High-Performance Office Space for High- Performance Law Firms

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1 OM OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT High-Performance Office Space for High- Performance Law Firms A case for exploring new workplace strategies Pressured by volatile economic conditions and changing demographics, today's law firms are exploring new workplace strategies that contribute to their business success. "The entire profession has become focused on the fact that the traditional law firm space model is no longer efficient, cost effective or responsive to the evolving needs of clients and the providers of legal services," says Richard Alexander, Managing Partner at Arnold & Porter LLP, in Washington, D.C. Law firms, like all other businesses, must assure that they are run efficiently in order to remain competitive. CATHERINE HEATH Director of Interior Design, HOK, Washington, D.C., office The thoughtful, creative design of a new, high-performance workplace can help firms improve client service, work more productively and achieve better financial results. DOES ONE SIZE FIT ALL FOR ATTORNEY OFFICES? The entire profession has become focused on the fact that the traditional law firm space model is no longer efficient, cost effective or responsive to the evolving needs of clients and the providers of legal services. RICHARD ALEXANDER Managing Partner, Arnold & Porter LLP The topic that generates the most discussion in workplace planning sessions is the size and configuration of attorney offices. To better use the space on a floor, firms are looking at many models, including smaller offices, universal sizes, shared offices, interior offices or even semi-enclosed spaces for attorneys. The design of the building limits some of these options. Though there always will be exceptions, newer buildings tend to be more efficient and provide more perimeter offices. Older buildings often have more interior space relative to perimeter space, which means more junior attorneys could end up in interior offices. Either way, firms are striving to give window-line space to as many attorneys as possible while optimizing use of the interior space. Many firms are studying the benefits and challenges of making all attorney offices equally sized. Some firms prefer to use only one office size to suit their egalitarian culture. Others use a single size for both partner and associate offices because it makes sense in terms of flexibility and efficiency. By assigning a universal office size, firms can fit more attorneys on a floor while giving more of them windows and views to the outside. Over time, these firms will be able to move people, not walls. This means they can save time and money when reassigning attorneys to different spaces because they won't need to reconfigure walls, wiring or utilities. Going forward, having a uniform office size also will enable them to easily integrate a lateral group when adding a new mix of partners and 1/6

2 associates. A challenge with shared offices can be dealing with noise levels and each lawyer s ability to focus. CHRIS MURRAY AIA, Managing Director and Law Firm Space and Trends Strategist, Jones Lang LaSalle DIFFERENT SIZES FOR DIFFERENT WORK For many firms, the idea that partners and associates do such different work, which can even vary among practice groups, makes the idea of universally sized offices seem impractical. As team leader and principal client contact, for example, a partner may be on conference calls throughout the day. He or she often will invite associates to join, and many will bring their laptops. However, as the partner's average office size has shrunk to today s 225-square-foot standard, options for guest seating have become more limited. At this size, most offices have not adequately addressed the need to meet with small groups within the space while maintaining a functional workspace for the individual lawyer. A creative solution for a 225-square-foot or smaller partner office is to accommodate the group by providing a table desk, effectively transforming that desk area into an impromptu meeting space that has room for the guests laptops. A universal size doesn t always save space Based on a firm's model and office size, the firm may require more space and additional conference rooms to make up for the lack of meeting area within the office. However, some attorneys see separate conference rooms as inconvenient and less effective. Conduct a test fit Depending on the building and its lease span, a single, 175-square-foot universal office size can work for many firms because, at that depth, it is large enough to accommodate meetings. Many attorneys can then be in offices along the window line, equipped with a functional meeting space, resulting in a flexible, attractive work environment. It's important for an architect to conduct a test fit to confirm that offices this deep will work in the building. INTERIOR AND SHARED OFFICES Many firms are using interior offices as a solution to fit more attorneys on the floor and leverage underutilized interior space. Associates all the way up to third-year are sometimes placed on the interior, often as a stopgap measure but increasingly as a strategic move. Shared offices are another option. In high-cost real estate markets like New York and London, it's not uncommon for first-year associates to share offices with their second-year peers. The shared office model is actually a long-standing tradition for law firms in the United Kingdom, where an experienced partner shares an office with a new lawyer as part of the mentorship system. In the United States, the effectiveness of this approach varies with a firm's culture. Some first- and 2/6

3 second-year associates see pairings as a valuable buddy system. But unless other local firms are using the same approach, this setup may have a negative impact on recruiting. A challenge with shared offices can be dealing with noise levels and each lawyer s ability to focus, says Chris Murray, AIA, Managing Director and Law Firm Space and Trends Strategist at Jones Lang LaSalle in Washington, D.C. "If the attorneys are doing research work, it s easier to have roommates. But if they are doing a lot of phone work, it becomes more problematic. Change is happening so quickly in law firms that interior spaces must be completely flexible. CHRIS MURRAY AIA, Managing Director and Law Firm Space and Trends Strategist, Jones Lang LaSalle There are several strategies for making interior and shared offices as successful as possible: Official space assignment policies that explain the business rationale for interior and shared spaces, which should include a strong return on investment, can ease the change-management process for attorneys being asked to move into these spaces. Senior leaders need to endorse and clearly communicate these policies. Firms can assign first- and second-year associates as well as alternative career path attorneys part-time, flex-time, visiting attorneys, contract/staff attorneys or retired partners to interior or shared spaces. Associates could have the opportunity to move to a window or private office as they advance in the firm. Some firms offer choices to their attorneys: Would they want to occupy a shared office with a window or a private office on the interior? Would they accept an interior or smaller office in exchange for the ability to telecommute two days per week? In interior and shared offices, the quality of the furniture, materials and lighting should be comparable to what is found in perimeter offices. Interior offices should have plenty of daylight and, ideally, views to the outside. Using glassfronted walls on perimeter and interior offices draws in natural light while making a space feel larger. Even while using all-glass fronts, there are ways to provide visual privacy for attorneys. The natural light also can reduce the need for electric lighting, making a space more energy efficient. With lighting codes steadily becoming more aggressive, all firms must optimize daylight in office design. The success of shared offices often will depend on the layout. For example, it can be disruptive if one attorney has to walk past the other s desk to reach his or her workspace. A rotated office enables two people to share one space while still having easy access to their own personal zones. When shared offices are on the perimeter, though, rotating them does not save space. 3/6

