The law firm that wanted to avoid looking ‘outdated and clunky’ (and how we helped their branding stand out)

“I wanted a website that stayed clear of the outdated, clunky images and graphics of so many law firm websites, and that projected a sleek and modern look that is easy to navigate.”

That’s how Kevin Rivera, Principal of Rivera Employment Law in Los Angeles, described his brief to consider his law firm branding. It’s a conversation that has stuck with me, not just because of Kevin’s sense of purpose and the clarity of his brief, but because he’d articulated something I’d been noticing increasingly for years: there’s a gap between businesses that always appear fresh or contemporary and those that inadvertently seem like dust settled on them years ago. What do I mean by dusty branding? It’s a case where things haven’t moved on, anywhere; that stylistically they’re stuck in the past. Maybe elsewhere in that firm, things aren’t moving either. If I think that as an industry observer, just imagine what their contemporaries have to say.

In my twenty years of working with professional services firms, I’ve come to realise that ‘outdated and clunky’ isn’t a budget problem, rather, it’s a brand indifference problem. The most successful firms understand that looking professional isn’t about expensive offices or flashy suits, it’s about remembering that eyes are everywhere. Presenting yourself with the same care and attention you bring to your client work makes all the difference to getting hired, even by regular clients.

Why bad branding happens to good businesses

The truth is, most businesses don’t set out to look dated. They make perfectly reasonable decisions. For instance, the continued use of a tired PowerPoint template set the previous marketing person chose. They avoid new headshots and stick with the photography from three (or considerably more!) years ago, maybe they compound the problem by keeping the website design that worked fine when it launched… but nobody has touched since.

Each individual choice seems sensible at the time. Yet somewhere along the way, without anyone really noticing, these small compromises accumulate. 2019 was really recent, right? The company colour palette that felt contemporary back then, six years ago, is by now exactly the same as regional businesses. It’s looking tired. The free stock photography that seemed professional and a clever way of saving money is hopelessly generic. That website I mentioned has those broken links or pages that don’t work, maybe the most recent news item was posted in 2023.

I’ve observed this downward spiral in law firm branding repeatedly over the years. It’s rarely a single dramatic failure, more often a gradual drift as everyone is so busy. If a bright spark or new hire has mentioned all or any of these, ignoring them is dangerous. Why so? Because the businesses that maintain their edge are those that regularly step back and evaluate how they’re presenting themselves, often with the help of someone outside their daily operations who can see problems amid the mess they’ve become accustomed to. The lesson here: don’t sleepwalk into the grey area of diminishing returns.

What Kevin Rivera’s transformation taught us

When Kevin approached us, he was launching a new practice after years working with larger firms. He’d seen firsthand how law firm branding often defaults to conservative or safe tropes that end up feeling mediocre rather than authoritative. The result was a very sure-footed vision. He suggested we create something that felt sharp and modern that felt like a true, independent corporate consultancy.

This sort of challenge is one of my favourite things, something we know well, albeit with a fresh twist. Employment law is something nearly every firm will require at one point or another and clearly requires serious credibility. Inevitably their clients will be dealing with significant workplace issues. This seriousness can lead to rather a sterile sort of design. However, refreshingly Kevin put himself in the position of a managing partner or head of HR needing counsel. The result was a desire to differentiate himself from the large downtown LA firms by offering a more approachable, contemporary experience.

Working together, we began with a new legal brand identity under the Rivera Employment Law banner, developing an approach that used clean typography and fresh colour. The website followed a similar feel, with strategic white space and a continued application of our confident colour palette. Rather than generic legal imagery, we focused on Los Angeles itself, mixing video and photography to create a visual connection to Kevin’s location and practice area that felt specific rather than templated.

The collaborative process was particularly satisfying. Kevin understood exactly what he wanted to avoid and was clear about the impression he wanted to create. As he told us afterward: “Richard understood exactly what I had in mind and delivered a website that is visually appealing, easy to use and sets my practice apart from the rest.”

Standing apart in crowded professional markets

There’s something deeply satisfying about working with clients who take genuine pride in how they present themselves. I’m reminded of another client, Mark Cannell from international real estate consultancy L&O, who told us after his website launched: “I am proud of every page. It is simple, striking and professional and so easy to navigate.”

To me, that pride is a recognition that how a business presents itself directly impacts how the outside world, both clients and contemporaries, perceive you. The psychology here is straightforward: if your website or business presentation deck feel current and well-considered, it suggests the same care extends to your professional work. Conversely, (and clients don’t like hearing this but it’s true) a presentation that’s tatty, crowded and thus rather confusing will undermine even the most impressive expertise.

Considering how this critical trio of brand, website and deck is perceived is particularly crucial in competitive professional markets where clients often choose between firms with similar qualifications and experience. A point of difference could easily come down to that tired, old PowerPoint deck. If it doesn’t match the great impression you’ve given, I’d humbly suggest that’s a discordant frequency you could do without.

Looking contemporary without losing authority

Both Kevin and Mark achieved something that many professional services firms struggle with: they modernised their brand presentation without sacrificing the gravitas their work requires. I really believe this balance is achievable by choosing to begin a great relationship between your firm and a design agency. The teamwork it creates always leads to a cut-through blend of style and intelligence.

The result in both cases was business change. Kevin’s practice has done incredibly well and we’ve reworked and expanded the site since its launch. Over at L&O, our work has continued too. Mark’s team tell me they continue to use their website as a tool for business development with genuine pride.

The lesson here isn’t about following design trends or spending enormous budgets. It’s about taking the same care with your branding that you bring to your professional work. Experiences such as the two I’ve mentioned here and countless others mean the investment you do make builds serious impact.

Do you need law firm branding with style and impact?

If you’re ready to address how your business presents itself to the world, we’d welcome the conversation about creating a contemporary, professional presence that reflects your expertise.

Call us on 020 7351 4083 or email us direct.

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See more of our work for Rivera Employment Law

Our website for Rivera Employment Law

See more of our work for L&O

Our website for L&O

More of our work in branding design for law firms

More of our work in law firm web design