Given the nature of work, most conventional law offices operate out of traditional, closed spaces. However, this conventional notion of legal practice is fast evolving and HFW is one of the firms leading this change. For HFW, the private office still isn’t going anywhere,  instead it’s evolving to hold reconfigurable furniture and integrated technology that accommodates in-person and virtual collaboration, not just individual work. 

We recently had the opportunity to help the firm interpret its modern take on legal practice through its modern workplace design. Our workplace strategy challenged the norms of the traditional law office design layout with an open, transparent work environment and informal breakaway spaces. For lawyers, mobility is about options, not giving up their desks. Attorneys want to work from anywhere and be connected at all times and the office had to provide the provision to accommodate more visitors—whilst not signing up for a complete free-address seating . Catering to that our design had open plans that were confined to smaller zones, collaboration zones and other more purposeful suite of spaces. Some areas are more casual and incorporate refreshments to support chance encounters; while better space for smaller groups and virtual work.