Pitt Law Admissions

Law school applications were plummeting nationwide. Rising tuition, a difficult job market, and growing doubts about the value of a law degree had schools competing for a shrinking pool of applicants. And Pitt Law’s admissions materials, developed over several years, lacked a cohesive identity. The school needed a clearer, more compelling argument for prospective students to choose it.

My initial concept leaned on the language of litigation, using bold typographic statements like Talent v. Opportunity, Theory v. Practice, and Local v. Global to make a series of pertinent comparisons.

The dean — understandably precise about legal terminology — was concerned these read as either–or choices. Working with Pitt Law’s marketing team, we refined the concept into The Case for Pitt Law, keeping our favorite moments from the original while providing more flexibility to prove our points. New photography brought the campaign to life.

Pitt Law’s appeal went beyond big law. The school had developed several specialized programs, particularly for those not pursuing careers as attorneys. We gave these less traditional offerings prominent space, alongside profiles highlighting the faculty’s depth of expertise.

Pitt Law had an impressive international presence, but its influence within Pittsburgh’s legal community was equally compelling. We contrasted these strengths, showing that students need not choose.

We also challenged assumptions about Pittsburgh itself, positioning the city as an advantage rather than a compromise.

With the value of a law degree under scrutiny, demonstrating outcomes was essential. We featured alumni by pairing their student IDs with their current business cards, making the connection between education and career immediately evident. Their stories illustrated the different paths available to graduates.

Rather than simply asking prospective students to apply, we challenged them to make their case. It was a fitting appeal to an audience about to spend their careers making arguments.

The viewbook established a system we extended across Pitt Law’s communications, developing a condensed version for admissions travel, financial aid materials, an annual magazine, and a targeted piece aimed at voters in the U.S. News & World Report rankings.

The most substantial extension was the school’s website. The campaign’s visual identity and messaging carried into the digital experience, providing a consistent introduction to the school across media.

In the years following the campaign’s launch, applications to Pitt Law increased 31% — more than twice the growth rate nationally. The campaign replaced years of disconnected admissions materials with a cohesive, flexible identity, giving Pitt Law a consistent way to communicate its academic strengths, professional outcomes, and connections to Pittsburgh and the wider world.

• Editorial Strategy
• Art Direction and Design
• Copywriting
• Client Relationships
• Project Management

Created at Landesberg Design