Law Practice Management

Partners are Now Yellow, Associates Green on Ballard Spahr Website

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Can this really be a law firm website? In an apparent recent makeover that is catching the attention of the legal community, the online persona of Ballard Spahr now features a bright, visually oriented home page with minimal text.

And, in another noteworthy departure from the law firm norm, the attorney directory is now color-coded. Partner listings are yellow, while associates are green. Counsel are an aqua blue.

Attorney profiles, too, veer sharply from staid law firm tradition. Text is minimal on the main profile pages, which prominently feature two photos (for many, a head shot paired with a business-suited full-body shot) that reveal a bit of the individual lawyer’s personality. At first glance, they seem more like illustrations from a glossy magazine article than customary, text-laden lawyer resumés.

The law firm’s new look has sparked not only comment but a reader questionnaire on Above the Law, which wonders whether all lawyers are ready to step up to the plate for more than just the standard head-shot photo.

A bright yellow page on careers at the firm features a slider of 10 diverse individuals at the more than 500-attorney Philadelphia-based national firm who apparently didn’t hesitate.

“The people in the handsome photos above are just a few of the many fine individuals who make Ballard Spahr an exceptional place to work,” the website states, citing workplace congeniality and client satisfaction as key attributes of the law firm.

“What’s different about Ballard Spahr?” the firm asks rhetorically. “Emilie, Dee, Mark, Chris, Meredith, Richard, Julie, Christine, David, Joseph, and a whole lot of others like them.”

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