How Legal Companies Have Evolved From Traditional Corporate Office Designs

If you were to imagine the design of a traditional law office, your mind would probably jump to meeting rooms filled with furniture made from dark wood, long, endless corridors and basic desks stacked with papers. In some ways these offices are iconic and reflect a time period where work was done in a very different way.

Even in a sector as traditional as Legal, the workplace is no longer restricted to these traditional values and law practices are rethinking their approach to the office. Not only have the interiors transformed into stylish, collaborative environments these offices are now strategic tools to attract top talent and enable new working practices.

While many industries look to adapt their office space to accommodate new working styles, Tech and Media are usually the sectors that are looked to for inspiration but law firms are making big waves with their workplace designs and it’s important to consider how this evolution will continue. Within a number of years the once traditional law office will be hard to recognise amongst offices from other sectors.

How has law office design changed?

During the 1970s and 80s, there was a focus on demonstrating the levels of seniority within the office setting. This is where those classic stereotypes of junior staff sitting in cubicles while the partners of the firm occupy the coveted corner office. This was true across other sectors too, of course, but with the need for privacy and formality, there was typically a lot less flexibility within a legal office.

1970s & 1980s

During the 1970s and 80s, there was a focus on demonstrating the levels of seniority within the office setting. This is where those classic stereotypes of junior staff sitting in cubicles while the partners of the firm occupy the coveted corner office. This was true across other sectors too, of course, but with the need for privacy and formality, there was typically a lot less flexibility within a legal office.

It’s also important to remember the role that technology played within these offices and that the state of the art tech of the era was the Xerox photocopier. This meant that these offices had to account for lots of paper as well as space to store all of that paper. It informed the layout of the offices and played a significant role in the function of the space.

1990s & 2000s

Fast forward to the 90s and 2000s and the digital revolution meant that paper was slightly less important to businesses. With more computers in the workplace though, there was still a reliance on traditional desk set ups which in most cases meant cellularisation.

One change which was beginning to drive change within the office design was the increase in modularity. Modular furniture started to be introduced to workplaces which meant there was less need for oversized custom-built desks. Largely though, there was not a huge amount of change in the overall environment and this period of time was very much the standard image of a law office.

2010s

By the start of the 2010s, open plan offices and the arrival of collaborative working in the majority of business sectors had started to influence new ways of working. Within the legal sector though, there were still many barriers to this open and flexible work style. However, specific zones within legal offices had started to adopt a more communal focus with things like shared breakout spaces.

One major shift which had begun in the 2010s was the increase in more client-facing work. This is where features like business suites, client lounges and private offices for multiple occupants started to appear in offices.

2020s

There has not been a singular event that has influenced the workplace more than the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past five years, businesses from across all sectors have been forced to adapt overnight to remote work and integrate more technology into their offices. While the future of work is still yet to be determined, the legal profession is not alone in embracing more collaborative, open environments that continue to challenge the archetypal legal office design ideals of the past.

Many firms have moved into more modern, tech-enabled spaces in mixed-use buildings or co-working hubs, abandoning decades-old leases in favour of efficient, attractive environments that foster both in-person collaboration and remote accessibility. This is something we’ve seen first hand through our project with Lodders Solicitors at their offices in Stratford and Birmingham.

Lodders had begun their transition to hybrid work and this had drastically changed the way they used space and also the way their people occupied the office. With this in mind, it is clear to see that the need for offices to support hybrid working is one of the biggest drivers for change within the design of legal offices.

What is driving evolution in legal office design?

While the way law firms design their interiors is changing, the evolution is not being led by a desire to make the offices look nicer. It’s a benefit of course but there is more strategic thinking behind the new look law offices.

As reported in CBRE’s 2024 Law Firm Benchmarking Survey, the majority of legal practices have set up hybrid work models within their offices. These models and policies all vary from business to business and typically require staff to be in the office for three or more days per week. 

The competition for top talent is still exceptionally high and the younger legal professionals are looking for more flexibility in the office. An article in Forbes explains how International law firms based in the US have been at the centre of this design evolution with influential architects taking inspiration from office designs from the likes of ‘Zoom, Snapchat and Honest – to sculpt an office setting that mixes in technology at all points of interaction.’ In the same way as tech companies are designing offices to win the war on talent, legal practices are also seeing the benefits of that in a competitive hiring market.

Operational Efficiency

With office space coming at a premium and flexible working practices being more widely accepted, all businesses have started to assess the occupational efficiency of their office space. There is obviously a need for operational efficiency but it is also important to assess the role of the office beyond the performance against cost.

Real estate costs are under scrutiny more than ever and that’s a trend we have seen across all sectors. Adrian Gleeson, Strategy Director at Rhino Interiors believes that with this shift in focus on operational costs, “You don’t design for desks any more; you design for retention and client trust.” While costs are being closely analysed, there is a requirement for office space to be viewed as a tool in talent attraction and retention as well as building trust with clients.

Even though hybrid working is becoming more mainstream, legal firms are maintaining the client-facing element of their businesses and still need an engaging environment that helps to reflect reliability and professionalism.

The Evolution of Legal Offices

As law firms continue to evolve their working practices, it is clear to see that legal offices are leaving their traditional stereotypes behind. Just as other sectors have seen their workspaces become important assets for attracting top talent, legal office design is being shaped by the incoming younger workforce who have different expectations of what the office looks like and how they will use it. Whether you’re upgrading your current location or relocating entirely, now is the time to design for agility, wellbeing, and long-term relevance.

Need help planning your new legal workspace? Get in touch with one of our expert team to begin planning your office design.