Where it began
Four years ago, I started Black Door Law with a simple belief: we put people at the centre of what we do. Before I had an office, before I had a team, before there was even a name, there was that philosophy. See the person first, listen before speaking, and remember that behind every issue is someone trying to protect their livelihood, their business, their sense of worth, and their future.
When I chose the name Black Door Law, it held personal significance. The number 10 has always meant a lot to me and my husband, and it inevitably made me think of the iconic black door of 10 Downing Street. That solid, glossy door is one of the most recognised doors in the world. It symbolises responsibility, leadership and the Westminster system that underpins our legal foundations. It felt like the right image to anchor a firm that would deal with people navigating important decisions.
Small but mighty
From day one, “small but mighty” summed up our capability. Employment law has a direct impact on people and their wellbeing, so Black Door Law was intentionally built to be friendly, approachable and calming, while also being professional, specialist and honest. Those founding values shaped our positioning then, and they continue to guide how we practice law and how we work with each other.
Why a brand refresh
Over the past year, we have taken time to reflect on how far we have come, where we are heading, and how our identity should evolve to support that. It has been thoughtful, collaborative, iterative and, at times, deeply personal process. Today, I want to share the why behind our brand refresh and thank the people who helped us get here.
Growing Up as a Firm
Our clients come to us in moments of uncertainty, stress and change. When I say this people think I am referring to employee clients. However, this is true for all our work whether for employers, employees, when we are meeting people as independent investigators or undertaking culture reviews. From day one, we have taken a very human approach. The best legal solutions come from listening, seeing and truly understanding someone’s goals and concerns.
As the Firm has grown, so has the level of trust clients place in us. We have expanded our team, our capability and our tech. We have built relationships with organisations around New Zealand, and increasingly across the Tasman. We have taken on higher profile work, delivered more training and engaged more in the community. We have had conversations as a team about what matters most, how we want to practice law, and what we never want to lose as we grow.
It became clear this year that we had reached a point where our external identity needed to catch up.
What We Learned When We Asked Hard Questions
Part of this process involved interviews with clients, colleagues and our own team. Hearing their words was humbling, reaffirming and sometimes emotional. Five themes came through again and again. They are now embedded in our brand DNA:
These are words and themes that came directly from our clients. They are lived behaviours. They have become a benchmark for how we hire, how we communicate and how we practice law.
BDL: A Natural Evolution
Another theme that emerged throughout this process was our name. We are, and will continue to be, Black Door Law. At the same time, many of our clients and colleagues already refer to us as BDL. It’s a natural shorthand, easier to say, memorable, and avoids the occasional forgetting of the letter “L” in black. With that in mind, we have leaned into ‘BDL’ which now features in our logo, on LinkedIn, across our digital banners and in our signage, alongside our full name where needed.
This update aligns with the Firm’s national presence and an expanding trans-Tasman network.
What Hasn’t Changed
Our purpose is unchanged: to create safe and productive workplaces and communities. Putting people at the centre remains our guiding ethos and we remain led by our values of Continual Improvement, Thoughtfulness, Collaboration and Fun.
When employment issues feel all consuming, we continue to provide clarity and solutions. We break problems down, offer clear grounded advice and give clients the confidence to move forward.
We know that the ripple effect matters. When people thrive, businesses are energised and communities are stronger. Taking time, being kind and delivering exceptional work is how we show up every single day.
Acknowledging The People Who Made This Possible
A brand refresh is not about typography and colour. It is about reflecting who we are. I want to thank:
• Our team, who continue to show up every day as wholehearted, capable professionals.
• Our clients, whose trust, feedback and candour shaped this new direction.
• Our external partners and colleagues who shared their perceptions, challenges and hopes for us.
• Our designers, who took the time to understand not just what we do, but why it matters.
Every conversation, refinement and decision moved us closer to a brand identity that truly represents us.
Looking Ahead
You will start seeing changes this week across our website, signage, templates and social media.
To everyone who have supported us to this point, thank you. We remain committed to providing exceptional employment law services with empathy, clarity and dignity at their core.
The work continues, and I am excited for what comes next.
Caro
