Patterson Belknap
One of New York’s most prestigious law firms, with 200+ attorneys and over 100 years of history.
Patterson Belknap was looking to modernize its brand look and website to further differentiate itself in the post-pandemic legal marketplace. At the top of its list of goals was to better communicate its strength and experience in its three main service areas: Litigation, Disputes & Investigations, Corporate & Transactions, and Exempt Organizations & Private Clients. The firm also looked to diversify its color palette beyond royal blue.
The Patterson Belknap website features a luxurious user-experience thanks to graceful page-load animations and smooth page transitions. These animated effects were possible only because the website was built using React, a cutting-edge front-end website technology invented by Facebook.
Visual Brand Refresh
Great Jakes entirely redesigned the firm's graphic identity and logo as part of the website project. The new logo features a letter-mark icon, which was carefully crafted for maximum impact on social media (among other usages). Additionally, a vibrant color palette was introduced to make the brand feel more contemporary. The refresh also included new typography and fresh imagery.
Before & After
Brand Strategy
In addition to the visual redesign, Great Jakes worked with the firm to reframe its market positioning. As a result, the firm’s messaging is now organized around its three main service areas: Litigation, Disputes & Investigations, Corporate & Transactions, and Exempt Organizations & Private Clients. This move represents a fundamental shift in the way that the firm communicates its value proposition.
Integrated Blogs / Podcasts
To better leverage its thought leadership content, 10 blogs/podcasts were integrated into the website. Integrating this content means it shares the same database and navigation structure as the website, resulting in many benefits. For example, the newest blog posts are automatically promoted on relevant pages of the site, blog posts appear in website search results, and the full text of a blog post can be viewed without leaving the attorney’s bio.
Continuous Scroll Bios and Practice Microsites
The attorney bios were built with the latest iteration of Great Jakes’s signature “attorney microsite” technology. The new, “continuous scroll” microsite format allows you to view the entire bio by scrolling, as opposed to clicking various tabs. This modern user-experience is designed to increase discoverability and user engagement.
For a great example of how the firm is leveraging the attorney microsite functionality, see William Cavanaugh’s bio. The microsite technology was deployed also for the firm’s Services, of which a great example is Patent Litigation.
Q&A Module
To help communicate the firm’s inclusive culture, the website features a module for “Attorney Q&As” in the Diversity and Careers sections. This feature allows employees to tell authentic stories about how the firm’s positive culture has enriched their lives.
Dynamic Content Teasing
The website is built with “dynamic content teasing,” an award-winning feature that helps keep visitors engaged by suggesting relevant content. Teasers can be manually curated or set to “automatic mode,” which uses a proprietary algorithm to suggest related content.
Attorney Portrait Photos
These photos were shot specifically for use in the “Attorney Q&A” module mentioned earlier. As the purpose of the Q&A module was to tell authentic stories, it made sense that the accompanying photos should feel authentic and unguarded. The portrait photos were shot by Michael Meyer with creative direction by Great Jakes.
Marquee Photo Shoot
In order to make an emotional connection with potential clients—and to illustrate the firm’s welcoming culture—the website features engaging photos of its attorneys collaborating. Photos were shot by Michael Meyer and art-directed by Great Jakes.
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