Building a new legal practice brand identity from day one: an interview with Veronika Brázdová

“I’m launching a business on a budget, but I know it’s got to stand out to succeed.”

From the very first conversation with Veronika Brázdová, she had a steely clarity of purpose: her new legal practice brand identity and website needed to stand out. This sort of opening gambit of a project always appeals to me because I sensed a value attached to design which goes to the core of everything we do.

Then there was the twist. The firm’s work was going to focus on mediation services within founders at the forefront of sustainable technologies. Niche? Perhaps. But I’d say spotting a problem to be solved was at the heart of every successful law firm. We saw the combination of an innovative and cutting-edge USP, alongside an enthusiasm to focus on a stylish and impactful brand from the very beginning, as an irresistible challenge.

I recently spoke with her about why brand identity and web presence were a decision as a way of setting herself apart from day one. Veronika was also generous enough to share her insights into what that taught her about brand positioning, client psychology and how design communicates what makes you different.

When you decided to launch Brázdová IP as an independent practice, what made brand identity and website a priority rather than something to add later?

I wanted the brand identity to match the vision I have for my practice and to reflect my values. It matters to me both personally and professionally. Personally, I am building a business that supports innovators in an area I see as important. Professionally, I want this to be clear from the very first impression.

I knew most clients would first look me up online, so a professional website and brand identity were priorities from the start. Even those I meet in person first are likely to look me up afterwards, so a website that reflects the same values is essential.

Your practice focuses on sustainable technology and climate innovation, specialist areas that aren’t typical for IP firms. How did the branding help communicate this positioning clearly?

The bridge motif in the logo was a brilliant idea. The ocean-inspired palette references the natural world and the photographs highlight sustainable technology. The combination accurately reflects the sector I specialise in.

The website layout works really well for the viewer and at the same time has a strong visual impact. There are also so many seemingly small but very clever elements that have been thought through carefully. The result is a brand that combines a broad perspective with close attention to detail, which is what someone who is both a patent attorney and a mediator has to do.

As someone launching a professional practice, what did you need, or tone did you need to strike, from your design partners that perhaps differs from what a tech startup or consumer brand might require?

I wanted the branding to strike a balance between professionalism and approachability. Many startup founders find it daunting to approach an attorney, yet they also need to feel confident they are working with a capable professional. The website was designed to make it straightforward for potential clients to decide whether working with Brázdová IP is a good fit for their business.

Because my focus is on providing legal services to clients in the climate tech sector, rather than on any single technology, the website had to communicate that clearly as well. It also had to present the combination of patent and mediation services in a way that feels coherent and complementary.

What impact did the team and I have on Brázdová IP and have you got any thoughts about the end result?

One of the problems I faced was that the combination of patents and mediation is very rare and I had no model for what a website for such a practice should look like. You solved this quite effortlessly, both with the logo and through the website structure. It was a huge relief to realise from the start that I could leave all of this to you.

It was fascinating to watch how you translated my ideas into a visual identity that is just right for my practice. The outcome is a brand that’s both distinctive and appropriate for my business. (Not sure how to put this other than the whole thing simply works. Every time I try to analyse why, I get stuck because I end up just admiring it. Which is surely a mark of great design, or indeed of any work of art.)

My take

What stands out most is Veronika’s enthusiasm to have a new legal practice brand identity built in as part of her business from the very beginning. I think that when you are starting out and establishing your practice, especially as a lawyer, your potential client base are bound to be doing what I call ‘reputational research,’ those first impressions ‘bed in’ your sense of professionalism and perspective and become so important.

The other lesson: if you’re blending services or expertise that don’t conventionally go together or positioning yourself in an unconventional way, your branding and website has to work double time. Essentially the pages have to set out your stall, explaining what you do in a way that feels that the combination is to their advantage.

It’s tough to compare Brázdová IP to another legal client of ours, but it’s that which made the project intriguing and appealing in the first place. If we feel that way, imagine the reaction of a new generation of firms needing counsel on patents and mediation in the huge array of businesses focussed on sustainability. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Veronika and her new practice. With her thoughtful intelligence and wry humour, I see amazing things ahead.

I was really thrilled with what Veronika said about continuing to analyse and admire the project: I couldn’t be happier with that reaction. To me, that’s the whole project working exactly as it should.

Is it time for a new legal practice brand identity?

Working across the different niche providers of legal services, great, original design is vital. If you’re working at a long-standing business, are just getting started – or feel nobody ‘quite gets’ your ideas and ethos, why not get in touch to discuss a range of different approaches?

We can work on designs for your new legal practice brand identity (and website) from the creative to the corporate, depending on your brief and budget.

Call us on 020 7351 4083 or email us direct.

Find out more

Our portfolio page about the project

Visit the Brázdová IP website

More of our work on law firm branding design

More of our work on law firm web design