ADAPTING

A CUSTOM SOLUTION
for the
MODERN LEGAL OFFICE
ADAPTING

A firm-wide move to two
vacant floors in their existing
building didn’t mean that the
partners at law firm Greenberg
Traurig LLP would be taking
their old office furniture with
them. Those based in the firm’s
office in McLean, Virginia,
better known as Tysons Corner,
would be starting fresh, working
in an environment better
built for how the legal sector
does business today.
STARTING
FRESH
Increasingly, law firms are
tightening up space, reducing
overall private office square
footage and making better use
of public spaces. Many have
also incorporated more technology
and fewer old-school
storage areas in new and renovated
office space, seeking a
workplace that is more efficient
and functional overall. But,
despite all these moves toward
efficiency, most still want a
workplace that looks inviting to
clients and prospects. Greenberg
Traurig is no exception.
“When we analyzed our old
space in comparison to the new
option, we realized it made
more sense to move into
something that would allow us
to be more efficient and more
collaborative, but still convey a
definite aesthetic,” said Tony
Carames, director of strategic
initiatives at the law firm. “We
decided to lease the two vacant
floors and start from scratch.”
...something that would allow us to be more
efficient and more collaborative, but still
convey a definite aesthetic.
“
”

A hybrid design solution of: Silea TM desk/casegoods, Medley TM edge banding, Credentials TM integrated pencil trough and Lily TM guest chairs.

ADJUSTABLE
HEIGHT
The firm sought to create a functional, yet warm and inviting, workplace
in this build-out. In doing so, they had to work around the
building’s unusual footprint. The diamond-shaped facility’s layout
includes points, cutouts and columns, as well as an integral stairwell
that takes up significant space. As a result, all 32 partner offices are
smaller than in the previous location, and none are quite the same
size or shape. Despite the differences, the firm still wanted to
convey a sense of continuity from office to office. That’s where the
furniture came into play.
“The building’s design challenged us in terms of efficiency, and we
decided that freestanding desks were not the answer for this space,”
Carames said. “We realized we wanted a cohesive casegoods solution
in which we could use the wall as a way to accommodate furniture
efficiently as best as we could.”
Fully raised
What’s more, the team wanted everyone’s space to have a similar
furniture layout and aesthetic – one that would appeal to a wide
range of partner personalities and tastes, from enduring and classic
to something a little more modern.
“We have a multi-generational workforce with different design preferences,”
explained Christine Schaut, Greenberg Traurig’s Washington,
D.C. business director. “We had requests for quality wood, ergonomics
and clean lines. We also wanted to address how lawyers
today work – and bring in more accommodations for technology –
so we looked around to see how we could incorporate this diverse
wish list into a flexible furniture solution.”
Schaut says they initially looked at various manufacturers’ mock-ups
and then toured multiple office facilities – ranging from other law
firms to healthcare settings to educational buildings to traditional
corporate offices – to view actual installations in a search for inspiration
or the perfect solution.
Fully lowered
“We saw many things we liked. We also saw things we knew we
didn’t want to do,” she said. “One size would not fit all. We needed a
little bit of flexibility and individualism. For example, some of our
practice areas are paper-intensive. Others are not. The paper people
wanted file drawers. Others wanted a clean design with more technology
options. We needed the right balance of something that
could please everyone.”

The ability to replicate an
authentic standard throughout
a location, across all locations,
from single offices to double
ones, is terrific.
“
”
Enter Gunlocke and its local dealer, CHL Business
Interiors Inc. in Washington, DC, of which the law
firm has been a long-time client. The manufacturer
and its trusted dealer partner listened to what
Greenberg Traurig wanted to accomplish, took the
firm’s budget requirements under consideration and
set out to create a custom solution using the best
features of three Gunlocke lines – Silea TM , Credentials TM
and Medley TM .
Carames said, during the process, he and his team met
with Gunlocke President Don Mead and even toured a
Cleveland law firm that also recently installed a casegoods
line that caught Carames’ and Schaut’s attention
– Silea.
“It is an efficient casegoods concept,” he said. “And, it
offers the quality that our partners would appreciate.”
The firm loved the combination of Silea’s wood
aesthetic and functional flexibility. However they also
appreciated the durable, thicker, ½-inch solid wood
edge bands of the Medley line. Ultimately, the Silea
desk and casegoods were made from a stratawood
veneer that coordinated with the Medley edge band.
An integrated pencil trough on the work-surface,
pulled from Gunlocke’s latest casegoods collection,
Credentials, rounded out this “hybrid” design solution.
those lawyers who wanted one. Partners also could
select a height-adjustable, push-button desktop
option to add extra ergonomic flexibility to their
workspaces. The firm completed each office with
refined Lily wood guest seating, one of Gunlocke’s
newest offerings in this category.
“It’s a really pioneering approach,” said Frank Licari,
executive vice president at CHL Business Interiors.
“It’s all Gunlocke, but it isn’t just one product line. It’s a
creative solution developed to best suit the customer’s
needs.”
“The ability to replicate an authentic standard
throughout a location, across all locations, from single
offices to double ones, is terrific,“ Carames said. “It all
works and flows, with great quality and the best of
the various lines at the right price point. The flexibility
is amazing.”
FEATURED
PRODUCTS
A hybrid design solution of:
Silea TM
desk/casegoods
Medley TM edge banding
Credentials TM integrated pencil trough
Lily TM guest chairs
Dealer: CHL Business Interiors Inc.
Washington, DC
From there, the firm’s leadership offered options to
this standard design to its shareholders. These options
ranged from sliding glass doors on overhead storage,
to a back-painted-glass tack board, to open shelving
or closed shelving and coordinating bookcases for
One Gunlocke Dr. | Wayland, NY 14572
800-828-6300