We get quite a few press releases from law firms showing off their new offices, and it’s always nice to play the Lloyd Grossman part and peep behind the curtains.
The refit at Guildford-based Stevens & Bolton has many of the usual mod-cons: LED lighting throughout, hybrid work stations and a wellness space for time out, religious practice or breast-feeding.
But Obiter was particularly taken by the new office boasting 900 plants throughout the space. Given the firm has around 150 lawyers, that’s an impressive ratio of six plants for every fee earner. Watering them must be a full-time activity in itself, although it is presumably not such a thrill for any hay fever sufferers out there.
The green feel to the office is all part of offering an alternative for City workers who don’t fancy the Square Mile and instead want something a little closer to home and more suited to a work-life balance. Many of the 50 partners joined from City firms, and Stevens & Bolton managing partner James Waddell said the new site is designed to be an ‘inspiring, modern working environment which embraces flexibility’.
We like the idea of a law firm starting to resemble a garden paradise. And perhaps it does give them an edge in terms of attracting talent – recruitment is a jungle out there, after all. We reckon 900 is a law firm record, but do let us know if your office can outdo that number.
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