When you think of a law office, what comes to mind? Serious? Stodgy? Traditional? Shining scales of justice proudly displayed in the foyer? Well, that’s not Brown Lawyers. Instead, they have a new approach to legal services. Their big hairy audacious goal is to change how the rest of us feel about the law and lawyers by focusing on the human side of the relationship.
Disgruntled by an industry that has delivered services in the same way for the past 200 years, Andrew Brown and Karen Wheaton, co-owners of Brown Lawyers, deliberately set out to change how estate and business law are delivered.
“It’s been ingrained in people to think about legacy and what you leave behind in terms of the physical and monetary value of stuff, when in reality, the most important aspect of a person’s legacy are the values and principles that guide your life. Our whole method is focused on a preventive and pragmatic approach to legal planning and services.” says Karen.
With a passion for shaking up the legal establishment, Brown Lawyers knew that they needed a unique way to connect with people who had also become discouraged by conventional Estate Planning.
“We needed to communicate that we are a different kind of law firm and that we are going to approach our clients’ legacies with a more human-centered approach,” says Andrew.
In 2018 Brown Lawyers began their search for an agency that would help them reimagine their brand and convey their revolutionary ideas. When their search led them to Muse, they knew they had found the perfect fit.
“Just from the website, the agency, and the people there, they seemed different from others. It was October, and the entire website was Halloween-themed. Just the willingness to be different…and the courage to put something unconventional out there is what initially attracted us, so that’s what it came down to.” says Andrew.
The homepage featured a Halloween-themed image and font, a Muse icon turned into a pumpkin, and a floating grim reaper at the bottom.
Once they were on board and Muse began the process of uncovering their greatness, they were hooked.
“They ask great questions, they listen and seek to understand what we are trying to do. They really understood our perspective and found our authentic voice.” says Andrew.
During the rebranding process, Muse took an introspective approach. Rather than emulating what was already out there, Muse drilled down to the essence of what made Brown Lawyers different, and they nourished that spirit.
According to Muse Creative Director, Mark Tharme: “Law firms tend to look serious and conservative, and for practical reasons. Legal issues are usually pretty serious. Muse recommended taking a fresh approach by developing a visual brand that is both professional and light-hearted because preventive law can actually be enjoyable for the client.”
When the Brown Lawyers branding was unveiled, it all clicked into place. According to Karen, “When we finally rolled out the new logo and the new letterhead, …when we had the new sign on our door and out front… we all felt like our new branding really captured the real us.”
The next component of the rebranding process was the revamp of their website.
“From the moment you arrive at the Brown Lawyers website, you know they’re not a typical law firm,” says Mark. “The Brown Lawyers website provides a clean and simple user experience on any screen size.” It needed to be simple but polished while reflecting Brown Lawyers’ attention to detail. According to Karen, “..the website has been phenomenal for our business. It accurately portrays who we are.”
So, what’s next for Brown Lawyers?
Andrew says, “Our next goal is to market something that doesn’t currently exist: a preventive law service package.” To support their new approach to legal services, Brown Lawyers is creating something that isn’t currently offered but is desperately needed by all. After sourcing Muse’s talents to develop their new brand and website, it made perfect sense for Brown Lawyers to retain Muse for ongoing marketing. “They are absolutely a part of our business. They are our partners.” And the Muse team couldn’t be happier. Muse President Judy Boswell states,
“Muse is delighted and very proud to work with innovative clients like Brown Lawyers. Their bold ideas challenge the way we think. And we’re always up for a challenge.”
If you run a business that is looking to change the world, get in touch with Muse. We’ll help you to uncover your greatness. If you’d like to learn more about our Halloween Experiment, click here for a Muse Halloween treat 🎃
