[Invest&Law] "No Private Rooms" Lawyers Using Shared Offices

Law Firms Struggle with Office Space Shortage as Number of Lawyers Increases
Shared Offices and Co-working Spaces on the Rise

As law firms face difficulties securing office space, some firms are increasingly providing shared offices to junior lawyers. With the growing number of lawyers intensifying space shortages, opinions are emerging that open-plan offices should be introduced, while complaints have also arisen that the tradition of providing private offices to lawyers has been broken.

Law firm Bae, Kim & Lee has traditionally provided shared offices to first-year lawyers and private offices from the second year onward. However, recently, they have been unable to maintain this practice. Kim & Chang Law Office and Law Firm Jipyong are also providing shared offices to some lawyers. Law Firm Lynn is utilizing co-working spaces.

From the law firms' perspective, shared offices are a last resort. However, they believe that shared offices can have a positive impact on new lawyers' organizational adaptation. A representative from Bae, Kim & Lee stated, "To activate the ‘Pool’ system, where new lawyers experience various tasks, a space that allows free interaction with seniors and peers is necessary." Jipyong also mentioned, "It has the advantage of enabling quick communication, leading to higher work efficiency," and a Lynn representative said, "Since introducing co-working offices, collaboration among lawyers has been strengthened."

Among overseas law firms, many have adopted open-plan offices. Fried Frank in the United States created a ‘Neighborhood’ space for interns and new lawyers at its Washington office in 2018. This space is a fully open-plan office equipped with desks, collaboration areas, phone booths, and lounge spaces. Australia's leading law firm Gilbert+Tobin eliminated all private offices and introduced an open-plan office at its Sydney office in 2016.

Park Suhyun, Legal Times Reporter

※This article is based on content supplied by Law Times.