The legal profession, ideally speaking, is concerned with the truthful administration of justice. Justice means that people are treated fairly and reasonably. The scales of justice are used to portray this image of the legal profession to the public, and perhaps to remind those in the legal profession of their ethical duties to the notion of justice.
The scales of justice are simple, and yet they do portray a very powerful message. The scales represent the concept of balance. The image I selected is interesting because there is an obvious imbalance. Perhaps this is to emphasize the presumption of innocence. Perhaps it is in a state of imbalance in order to demonstrate a commitment to freedom and liberty rather than oppression. The burden is on the person claiming a wrong, perhaps the police or a plaintiff in a civil matter, to prove with solid evidence that his claim is valid. This particular scale of justice was taken from the homepage of a defense attorney. His specialty is defending drunken driving cases. This is a very suitable symbol for people under threat of criminal prosecution. The notion of balance seeks to reassure the client and conveys the ideals of the profession.
The Windows logo is one that we see almost daily, and even though it is a very simple idea, it is also a very powerful idea. First, technology is always seen as a very futuristic concept. Groups are always trying to improve and innovate.
I think this is an excellent logo for Microsoft. The windows themselves are like windows into the future and into knowledge. This logo is telling us that Microsoft is granting us access to information. That is precisely what they create in their business.