With
the
push
to
bring
attorneys
back
to
the
office
more
often
in
the
wake
of
the
pandemic,
some
law
firms
are
making
an
effort
to
turn
the
office
into
an
attractive
venue.
Firms
are
now
experimenting
with
open
floor
plans
in
the
hope
of
creating
an
atmosphere
where
collaboration
is
the
name
of
the
game,
enabling
partners
and
associates
alike
to
easily
exchange
ideas
and
experience
true
team-building
moments.
One
of
the
firms
that’s
taken
advantage
of
a
new
office
space
like
this
is
Axinn,
a
midsize
firm
with
one
of
the
largest
antitrust
practice
groups
in
the
country.
The
firm
recently
relocated
its
NYC
headquarters
to
the
iconic
Rockefeller
Center,
in
a
thoughtfully
designed,
28,000
square
foot
space
that
will
afford
lawyers
room
to
grow
together,
both
creatively
and
professionally.
Nick
Gaglio,
a
New
York
partner
who’s
been
with
the
firm
since
its
founding,
took
the
time
to
answer
some
questions
for
us
about
the
unique
nature
of
Axinn’s
brand
new
office
in
the
city
that
never
sleeps.
Staci
Zaretsky
(SZ):
Congratulations
on
the
firm’s
beautiful
new
office
space!
Could
you
please
tell
me
a
little
bit
more
about
why
the
firm
chose
this
type
of
open
floor
plan?
Nick
Gaglio
(NG):
Thank
you!
Our
move
to
45
Rockefeller
Plaza
gave
us
an
opportunity
to
rethink
what
a
law
firm
office
could
be.
We
knew
we
didn’t
want
a
traditional
hierarchy-based
layout
with
corner
offices
reserved
for
partners.
Instead,
we
set
out
to
design
a
space
that
encourages
interaction,
collaboration,
and
creativity
at
every
level.
As a
firm
specializing
in
antitrust,
intellectual
property, and
high-stakes
litigation
in
competitive
markets,
we compete
by offering
bespoke,
incisive,
deep
insights. Clients
need
to see that
we’re
not
just
different—we’re
better,
so we
deliver work
product
that
is more
tailored
to
their
business
problems.
That
kind
of
bespoke
service
isn’t
just
about
legal
knowledge—it’s
about
how
we
work
together
to
generate
business-focused
solutions. Given
this, it
just
makes
sense
to
orient
our workplace around breaking down
silos
and
amplifying the
Axinn
ethos: we
are
one collaborative,
integrated
team,
regardless
of
geography,
title,
or
practice
group.
That
philosophy
drove
every
design
choice.
We
replaced
traditional
corner
offices
with
shared
collective
spaces—for
team
huddles
and
client
meetings,
a
work
café
where
attorneys and
business
professionals at
all
levels
can
gather,
and
pods
for
summer
associates.
The
space
is
intentionally
hybrid:
some attorneys still
have
offices,
but
many
choose
to
sit
in
open
areas,
depending
on
what’s
most
efficient
for
the
work
at
hand. Attorneys can
plug
in
at
common
tables
or
jump
into
breakout
rooms for
client
calls
or
meetings.
Glass
walls
and
AV-forward
meeting
rooms
make
collaboration
seamless,
whether
you’re
meeting
in
person
or
across
offices.
The
result
is
a
floorplan
that
encourages
bold
ideas
and
impromptu
conversations—and
makes
it
easy
to
tap
into
the
collective
intelligence
of
the team.
SZ:
How
do
you
think
this
reflects
Axinn’s
culture,
and
what
are
some
of
the
benefits
for
attorneys
and
clients
alike?
NG:
This
office
is
a
physical
expression
of Axinn’s culture.
From
day
one,
Axinn
has
been
about
entrepreneurialism,
ambition,
and
collaboration.
These
values are built
into
how
we
train,
evaluate,
and
work
together
across
practice
areas
and
seniority
levels.
Our
new
space supports and
reflects those
values.
We’ve
also
built
in
spaces
for
team
huddles,
informal
coaching,
and
chance
encounters
that
spark
ideas.
For
attorneys,
it’s
about
accessibility
and
shared
ownership
of
the
work.
Everyone,
from
junior
associates
to
senior
partners,
shares
the
same
open,
energized
environment.
You’ll
see
partners
sitting
alongside
associates
in
open
areas
or
walking
the
loop
around
the
office
and
checking
in
with
colleagues.
There’s
visibility—literally,
thanks
to
the
glass
walls—which fosters
mentorship,
learning,
and
a
shared
sense
of
purpose.
The
layout
also
creates
a
more
social
atmosphere, where chance
meetings
and
informal
conversations
strengthen
relationships.
That
kind
of
everyday
connection
supports
individual
well-being,
deepens
internal
trust,
and
ultimately
benefits
the
firm
and
our
clients
alike.
For
clients,
the
benefit
is
real.
When
your
lawyers
operate
in
a
space
that
promotes
horizontal
collaboration,
the
solutions
they
develop
are
more
creative,
more
precise,
and
more
attuned
to
business
needs.
You
get
a
group
that
acts
as
a
true
team
rather
than
a
loose
collection
of
individuals.
That
cohesion—across
roles,
practices,
and
offices—is
part
of
our
go-to-market
strategy.
It
enables
us
to
deliver
the
kind
of
forward-thinking
advocacy
that
clients
expect
from
a
specialized
firm
like
ours.
SZ:
Do
you
think
that
an
office
like
yours
may
be
the
next
step
for
all
offices
going
forward?
NG:
I
think
it’s
where
the
industry
is
heading—especially
for
firms
that
want
to
attract
top
talent
and
deliver
sophisticated,
cross-disciplinary
service.
We’re
seeing
the
limitations
of
legacy,
static office
design
in
an
agile world.
At
Axinn,
we
didn’t
just
want
to
adapt;
we
wanted
to
evolve.
This
space
gives
us
the
agility
to
meet
the
needs
of
our
clients
and
teams,
whether
that
means
hosting
depositions, CLEs,
or client
strategy
sessions.
That
said,
it’s
not
about
forcing
everyone
into
one
model.
What
works
for
us
is
that
the
space
accommodates
a
range
of
work
styles.
Some attorneys have
private
offices;
others choose a
fully
agile
approach. The
key
is
that
everyone
has
a
choice—and
that
the
environment
supports
collaboration.
We
designed
this
office
to
make
it
easy
to
engage.
That’s
already
creating
momentum:
our
newer
associates
are
more
eager
to
be
in-person,
and
our
senior
lawyers
are
more accessible
than
ever
before.
The
physical
space
is
reinforcing
our
culture
in
ways
we
couldn’t
have
predicted.
I
wouldn’t
say
every
firm
should
copy
our
blueprint, but
I
do
think
every
firm
should
ask:
does
our
space
reflect
how
we
want
to
work
now
and
into
the
future?
Without
further
ado,
here
are
some
photos
that
will
provide
a
brief
tour
of
Axinn’s
new
office
space
in
New
York
City.
(All
images
courtesy
of
Axinn.)
On
behalf
of
everyone
here
at
Above
the
Law,
we’d
like
to
thank
Nick
Gaglio
of
Axinn
for
taking
the
time
to
give
us
insights
on
the
firm’s
beautiful
new
office
space
in
New
York.
Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to
email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
You
can
follow
her
on Bluesky, X/Twitter,
and Threads, or
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with
her
on LinkedIn.