DWF Group is a global provider of integrated legal and business services headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom. The firm, which traces its origins to the Davies Wallis Foyster partnership, has undergone several visual identity changes as it evolved from a regional law firm into an international business.
Design and History
DWF’s visual identity has been refreshed multiple times since the early 2000s. In 2005, the firm launched an entirely new corporate identity, which included a new logo, strap-line and a suite of photographic images, designed to be “professional, fresh, approachable and confident in appearance.” [1]
In 2011, DWF introduced a new brand icon based on a “navigator concept.” According to a designer who worked at the firm, the icon was inspired by the degree symbol and was intended to reflect how the firm combines “excellent commercial guidance with a straightforward approachable style.” The design provided a visual link between the navigator concept and the circular “d” in the firm’s existing logo, and was meant to convey “looking at things from every angle, taking a 360-degree approach and maintaining a clear focus.” [2]
That rebrand was well received in the legal sector. DWF won the award for best rebrand in the professional services sector at the Transform Awards, a recognition noted by Legal Cheek as proof that “law firms’ logos and websites don’t have to look shit.” [3]
Earlier in the firm’s history, the name itself was simplified. When the firm shed its full partnership title in favour of the initials DWF, it also adopted a new logo described as “a beam of light coming over the horizon,” devised by marketing consultant Neil Copson. [4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The 2011 navigator icon was the most explicitly documented symbol in DWF’s identity history. Its inspiration from the degree symbol tied the mark to the firm’s existing circular “d” letterform while reinforcing the navigator concept of commercial guidance. The 360-degree reading of the icon was described as reflecting the firm’s comprehensive approach to client service. [2]
DWF’s brand colour has been described by design agency Epigram as “rubine red,” which the agency used as the core design anchor for DWF exhibition stands and campaign materials. [5] The firm has also used a branded green colour in ESG-related campaign materials, with design elements drawn from the shapes in the DWF logo. [6]
Typography and Design
No specific typeface used in the DWF wordmark has been documented in the available sources. The 2011 identity combined a wordmark with the degree-symbol-inspired icon, which was designed to work alongside the circular “d” in the existing logo. [2] The 2005 identity included a strap-line alongside the new logo, though the specific wording has not been preserved in the available records. [1]
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