Transforming an 'old-fashioned' law firm into 'cutting-edge' player
One of many
Through a series of alliances and mergers, Taylor Wessing had created a powerful network of offices giving it a presence across Europe and the Middle East. With strength in many practice areas the firm had performed well but had yet to find a clear brand positioning for itself among the burgeoning crowd of mid-sized international firms in the market. A team led by Principia’s CEO, Ian Stephens* were asked to help develop the Taylor Wessing brand, working with a team led by the then newly-elected Managing Partner, Tim Eyles.
“Eyles is credited with hugely expanding the firm’s international network and giving it a clearer brand (Legal Business)”
Forward-thinking
In part driven by their strength in dynamic technology and knowledge-based industry sectors as well as their relative lack of conservatism, the team found that clients valued their ability to work and think in a thoroughly modern, flexible and innovative way. This strength was captured in the idea of ‘forward-thinking’, which gave a focal point to their brand positioning both internally and externally. The team worked with groups of partners and staff drawn from across the firm to develop tangible initiatives to bring the brand idea to life in their client experience, internal culture and communications. These initiatives were then taken to the full partnership for buy-in and support and then rolled out across the firm. At the same time, a new visual identity system was developed to help project the idea of ‘forward-thinking’ in a powerful way.
New beginnings
The Taylor Wessing brand programme was first launched internally to partners and staff across all its offices through a series of town-hall meetings, workshops and other innovative communications channels such as video podcasts. Then with the firm’s partners and staff fully engaged the brand was launched externally to clients and recruits. Since then the firm has been recognised by the legal industry as one of the finest, winning The Lawyer’s ‘Law Firm of the Year’ award in the year following the launch of the new brand.
Scope
Brand research
Brand strategy
Brand messaging
Brand identity
Brand communications
Brand engagement
*then in his role as Global Managing Partner of Saffron
