Law Firm Offices Are Getting Bigger and Brighter as More Attorneys Squeeze In
Published on October 15, 2025, by The American Lawyer (a Law.com publication), this article explores how New York City’s Am Law 200 firms are redesigning or expanding their workspaces to handle surging attorney headcounts amid hybrid work realities. As litigation and transactional practices boom, firms are leasing larger footprints—often 20-30% more square footage—while packing in more lawyers per square foot through efficient, amenity-rich layouts. The result? Brighter, more collaborative environments that prioritize natural light and communal spaces to lure talent back from remote setups, signaling a shift toward “commute-earning” offices that blend productivity with well-being.
Key Design Trends Driving the Shift
Post-pandemic, law firm offices in Manhattan are evolving from staid, hierarchical setups to vibrant, adaptable hubs. Core principles include:
- Maximizing Natural Light: A top priority, especially for interior offices now occupied by associates due to streamlined support roles (fewer secretaries and storage areas). Firms seek buildings with expansive windows and transparent interiors to flood central spaces with daylight, reducing eye strain and boosting morale.
- Expanding Common Areas: More “public” zones like tech-equipped conference rooms, conversation nooks, and skyline-view lounges encourage serendipitous interactions and cross-practice mingling—think cornhole tournaments between real estate and litigation teams.
- Increasing Density: Uniform or two-tier office sizes (partners slightly larger) mean less space per attorney overall, down from pre-2020 norms, enabling higher headcounts without sprawling footprints. This egalitarian approach fosters flexibility for future growth.
These trends reflect a broader industry push: With attorney numbers up 20-30% at many firms since 2022, designs must accommodate hybrid schedules while competing against cozy home offices.
Spotlight on New York Firm Expansions
Several high-profile moves illustrate the “bigger and brighter” ethos:
- Covington & Burling: Relocated to Hudson Yards with 35,000 additional square feet to support a 30% headcount surge, yet less total space per lawyer than their prior New York Times building digs. Features include smaller, digital-optimized offices and prime southern views repurposed for open gathering spots to spark collaboration.
- Hogan Lovells: Renovating its Manhattan HQ (completion Q1 2026) with architects TP Bennett and Design Republic, emphasizing lit, open layouts for practice-group proximity and diverse work styles. Amenities like barista bars and event spaces aim to make the office a “fun” destination.
- Bond Schoeneck & King: Consolidated Long Island offices into one sunlit space, rejecting options with dim interiors to ensure window access for all—highlighting the hunt for light-permeable designs.
- Big Law Heavyweights: Firms like Kirkland & Ellis, Goodwin Procter, and Paul, Weiss are snapping up extra leases to fuel growth, mirroring midsize players in prioritizing efficiency over excess.
Insights from Firm Leaders and Designers
Experts underscore the human-centered rationale behind these changes:
- David Pinsky, Covington management committee member: “The idea was… ‘How do we get people out of their offices?’ We decided to take the space that people want to gather and make it public space.”
- Allison Schiffman, Covington New York managing partner: “My office could be smaller and smaller… But it is nice to have the uniform space that really does seem to be the optimal space where you don’t need more.”
- Timothy Bromiley, Gensler principal: “Now we’re putting lawyers in those [interior] spaces. So there’s a stronger motivation to make those spaces a great experience. The best way to do that is with natural light.”
- Michael Kuh, Hogan Lovells New York managing partner: “We’re competing against people’s home offices… We wanted to ensure that our offices were comfortable enough that people wanted to be there.”
- Barry Ludlow, Design Republic principal: “The challenge… is to create a compelling destination where people want to be, that people are proud to be part of.”
- Ralph Rosella, Bond Schoeneck co-managing partner: Struggled to find “quality space that had a lot of perimeter offices with windows” for even light distribution.
- Sarah Brown, TP Bennett director: “Adaptability is key,” stressing modular designs for long-term viability.
Challenges and Broader Implications
Sourcing buildings with deep light penetration remains tricky, especially for consolidations, and costs are climbing in a tight market. Yet, these optimizations—slashing per-attorney space while amping up amenities—yield 15-25% efficiency gains, per industry benchmarks. Looking ahead, expect more “neurodiverse-friendly” features like varied lighting and quiet zones, as firms bet on offices as talent magnets in a remote-friendly era. This could ripple to other cities, redefining Big Law real estate as collaborative oases rather than mere desks.
For the full piece (behind a paywall but worth the read for renderings and deeper dives), head to Law.com. Curious about a specific firm’s setup or national trends? Hit me up!