The Institute of Legal Studies logo
The logo of the Institute of Legal Studies represents in a symbolic way, the mission of the Institute. The logo was designed by Mr Richard Boustany, a Bachelor of Visual Arts and Design student, studying at Strathfield Campus (Mount St Mary).
The centrepiece of the logo is the symbolic cross. The cross reflects the centrality of the Catholic identity of the Institute and connects the Institute with the Church's venerable legal tradition. It reminds us that, for Catholics, all studies of law find their inspiration and destination in Jesus Christ, who both proclaims and fulfils the call to justice which is so central to the Judeo Christian tradition.
The cross is surrounded and constructed by four grey courthouses. The courthouses serve as a powerful reminder that law is not simply a field of abstract enquiry; it relates powerfully to the lives of ordinary people, particularly the poor and the vulnerable.
The colours of the logo are the same as those in the ACU National logo. In using the same colours the Institute is placed centrally within the life of the University at large. The Institute is not an independent undertaking, but rather an aspect of the fulfilment of the University's Mission. It also reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the Institute and its close links with disciplines such as education, health, welfare, ageing and philosophy. The courthouses and the four red points of the cross use a device of three columns, a common device in Catholic art symbolising the Trinitarian God.
The text in the logo is in two parts. First, 'ILS' establishes the strong brand for the Institute, ILS being the name by which it is most commonly known. The text in black 'Institute of Legal Studies' is quite deliberately in Copperplate font. This font, designed in the early 1900's, is classically associated with the frosted glass office doors of lawyers. It is a font which is still widely used in legal stationery in the United States. The use of that font makes an important visible connection between the work of the Institute and the practising legal profession in Australia. It also represents in a meaningful way the relationships the Institute already enjoys with the best of the American Catholic Law Schools.
