They may share the same initials but that’s where the similarities end, according to Addleshaw Goddard and Anthony Gold Solicitors
Logos are vitally important to law firms — from brand recognition to corporate identity, instantly recognisable symbols are powerful marketing tools. So two firms using a very similar image would be particularly awkward.
City giants Addleshaw Goddard and London Bridge-based firm Anthony Gold Solicitors appear to have done just that. Sharing the same initials, they have opted for similarly styled logos, using comparable fonts and positioning. The key question is — who had it first?
An Addleshaw spokesman told Legal Cheek that its logo has been in circulation internally since 2009, was trademarked in 2010 and has even been carved into stone at the firm’s City of London office.
However, it appears that the logo only went truly public after the firm’s website redesign was launched last week.
The similarity of the Addleshaw logo to that of Anthony Gold Solicitors was quickly spotted by a keen-eyed tweeter, who raised the point with Legal Cheek.
Anthony Gold — which also has offices in Streatham and the Elephant and Castle — says that its logo came into being in 2013 following an 18 month internal consultation, with the firm stating:
“Our brand was first released in December 2013 when we launched our new website. It was launched after an 18 month period of consultation and development with the whole firm.”
This suggests that Addleshaw’s logo pre-dates Anthony Gold’s, even if Anthony Gold’s reached the public domain first.
Both firms played down the similarities — with Gemma Blencowe, head of communications at Anthony Gold, telling Legal Cheek:
“It’s interesting that each design uses the ‘A’ and the ‘G’ from the company name in the symbol for each. They are similar in concept but work and are applied completely differently. I love the Anthony Gold one — naturally!”
A spokesperson for Addleshaw Goddard commented:
“We’ve had the logotype in limited use for several years and have now fully rolled-it out. The initials of both firms are the same but in our view the similarity ends there and readers can clearly decide for themselves.”
Decide away …