4 WHAT ABOUT THE OPEN PLAN? While a few firms, including Reynolds Porter Chamberlain in London, have moved to open-office plans, this remains largely uncharted territory for U.S. law firms, which cite concerns about recruiting and the confidential nature of their work. Firms that are ready to consider open-office solutions must consider their work processes and acoustics. Design solutions will need to separate quiet, focused activities from noise-generating activities, such as phone calls and meetings. Consider installing a sound-masking system and offering alternate work spaces, such as a coffee bar with seating, a quiet work zone on the floor or an internal unassigned office than can be reserved for a few hours. Some firms are considering semi-open environments for first-year attorneys, summer associates, contract or staff attorneys, part-time lawyers, and specialists. MAKE THE BUSINESS CASE Decisions about workplace redesign or new workplace strategies require careful and deliberate study, including a process for achieving buy-in from stakeholders. One of the most effective ways to help attorneys understand the benefits is to create a mock-up of the new office. It is also essential to create a business case outlining the reasons to select one strategy over another. Attorneys are evidence-based decision makers. If the space committee can clearly communicate the benefits of new strategies through every step of the process, a firm's decision makers will embrace them and be well-equipped to build consensus within their organization. Tours of newly built offices can help firm leaders visualize the potential solutions. In the end, the office size and configuration, as well as the furniture and infrastructure, must support the firm's evolving work processes and technology, Murray says. Change is happening so quickly in law firms that interior spaces must be completely flexible. 4/6

5 All conference rooms are including a greater integration of technology to better service the clients and enable global collaboration. CHRIS MURRAY AIA, Managing Director and Law Firm Space and Trends Strategist, Jones Lang LaSalle RETHINKING COLLABORATION Driven by technology and mobility, attorneys' work styles have changed dramatically, even during the past five years. This shift in behavior has forced law firms to reimagine spaces for collaboration. Providing comfort and convenience Attorneys have become adept at working in a variety of settings, whether at lunch, in a meeting or inside a colleague's office. To maximize their productivity and comfort, it is essential to provide ergonomically designed furniture and the ability for attorneys to plug in wherever they are in the office. Changing conference rooms The evolution of conference rooms includes smaller meeting rooms, or plug-and-play project rooms, sized and designed for the needs of each practice group and equipped with white boards and teleconferencing equipment. Larger conference rooms where attorneys can meet with clients are segregated from other work areas to protect confidentiality and privacy. All conference rooms are including a greater integration of technology to better service the clients and enable global collaboration, Murray says. Some firms are also offering a client services center where clients can sit down and work. Conference room furniture must be designed for flexibility and easy reconfiguration. Libraries There is a lot of debate about libraries. Firms are looking at ideas like eliminating them entirely, placing them in the basement in compact shelving, or rebranding them as active gathering places. For firms still unsure about the future of the library, a flexible design ensures that a law firm can convert it to another use over time. Many law firms have eliminated most books and periodicals while retaining their research teams. In some firms, library spaces now are functioning as an alternative workplace or a research center rather than only serving as a repository for books. Placing the library near a coffee bar, cafeteria or training room can help activate the space. Coffee Bars Coffee bars have long been a valuable gathering place for office networking and interaction. Some law firms are including a coffee bar with an actual barista. Rather than escaping the office to visit a neighborhood coffee shop, their attorneys and staff can simply walk to a different part of the workplace while staying on the network. Firms need to be very strategic when designing the coffee bar. Giving it more of a retail or hospitality feel can make it a destination. 5/6

6 ADAPTABILITY IS KEY Changes in employee demographics, technology and work processes will continue to drive transformation in law firm environments. Managing partners making decisions about space need to be thinking about how the law firm will be operating five, 10 and 15 years from now, Alexander says. This places a huge premium on integrating flexibility to accommodate growth and changes in the leverage model, new technology and the changing work patterns of our workforce. Firms must design space with contingency plans for the next potential use. The most important aspect of all new space is that it be adaptable to accommodate future drivers we can't predict. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Catherine Heath is the Director of Interior Design in the Washington, D.C., office of HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm. In addition to leading D.C. s interiors group, Heath heads HOK s firm-wide specialists in law office design. Heath has more than 20 years of experience designing for a wide variety of interiors project types, including legal, corporate headquarters, government, and institutional clients. LinkedIn Twitter 6/6