McCann Fitzgerald — Fifty

2014

Designed by David Smith at Atelier David Smith

Typography: David Smith

Print & Production: MM ArtBook Printing

Categories: Editorial

Industry: Commercial

Tags: Typography

We were commissioned by one of Ireland’s oldest and largest law firms, McCann FitzGerald to design and produce an extensive and scholarly book (written by former partner, Daire Hogan) documenting the company’s history. The book was published to mark the 50th anniversary of the company's formation.

We were commissioned by one of Ireland’s oldest and largest law firms, McCann FitzGerald to design and produce an extensive and scholarly book (written by former partner, Daire Hogan) documenting the company’s history. The book was published to mark the 50th anniversary of the company's formation.

The nature of the subject matter (the legal profession) and the historic/authoritative tone of the writing demanded a visual treatment that reflected the gravitas of the content. The book is entirely printed in 2 colours — Black and McCann FitzGerald's corporate Purple (a small flourish). The main text, extensive footnotes and indexes are rigorously set in a fine (hardworking) contemporary neoclassical serif typeface. Black and white archive photography is used as a ‘visual breaker’ between chapters. These design elements combined with the ‘quarter bound’ (Purple linen and ‘paper over boards’) cover reflect McCann FitzGerald's significance within the development of the Irish legal profession and the Irish state, while the use of full-colour architectural photography on the cover underlines their current position as a leading international law firm.