DLA Piper to make big decisions ahead of Leeds office move

DLA Piper’s decision to move into a new statement building in Leeds will lead to some big conversations about how the firm will operate in the future, according to its managing partner.
City Square House in Leeds.City Square House in Leeds.
City Square House in Leeds.

One of the city’s largest law firms yesterday announced plans to take more than 80,000 sq ft of office space in the new City Square House development, with construction due to start in May.

The £85m office development will stand on the Wellington Street side of the square near Leeds City Station and the recently-revamped Majestic building.

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Speaking to The Yorkshire Post, Andrew Dyson, managing partner of DLA Piper’s Leeds office, said the need to modernise its current 20-year-old office space as well as bring together 600 employees from across two sites in the city had led to the decision to move.

“The way we’re going to be working in the future is likely to be different to the way we’ve been working in the past with the need for more flexible working space,” he said. “Having more people working from home was already starting to happen but it has been accelerated by Covid.”

The pandemic is likely to lead to huge changes for law firms, which are often criticised for their more traditional working practices.

Mr Dyson said he envisages a future in which staff will have the flexibility to work remotely part time or to meet colleagues or clients in the office a few days a week. He believes the office will remain a vital space for collaboration.

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He added: “People have said to me, ‘does this mean I won’t have my own desk any more?’ and these are discussions we need to have.

“We have the flexibility to give everyone their own space but if the trade off is that you don’t have your own desk but you get more working space to share and collaborate then that’s a conversation I want to have.”

City Square House, which is expected to be completed in autumn 2023, will have an open plan design, a cafe and a roof garden.

Low carbon credentials are also a key factor in the design.

The building will feature natural air conditioning, solar roof panels, plus 80 cycle spaces and electric car charging points in the basement.

Staff will relocate from Princes Exchange and West One.

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Eammon Fox, head of office agency at property agent Knight Frank in Leeds, said: “This is an absolutely tremendous deal for the city of Leeds, a massive vote of confidence in the city and its economy. After the challenging past 12 months, this is just the boost the whole region needed and a genuine cause to be optimistic about the commercial property sector in Yorkshire.”

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