Freshfields shortens logo ahead of 2012

Chief marketing and business development officer Elizabeth Chambers, who is leading the rebranding exercise, said the magic circle firm was not dropping ’Bruckhaus Deringer’ from its official name, but a shortened ’Freshfields’ logo would be used on posters, banners and other items where ­distance or brand recognition were an issue.

“There’s no question that the firm will continue to be known as Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer,” she said. “However, there will be ­limited and specific applications where the shortened form of ’Freshfields’ will be used to improve legibility and impact, most typically in digital media where our logo often has to be decreased in font size to accommodate its length.”

The firm’s name has been a bone of contention ever since the 2000 merger of London-based Freshfields with German firms Deringer Tessin Herrmann & Sedemund and Bruckhaus Westrick Heller Löber.

Since that time London partners have lobbied to rebrand simply as Freshfields, with the firm’s German partners proving resolute in their resistance to the move.