2024 Bright Insight

03

OFFICE LAYOUTS AND SPACE EFFICIENCY Despite an urgency to modernize traditional law offices and a generally accepting attitude toward change in that area, law firms face challenges when doing so. The most significant challenge in workplace change for all firms, as indicated by 36% of respondents, is uncertainty about future office use by attorneys. In Global/Am Law 100 firms, the largest challenge is a lack of current office use which is closely followed by uncertainty in future use of the office. This uncertainty doesn’t exist in a vacuum; building consensus among partners is a significant hurdle to making long term decisions about office layouts.

Attorneys need a place to conduct internal team and client meetings, and to do individually-focused work. While technology has allowed them to do more of these tasks remotely, the office is still the most secure and professional space for many of these interactions. Until clarity can be achieved surrounding how often attorneys and staff will use the office in the future, there can be hesitancy in deploying the capital required to build out new space. Consequently, the second greatest challenge faced by all surveyed firms is the costs associated with office renovation or relocation.

All Firms

Global/Am Law 100 Firms

01 02 03 04 05

01 02 03 04 05

Uncertainty about future office use by attorneys

Lack of current office use by attorneys

Costs associated with office renovation and relocation

Uncertainty about future office use by attorneys

Current lease structure

Current lease structure

Economic uncertainty

Costs associated with renovation and relocation

Resistance from partners or senior leadership

Resistance from partners or senior leadership

Source: Cushman & Wakefield Research

34 | BRIGHT INSIGHT