Creative and Professional Logo for a Law Firm in Oxford, MS

Gambrell & Associates (www.gulfcoastlawyer.com has info about the areas of law, but shows a slightly different name and locale)

The firm does Bankruptcy and Social Security law. It helps financially distressed individuals get a new start. The desired expression is professionalism and authority. Many of the clients are in stressful situations, and they are seeking a good and trustworthy attorney to get them through the tough process of filing bankruptcy.

The target audience consists of a fairly wide range of people. Those who have had some serious misfortunes in life, huge medical bills, major life changes that require a makeover of their financial lives. The common factors is normally that they are stressed out, many times having endured embarrassing and brutal harassment from collectors, you name it.

The logo should express that they are in good hands and can trust that they have a good attorney. Professional, caring, and confident.

This will primarily be used for the web, though it may also go to print later. The only real requirement is again that it should express the professionalism one seeks in a law firm and choosing an attorney.

Update: There are two design patterns I'd like to avoid:

1) Up-trending stock chart-esque designs. The firm deals with consumer bankruptcy. If it were more business-oriented, this would not be an issue. But individuals filing bankruptcy in many of these cases don't even have a portfolio. They don't think of it in these terms. Instead, they want to be reassured that they are in good hands and aren't going to lose assets or have anything garnished.

2) Designs using houses. I'd rather not have a logo with a house in it because the audience may mistake the firm with being related to real estate law.