Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass is one of San Francisco’s oldest and most respected law firms.

Having assessed their identity and website, they came to the conclusion that their visual communications lacked clarity and consistency, no longer differentiating them from the competition. They invited us to design a new visual identity that would reflect the firm’s structure, the way it works with clients, and the personalities who run the business.

Our first step was to ask their attorneys and clients what they think distinguishes the firm. They agreed that Coblentz isn’t a large, faceless corporation – it’s a firm driven by people. It also became apparent that clients don’t find attorneys via random online searches, they’re usually recommended by friends and peers. We communicated these ideas by building the online experience around people. Rather than introduce the firm with a generic homepage, we introduced the people through a series of informal portraits by photographer Chad Ziemendorf. Warm and human, they reflect the character of each individual and make it easy for users to find their chosen attorney.

Although their work is often very serious, their approach is driven by creativity and a good sense of humor. To help communicate this wit and intelligence, we asked Noma Bar to create a series of illustrations, representing each practice area and establishing a color coding system which extended throughout the website and identity. The result: an identity that is truly unique for a law firm practicing in the US.