CAHAN & ASSOCIATES
Because of growing cynicism among law students and other law professionals about the recruiting tactics of law firms, recruitment tools have to be outstanding if they are going to wield any influence in this wary climate. Representing the exceptional firm of Morrison & Foerster, this career site is an instructive example. Visitors are encouraged to question whether or not they have “that certain something” that sets a Morrison & Foerster attorney apart from the hoards.

“The typical audience is usually looking for answers to help guide them into choosing the right firm,” says Cahan & Associates designer Todd Richards. “Our challenge was to create an informative website that was lively and distinctive, and squarely face this prevailing cynicism.”

Created entirely in Flash, the site makes use of videos to allow prospective employees to “meet the people” of Morrison & Foerster. Richards attributes this unconventional aesthetic approach to a couple of unlikely inspirations: a certain sparkling Himalayan wonder tonic and the TV sitcom I Dream of Jeannie. “She had a certain something,” he says cryptically.

Ultimately the goal was to engage viewers and help them understand the qualities of the people who work at the firm. “We wanted the recruits to meet the people and see for themselves,” says Richards. “We chose to avoid clichés and aspired to create something that makes us nervous, but at the same time something we feel is appropriate for the audience.” A few of the obvious lawyerly clichés the team avoided were Doric columns, scales of justice, gavels and encyclopedias. Instead, the designers made their symbolic points just as clearly with a burly old bull and a cage full of pigeons.

“What made building this site fun was actually working with our client,” says Richards. Consulting with a like-minded attorney from the very beginning helped. “She totally got it,” Richards says. “She championed the project all the way through. She wrote the copy that brought each component to life in a smart, informative and educational way. As you can imagine, a site like this would not go over with most [law firms].” Feedback has been entirely positive, he says. The intention was realized, and recruitment results are up. R. Ashby

CAHAN & ASSOCIATES | CREATIVE DIRECTOR: BILL CAHAN | ART DIRECTORS: BILL CAHAN, TODD RICHARDS | DESIGNERS: TODD RICHARDS, ERIK ADAMS, SEAN MCGUIRE | PROGRAMMER/DEVELOPER: ROCKET SOCIETY | WRITERS: ANNA PINEDO, DAVID STOLBERG | VIDEOGRAPHER: PAUL JAOE | PRODUCER: KELLY ONGPIN | ACCOUNT MANAGERS: BELLA BANBURY, TANISHA LITTLE, MICHELLE PAITICH | PRODUCTION ARTISTS: CLARE RHINELANDER, GABRIELLA ROSSI, LIISA TURAN | CLIENT: MORRISON & FOERSTER | WWW.CAHANASSOCIATES.COM