More Law Firms Jump on Name Shortening Bandwagon
DuSable bridge at twilight, Chicago. Image by Shutterstock.
Chicago's Much Shelist is going monosyllabic, rebranding itself as just "Much," just a month after Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott, which straddles the Windy City and Denver, formally changed its name to Bartlit Beck.
The moves come amid a wider trend in the legal industry towards more compact names and tighter brand identities. Earlier this fall Boston-based Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo pared down to Mintz, and Atlanta's Swift Currie unveiled a new logo.
For 175-attorney Much, nearing the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1970, the shorter name corresponds to a new brand marketing strategy.
“While Much has remained true to our founding mission and values, we’ve adapted as a firm to remain competitive and relevant, and we want our brand to tell that story of hard work, forward momentum and unwavering client commitment,” managing partner Mitchell S. Roth said in a statement. “When you see our logo and hear our name, we want you to think—smart, nimble, sophisticated, responsive, trustworthy. Because, believe me, you’re working with a team of professionals who punch above their weight.”
The full-service firm is sticking with the legal name of Much Shelist PC. Not so for 80-attorney litigation boutique Bartlit Beck, which itself is celebrating a milestone anniversary. The firm, which tries cases nationally, was founded by former Kirkland & Ellis litigators in Denver and Chicago in 1993. On Oct. 1, it went ahead and formally condensed its name.
“As we celebrate our 25th year we are incredibly proud of the team we’ve built and the successful work we do on behalf of our clients," managing partner Jason Peltz said.
Our shortened name reflects the progress we’ve made from our start as a small group of innovators who believed there was a better way to serve clients to the robust firm we are now—dedicated to delivering excellence for our clients with the same core values we’ve always held.”
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