18th Nov 2024
We’re always thrilled to launch a new website – I say so every time. It’s never less than exciting, being the culmination of so much creative work. If anything, launching the brand-new website for St Ives Chambers is extra exciting. It’s bigger, for one thing. It’s a project that’s packed with creativity and tech, and it took the efforts of the whole PLOTT team. Yay us!
St Ives Chambers, is among Birmingham’s premier barrister chambers. For decades, St Ives has built their reputation through dedicated legal expertise, professionalism, and a highly esteemed team. However, their previous website no longer matched the fresh, modern image they project in their daily practice.
They came to PLOTT for a brand and web transformation that would bring their website into the current day and enhance the user experience. Ultimately providing a foundation for future growth.
The St Ives team was clear from the start about their priorities: a website that’s as fast, secure, and functional as it is visually appealing. The former site was clunky, dated, and didn’t support the intuitive navigation or accessible design that St Ives needed. On top of this, the team had found it challenging to get updates and modifications from previous providers.
They needed a more responsive partner to bring their vision to life—someone who could tackle the project’s challenges while also helping them with smaller, day-to-day needs.
“I have experienced for myself the fantastic work PLOTT does on another brand and website project. Therefore I knew they were the team we needed. Their combination of creativity and technical expertise made it an easy choice. They were exceptional from first to last. I cannot recommend them highly enough.”
The PLOTT team didn’t just stop at the website itself; we also worked with St Ives Chambers on a brand refresh that would subtly update their identity without losing its recognisable appeal. While the core of their brand remains intact, we added a sense of modernity with a completely new colour palette and updated fonts that give the brand a sleek, polished look. These elements align with St Ives’ position as a trusted but forward-thinking legal institution.
Visual storytelling was also an important part of this brand refresh. We organised photoshoot days at St Ives’ offices in Birmingham, where we invited the barristers to come by for new headshots. These updated photos now feature prominently on each barrister’s profile, contributing to a sense of personal connection and approachability that aligns with St Ives’ values.
“It’s a real pleasure to work with clients who understand the value of investing in professional brand assets. At St Ives, the brand is well-established, so it was important to honour that while adding touches that make it feel more current and engaging.”
Beyond the headshots, we also worked closely with our favourite photographer, Kate Hollingsworth, to develop a unique visual concept for the site. The site now features iconic Birmingham landmarks and statues, giving a strong sense of place and reinforcing St Ives’ connection to the city. This concept extends to Nottingham, reflecting the chambers’ broader regional presence.
One of the most exciting features of the new St Ives Chambers website is its functionality. The site isn’t just a fresh face for St Ives; it’s a complete overhaul of the user experience (UX).
In addition to the all important aesthetics and considerably improved page speed, the website now includes an enhanced news and events section. Visitors can quickly access the latest updates, sorted into relevant categories.
We also tackled a significant project in redeveloping the barrister shortlist software. Previously, this system was cumbersome and lacked the level of sophistication St Ives wanted for their clients.
Our dev team built this feature from the ground up, creating a solution that allows users to view full profiles of barristers, add them to a shortlist based on their areas of expertise, and save a custom PDF document based on these selections. This feature helps barristers by streamlining the process of presenting their specialities to potential clients.
“Tackling a technical challenge is the very best part of being a dev. I’m really pleased with how the barrister shortlist program turned out. This project was a challenge, and that’s why it was so much fun.”
From a technical standpoint, the new website is a significant upgrade. In addition to faster load times, the site now meets higher standards for accessibility, helping everyone navigate and engage with the content. The backend was built with security and scalability in mind, allowing St Ives Chambers to expand as their needs grow.
For us, there’s no better feeling than seeing our clients’ satisfaction with their finished project. It’s even better when they say so in writing! Testimonials from happy clients underscore the value of our collaborative approach, and it’s feedback like this that reinforces why we love what we do.
“I just wanted to say a massive thank you for all the work you have done on the website. It looks fabulous, and the incoming feedback is amazing.”
St Ives Chambers now has a brand and website to represent their distinguished reputation. They’re now equipped with the tools they need to continue to serve their clients. From the redesigned brand elements to the innovative shortlist feature, each component of the site was crafted to support and future-proof St Ives, and to offer a seamless experience to their clients.
For us at PLOTT, every project is a chance to create something meaningful. The new website is both testament to St Ives’ dedication to excellence, and our commitment to delivering work that’s beautiful and impactful.
Curious to see the results? Why wouldn’t you be? Go and explore the site now.
We’ve been building brands that use storytelling for years. Sounds a bit fanciful? Don’t worry, it’s a concrete formula for engaging audiences. We created our workbook, “Once upon a brand” to help and guide you.
Drop us a line if you’d like a copy. Or get in touch if you have a project in mind. You can also use our online booking tool – we’ll arrange a call to get the ball rolling.
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