Client:
Peterborough Law Association
Brand Refresh | E-Commerce Website Design
Project Brief: Peterborough Law Association Website & Brand Refresh
The goal of this project was to give the Peterborough Law Association a refreshed brand identity and a fully redesigned website that is modern, user-friendly, and timeless in its design.
The new website enhances accessibility and navigation for both the public and PLA members. A secure, members-only section was implemented, providing exclusive access to newsletters, archived event photos, a community message board, and upcoming events with RSVP functionality.
This redesign ensures the PLA’s online presence reflects its professionalism and strong community ties, while providing practical tools to support its members.
Original Design:
Logo Pain Points:
The Peterborough Law Association’s current logo carries deep symbolic value, but several issues limit its effectiveness in modern branding. The design is overly complex, with intricate elements like Lady Justice and fine line work that become illegible at small sizes or in digital formats. Its lack of scalability makes it unsuitable for applications such as social media icons, website headers, or merchandise. While the traditional aesthetic honours the organization’s heritage, it risks appearing outdated in an evolving legal landscape that increasingly embraces modernity and technology. Additionally, the typography presents challenges—its ornate, serif-heavy style feels dated, and the circular text layout results in uneven spacing and poor readability. A refreshed logo could preserve the association’s legacy while improving clarity, versatility, and relevance across today’s diverse media platforms.
Main Design:
The Solution
The redesigned Peterborough Law Association logo offers a modern, timeless update while preserving its historical and professional roots. Key elements like Lady Justice, the scales of justice, maple leaves, and the Latin motto “Discretio Est Discernere Legem” remain, but have been refined for clarity and contemporary appeal. Lady Justice’s illustration is now cleaner and more legible, while the Latin phrase has been repositioned on banners to enhance visibility. The new circular layout symbolises unity and professionalism, with smoothed lines and improved symmetry enhancing scalability and versatility across print and digital formats.
Secondary designs:
Original Website Design and Pain Points:
Design & Aesthetic Issues
Outdated visual style: The colour scheme, fonts, and layout reflect an early 2000s aesthetic, which lacks the modern polish expected by today’s users.
Low visual hierarchy: Important content (like membership benefits or library access) isn't visually emphasised—everything looks the same.
Lack of imagery or engaging visuals: Besides the courthouse banner and the association’s seal, there are no visuals or icons to break up text or guide users.
Inconsistent formatting: Different font styles, link colours, and text weights appear arbitrarily throughout pages.
Navigation & User Flow
Clunky side menu: The left-hand menu feels crowded and outdated, with little visual separation or hierarchy between primary and secondary links.
No mobile optimisation: There's no responsive design visible—text, buttons, and layout would be hard to navigate on mobile.
No breadcrumbs or navigation aids: Users have no way of tracking where they are within the site or easily returning to the homepage.
Content & Readability
Text-heavy pages: Walls of text on every page make it difficult to scan or find key information quickly.
Legal jargon without explanations: There’s minimal plain-language guidance for the public accessing legal services or advice.
Redundant information: Similar details about the library, membership, and contact processes appear on multiple pages with minor variations.
Accessibility Gaps
No accessibility tools: No text resizing, high-contrast toggle, or screen reader considerations visible.
Low color contrast: The beige background and grey sidebar make it hard to read for users with low vision.
Poor link usability: Hyperlinks are hard to distinguish unless underlined and lack descriptive alt text.
The Solution
To address the outdated structure and design of the Peterborough Law Association’s previous website, I developed a modern, user-first solution that elevates both usability and functionality—without losing the Association’s heritage and professional tone.
The new site design offers a clean, timeless layout with improved navigation and clear content hierarchy. Key information is now easy to find, thanks to organized sections for court info, public resources, membership benefits, and a searchable member directory.
A major component of the solution was creating a secure members-only portal, where current PLA members can:
Access archived newsletters and event photos
Participate in a community message board
View and RSVP to upcoming events
Stay connected through exclusive content
The design reflects the professionalism of the legal community while being fully responsive across devices. Subtle brand refinements were made to bring visual consistency, improve readability, and enhance trust.
By streamlining the user experience and incorporating digital tools that support the PLA’s goals, this website now serves as a valuable resource for both members and the public.
