Biglaw, Law Firm Names, Lawyer Advertising

Paul Hastings To Become... Paul Hastings. But Now It's 'Official.'

Paul Hastings is now... Paul Hastings! A look at one law firm's name change and marketing makeover.

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I don’t know who Janofsky and Walker angered, but they are off the marquee at Paul Hastings. Yep, this Friday, “Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & LLP” will officially become “Paul Hastings.”

We’ve already noticed that Paul Hastings has a snazzy new logo.

But did you know that Paul Hastings also has a video to go along with their rebranding? Oh yes they do! Clearly, Messrs. Janofsky and Walker were just way too inside the box for the new and exciting Paul Hastings…

Paul Hastings sent out a memo today, preparing its people for the name change. New stationery, new business cards, some other legalese. The full memo is reprinted below.

But let’s get to the funny. Click here to see the Paul Hastings marketing video. It also features prominently on the Paul Hastings website.

According to the marketers, the new logo means that PH is “innovative,” “dynamic,” and “confident.” What does Paul Hastings want to do? “Succeed.”

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That’s good for Paul Hastings; their old logo and name made them look so unoriginal, pedestrian, and unsure of themselves. Just look at their old logo:

Don’t avert your eyes, look at it! Look at its garish coloring, its inelegantly spaced lettering and its nonsensical use of italics. How could you practice law with such a horrible thing hanging over everything you do?

Read the full name-change memo below. I’m going to go strangle the first person I meet who chooses a law firm based on its logo.

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PAUL HASTINGS — MEMORANDUM — NAME CHANGE

Effective as of the close of business (New York time) this Friday, July 22, 2011, our Firm will change its name from “Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP” to “Paul Hastings LLP” and implement the merger of our California limited liability partnership (PHJW) into a Delaware limited liability partnership (Paul Hastings). As a result of this merger, Paul Hastings will succeed to all of the rights, obligations and liabilities of PHJW and PHJW will cease to exist.

In addition to the change of our US Firm’s name, the names of our Hong Kong and UK related entities will change. Accordingly, as of July 25, the following business names should be used as appropriate in the relevant jurisdictions:

* Paul Hastings LLP — All U.S. offices, Beijing, and Shanghai
* Paul Hastings — Hong Kong
* Paul Hastings (Europe) LLP — London and all European offices

(The name “Paul Hastings” has been and should continue to be used in our Tokyo office.)

The first time that employees in our US offices, Shanghai and Beijing log into the Firm’s computer system on or after July 25 they will receive a computer prompt asking them to acknowledge that Paul Hastings is the successor to PHJW. Please follow the instructions to that prompt.

In addition, starting Monday, July 25, all offices of our Firm will receive new templates, stationery and other materials and all Firm personnel with business cards will receive new business cards, in each case with the Firm’s new logo and name. Please use the new stationery and other materials and business cards as soon as you receive them.

The following announcement will be distributed to clients and other friends of the Firm to inform them of this change. While we have attempted to address notice issues under existing Firm contracts in advance, if you have a client relationship which is memorialized with a written contract, other than a traditional engagement letter, please review the terms of that contract and follow any procedure for giving notice in the event of a name change or merger by our Firm.

Earlier: Musical Chairs: Paul Hastings Snags Another Leveraged Finance Partner from Cahill

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