“There’s an element of prestige that comes with working at a law firm — particularly if that means sitting in a glossy, high-rise office building overlooking a metropolitan area, such as Miami or Atlanta,” writes Raychel Lean in this story published the Daily Business Review’s May 17, 2021 Southeast Takeaways Newsletter.

In the article, Sally Culley, administrative partner for the Orlando office, discusses how firms are rethinking their need for office space in the wake of the pandemic.

Culley shared that she has noticed a shift in the Southeast from elegant, expensive offices to more open layouts with integrated technology, smaller offices and flexible, multipurpose workspaces. “It’s a trend that has been unfolding at many firms over several years, but has ramped up due to COVID-19,” explains Culley.

Client expectations have also shifted, which, for some lawyers, could translate into a loss of prestige.

“Some lawyers may feel that way, given that clients are more cost-conscious and less impressed with large, inefficient, expensive offices,” said Culley. “What clients really want is to work with lawyers that are innovative, knowledgeable, tech-savvy and productive — and a more modern, efficient workplace can demonstrate those qualities. For some lawyers, a large office is evidence of their hard work and success, and they may be resistant to giving that up.”

Culley added, “If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that many employees can be productive working from home, and they don’t miss their offices at all. Others will, indeed, feel a loss of prestige if they are moved to smaller offices, if their offices are eliminated or if they are required to share an office with another.”

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