The 9 big questions about legal workplace fitouts

As more law firms make the shift to open-plan offices and shared workspaces, ALMJ discusses the latest trends with Kellie Payne, Associate Director at Bates Smart, an architectural firm that has helped firms such as Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Allens, Mallesons, DibbsBarker and Sparke Helmore with their new fitouts.  

Why are some lawyers giving up their offices?

In a tough economy and facing unprecedented competition, law firms know they have to become more efficient. That can mean addressing the fact that a significant percentage of their workspace may be under-utilised, necessitating a move to open-plan workspaces. It also sees them embracing the notion that the combined knowledge and experience of their staff is a legal practice’s greatest resource, so ‘siloing’ lawyers away in offices may be counterproductive.

Kellie Payne says rising competition in the legal sector has led to more fixed-fee work. “So lawyers are looking at collaborative work methods to deliver efficiencies, and open plan is one of the most straightforward ways to increase collaboration across a business,” she says. Flexibility is the key as lawyers seek better access to their peers and clients.

What are innovative firms doing?

It is different strokes for different folks, depending on their particular needs. In general, the trend is towards breakout areas and informal meeting spaces that increase collaboration and socialisation. ‘War rooms’ where legal teams can embed themselves should complement open-plan layouts, while dedicated ‘quiet rooms’ where individuals can get away from distractions are also an important part of the mix.

Some firms have gone open plan to foster communication and mentoring among senior and junior staff members; some have opted for a cul-de-sac configuration for offices that maintains privacy while still encouraging visibility of lawyers; and some have retained a limited number of offices while creating breakout spaces and hospitality areas to be enjoyed by clients and staff. Payne says most modern firms want to develop personal relationships with their clients “and bring them into the fold of their business”. Therefore, creating functional breakout spaces – such as cafes, meeting-dining rooms and barbecue terraces – that double as work and personal spaces are in vogue.

“We’re finding that for lawyers meeting with their clients and their staff over food, rather than just in a meeting room, is an important way of breaking down the barriers and widening the conversation,” Payne says.

What about the corner office with a great view?

Offices have long been a status symbol for bosses, but some are opting to give over prime spaces to staff for general use. Other managing partners may see a more modest office as being a signal to employees that they are making sacrifices in a tough market.

Payne says there is a clear trend towards law firms placing an emphasis on business performance, rather than rewarding partners in the form of large offices. She contends that an open-plan workspace is one way to heighten collaboration and productivity as legal teams come together and share their knowledge, rather than having a series of disjointed meetings where information is repeated behind closed doors. “It’s a faster and more cost-effective way of doing the work.”

What key challenges must be addressed?

Payne says adopting a more open environment presents three main challenges: ensuring adequate acoustic separation; finding privacy and quiet spaces when required; and maintaining confidentiality. Design must be at the heart of the solution, including generous, customised desks to aid privacy; a high ratio of quiet rooms and informal meeting spaces, as well as larger, enclosed rooms for team meetings; and technology for file storage and digital security that enables ease of mobility between spaces.

Won’t confidentiality be an issue for firms?

A shift to open-plan offices in the highly confidential banking sector acts as a guide for law firms, according to Payne. Bankers have embraced document-management systems and digital networks that secure data while enabling mobility and open-plan work. Payne says the truth is that securing paper files in an office is less relevant in today’s world and that new apps, software and travel potentially represent a greater threat to sensitive information as lawyers move around with their laptops.

“Unless every lawyer is locking their office when they walk out the door, having an office is not necessarily any more confidential than having a desk in an open-plan workspace,” she says. “But each business has to look at its risks and confidentiality factors and create a management plan.”

How do you strike a balance between work and personal spaces?

A café can no longer just be a coffee shop environment, Payne observes. It must be a multi-use space that can properly function as a workspace to ensure it is used throughout the day. The focus is on shared facilities: open meeting areas, large communal cafes, quiet rooms and a “library zone” – a really quiet room to which lawyers can retreat when they need to focus on a matter. At all times the design should complement modern technology requirements: on-the-move lawyers want to be able to dock their laptop to a desk area and then have ease of mobility between spaces as they move from quiet rooms to larger meeting rooms when teams gather to discuss a case. They also want to use ‘soft phones’ and video-conferencing tools on their laptops – and their office managers must ensure that this all happens seamlessly.

Can collaborative workspaces help recruitment and retention?

Payne says anecdotal evidence suggests that a more collegiate environment courtesy of open, collaborative workspaces is especially attractive to younger generations. Junior lawyers want access to senior lawyers and mentors, rather than bunkering down for eight hours of isolated work. “Being able to easily listen to and be mentored by senior staff is a key factor in why lawyers are choosing (one firm over another),” Payne says.

How does a new fitout tie in with leasing deals?

Payne says many major law firms are signing 10-year leases for their office space. So any new fitouts have to be viewed as a decade-long investment that should be flexible enough to cater for head-count growth or shrinkage without having to create new offices or meeting rooms. The ability to convert spaces without major redesigns is crucial. “You want to get it right from day one because it’s a big investment,” Payne says.

Where do smaller firms fit in?

Regardless of the size of the firm, Payne favours a 10-year strategy that considers what role space will play in the work environment. A relatively small group of senior lawyers working individually for clients may prefer to retain an office-dominated workspace, but they should plan ahead if they envisage significant growth or a switch to a more team-based approach to client service that requires more social spaces. Payne adds: “It’s a strategy that should be crafted to each different business and how they’re trying to work and run their practice.”