The Future of the Law Firm Workplace (Re-broadcast): Pandemic Sets Precedent for Lawyers to Rethink Their Real Estate
By: Gensler Design Exchange Podcast
Tags: Architecture, Lawyers, Law Firm, Design, Future Of Work

Law firms have been rethinking their real estate requirements and starting to downsize for some time. In recent years, firms have begun moving to tighter offices or even open plans for associates. Firms in higher cost markets were among the first to experiment with these new paradigms. But generally, a move towards more efficient use of space in law offices has not happened as fast as it has in other industries. That may have to do with the fact that the legal industry values precedent. Lawyers like to know an approach has been tested before they adopt it.

In today’s episode, we’re re-broadcasting a panel discussion hosted by DCA Live just last week. In this conversation, Christian Amolsch, Client Relationship Leader and Senior Associate, and Kim Sullivan, Principal in Gensler’s Washington D.C. office, speak with industry experts David Crew, Head of Real Estate at Hogan Lovells, Susan Berson, DC Office Managing Partner at Mintz, Brian Sprague, COO at Akin Gump, and Maurice Bellan, DC Office Managing Partner at Baker Mckenzie, to discuss how design trends that have accelerated in the last year will have a lasting impact on the world’s leading law firms, their workforces, and their design partners for many years to come.

Panelists (L-R) (T-B): David Crew, Susan Berson, Brian Sprague, Christian Amolsch, Maurice Bellan, Kim Sullivan

According to Gensler’s 2020 U.S. Work From Home Survey, layers continue to prefer private environments more so than any other industry. But the COVID-19 crisis and the shift to remote work have prompted some law firms to rethink their real estate requirements. Dynamic seating, along with flexible amenities and alternative choices like hoteling suites, is an emerging paradigm that can help some law firms achieve significant space savings. Recognizing that lawyers can be engaged and productive no matter where they are, the legal industry has an opportunity to build a more flexible culture by making remote working a permanent part of their operations. In fact, Gensler’s survey found that 54% of lawyers want a flexible arrangement that allows them to work from home for a portion of the week. The survey also found that few lawyers had worked from home regularly prior to COVID-19, but most now see home environments as effective environments to work.

The pandemic has encouraged new forms of collaboration and nontraditional working. Management advisory firms are looking to implement policies and design strategies that help employees be productive in a new hybrid work model that combines face-to-face interactions with virtual collaboration. This new model can extend chance encounters and informal collisions to the virtual realm. Tools like AI can enhance culture and make our workplaces the engaged social hubs they always should have been. And when technology is coupled with an effective workplace that brings bright minds and people together, it is the combined power of the two that can drive better performance and enrich the office experience.

Baker Botts — Washington, DC | © 2020 Devon Banks Photography. No usage without express written permission.

Professional services firms are also transforming their offices into magnets for professionals and clients. Management advisors are implementing immersive, tailored experiences to motivate a highly mobile, multitasking workforce, while legal firms are introducing new elements to spur interaction, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose. As events and conferences resume, firms are looking for new and creative ways to grow their networks, engage with their clients, and reconnect with each other. As offices reopen, the ability to host events in offices will become even more important. Firms can enlarge and enhance social spaces that can be areas of work during the day but are reconfigurable for client and employee events for day or evening.

Looking ahead, firms are evaluating what strategies to explore so they can benefit from reduced costs, while also positioning their assets to adapt to change, attract and retain talent, and promote community. There isn’t a single strategy that will work for every firm, but strong drivers such as humanistic needs, the pace of change, and the power of place should be considered when planning and evaluating the future office. Future-oriented thinking will help businesses stay relevant and profitable well into the future. So what’s next for law firms? Tune in to find out!