Authorized sector workplace leasing jumped 17% year-over-year within the first half of 2026, climbing to just about 12.2 million sq. toes, in response to new figures from Cushman & Wakefield reported by Reuters. Legislation corporations accounted for 14% of all workplace leasing throughout the ten main authorized markets the brokerage tracks within the second quarter alone. “Legislation corporations are fairly optimistic about their trajectory,” stated David Smith, head of Americas Insights for the Cushman & Wakefield World Suppose Tank, presumably the understatement of the fiscal yr. The authorized sector, per the report, was a “key driver of demand” because the broader workplace market claws its manner again and tenant demand “steadily” ticks up.
Manhattan corporations have been locked in a space race, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett’s 916,000-square-foot relocation — the one largest authorized deal of the quarter, in response to Savills — is the sort of quantity that may have been unthinkable in 2020, again when landlords have been quietly pricing out condominium conversions.
Since 2023, Biglaw has been tightening its in-office mandates with the passion of a agency that has someplace very costly to place everybody, regardless of associates making it clear they’ll trade prestige for flexibility. 4 days per week is more and more the brand new flooring throughout Biglaw, with Duane Morris the latest to jump from three to four simply final week. And Sullivan & Cromwell is main the pack with five days required in the office. The leasing figures make an announcement: the work-from-home heyday is behind us — you don’t ink these offers for a hybrid workforce that turns up when it feels prefer it.
It’s been trending for a while now that corporations lease reckless quantities of premium area after which, having finished so, uncover a sudden and pressing want for everybody to come back justify it in particular person. Three years later, the mandate and the lease have stopped being trigger and impact and began being the identical gesture. The work-from-home glory days should not coming again.
Earlier: Biglaw Office Space Driving Best Real Estate Boom This Century
Biglaw’s Return-To-Office Push Is Showing Up In Law Firm Real Estate Deals
Biglaw’s Three-Day Office Week Is Going Out Of Style
Prestige Is Out, Flexibility Is In! But Did Biglaw Get The Memo?
Biglaw Lawyers Must Return To The Office To Justify Management’s Reckless Office Space Leases
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Legislation, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the most effective, so please join together with her. Be at liberty to electronic mail her with any suggestions, questions, or feedback and comply with her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Bluesky @Kathryn1