MEPC close to signing deal with law firm

Squire Patton Boggs, which was formed in June following a merger between Squire Sanders and Patton Boggs, is understood to be eyeing up space in 6 Wellington Place in Leeds.

The firm, which operates in 21 countries and has 1,600 lawyers, currently has an office in Park Lane in the city centre.

Squire Sanders is known to have been looking for new premises of around 50,000 sq ft for a number of years.

It is anticipated that the merger will lead to more corporate work for the Leeds office, which was Squire Sanders’ third largest office, employing 270 people.

MEPC pushed the button on 6 Wellington Place in one of the city’s first speculative office developments for more than six years in June.

The cost of the project is undisclosed but earlier this year MEPC chief executive James Dipple told the Yorkshire Post it would be “tens of millions of pounds”.

The five-storey building, built by Shepherd Construction, will offer 104,000 sq ft of office and retail space.

It will feature a floor to ceiling atrium, roof terrace, retail space and offices from 3,500 sq ft to 19,600 sq ft.

MEPC expects to complete construction by the end of 2015. It follows the recent completion of the 35,000 sq ft 10 Wellington Place, occupied by law firm Shulmans and private bank Brown Shipley.

MEPC and Squire Patton Boggs declined to comment on the deal.