As anyone who works in Washington knows, D.C. law firms have been active on the real estate front in recent months. Many firms are choosing to double-down and remain near the central business district area of downtown. McDermott Will & Emery, on the other hand, set itself on a new course last week by moving all of its lawyers and operations to Capitol Hill. The more than 400 lawyers and staff are settling into the new space as we write.
A little more than two years ago, we began searching for a new location as the firm’s 15-year lease at 600 13th St. N.W. drew to an end. This created an immediate challenge for the firm. But it also created an opportunity for us to think about the future of our Washington office, real estate development trends and where we believed the legal services market was headed over the next few decades. As part of our search, we looked at everything from crime statistics to ceiling height, to commute times, to restaurant and retail offerings, to the cost of square footage. There are so many great neighborhoods in Washington that it made our task even harder.
