It wasn’t long ago that Biglaw firms began flocking to Miami, Florida, where the only thing hotter than the sun is the area’s prospects as a stellar secondary market. With brick-and-mortar offices opening there left and right, last month, one of the Am Law 100 firms that opened up shop there in 2019 announced plans to ditch its current office in favor of a more progressive framework.
Morrison & Foerster — a firm that brought in $1,343,000,000 gross revenue in 2023, putting it at No. 38 in the Am Law 100 — broke news that after its lease expires at the end of the year, it will “transition to a flexible office space model.” At the time, we questioned what this could mean, wondering, “Is the firm moving to a virtual office like Husch Blackwell’s Link, adopting a WeWork-style environment, or hoteling its attorneys in a new space? We suppose we shall see.”
According to the Daily Business Review, we now know what’s going on at MoFo Miami. It’s nine local attorneys will be working remotely and using WeWork offices on an as-needed basis. (We love being right!)
As noted by Pat Cavaney, the firm’s chief operating officer, “At this point in time, we have no other plans [to go fully hybrid in other markets]. One of the things we want to do is see how this model works for us.” Cavaney went on to say that while he doesn’t think there will be an issue, “[W]e’ll be watching, undoubtedly making a few tweaks in terms of how we do certain things.”
Best of luck to Morrison & Foerster on its new hybrid work operations in Miami! Will the firm’s decision inspire more of its Biglaw brethren to make similar moves? Stay tuned.
Why Morrison & Foerster Is Transitioning Into a Hybrid Office Model in Miami [Daily Business Review]
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 X/Twitter and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.
