than in how law firms approach their brand. The idea of evolving a visual identity – changing fonts, colours, layouts or even just tone – often sparks concern: Will clients still recognise us? Will we dilute the trust we’ve built?
At Epigram, we hear these worries often. And we understand them.
That’s because we’ve spent the past three decades working exclusively with law firms and professional services brands, helping them sharpen their communications without sacrificing credibility. When we approach a brand refresh, we’re not interested in disruption for its own sake. Instead, we focus on refinement. We tune the elements of your brand so they reflect where your firm is today, and where it’s headed.
The risk of standing still
Many firms hesitate to update their brand because they don’t want to “get it wrong.” But the greater risk is doing nothing. Outdated visuals can subtly undermine a firm’s positioning, especially in competitive markets. An inconsistent colour palette or dated typeface might seem minor, but it sends a message. Sometimes that message is at odds with your actual capabilities.
We’ve seen first-hand how effective a brand refresh can be. For example, our work with Russell-Cooke focused on creating a more contemporary suite of materials that aligned with their standing as a progressive, full-service London law firm. For Pannone Corporate, the visual identity needed to strike a balance between accessibility and authority. It had to convey their no-nonsense approach while standing out in a competitive regional market. In both cases, subtle design changes – refined layouts, confident colour use, consistent iconography – resulted in clearer, more impactful communications.
A gentle but powerful update
That’s why we’ve created a Summer Sales offer designed specifically for legal brands. The Brand Check & Tune is a focused review of your visual identity. We look at logos, colour palettes, typefaces, document templates, presentation decks and more. We assess how well your current brand is performing across channels and touchpoints, and identify opportunities to refresh and tighten without starting from scratch.
This isn’t about radical reinvention. It’s about increasing your brand’s impact through small, expert adjustments. That might mean refining the spacing on a slide title, refreshing icon styles, or aligning sub-brands across practice groups.
Why now?
Summer is the ideal time for this kind of work. With bid volumes typically lighter and internal teams more reflective, it’s a window to make considered changes. That way, by autumn, your materials are ready for the next wave of pitches, events and campaigns.
And if you’re thinking more broadly about where your brand is headed, keep an eye out for our upcoming thought leadership report: “Five Trends in Legal Sector Branding and Communications for 2025.” We’ll be sharing key insights into what’s driving change in the industry, and how smart firms are responding.
If you’ve been wondering whether your brand could work harder, our Brand Check & Tune might be the perfect place to start.
Let’s make sure your brand reflects your best work. We would love to work with you – Let’s Talk! email us at design@epigram.co.uk
