Harvard Law School:
Where Words Change the World
Harvard Law School’s legacy of innovation in legal education—and its powerful alumni network—make it one of the most prestigious institutions in the world.”
In response to student activism, the school retired its 200‑year‑old shield bearing Isaac Royall Jr.’s armorial crest—symbolizing wealth built on the backs of the enslaved.
Through our strategic design process, we fostered collective introspection and facilitated transformative healing and ideological change—reinforcing the school’s forward‑looking commitments to truth, law, and justice.
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To ensure our work was successful, we consulted with the HLS working group led by Prof. Annette Gordon-Reed to establish the school’s new shield. Through lengthy strategy sessions, we coalesced students (current and alumni), educators, legal scholars, staff, and the Harvard Corporation, to guide our approach.
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We recognized that Harvard Law School’s influence is global: its graduates shape laws beyond U.S. borders. Words hold weight—and ideas demand thoughtful reflection. With humanity at the core, we conducted rounds of ideation to design around these guiding values.
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By merging ‘lex et iustitia’ (“law and justice”) with ‘veritas,’ we emphasized HLS’s commitment to truth, law, and justice. The design also subtly evokes global impact and the intersection of emerging ideas. This direction received prompt and unanimous approval from both the Harvard Corporation and the student-led oversight group.
SCOPE
Brand Identity, Strategy, Creative Direction, Messaging
CREDITS
HLS Working Group, Popkitchen Co., Studio Rainwater
