By Laura Williams-Tracy – Contributing Writer
If there is a place where the corner office indicates achievement, it’s in most law firms. But the Charlotte office of King & Spalding has upended that notion with its new space inside 300 South Tryon. The open workspace has set a new tone inside legal services, eschewing power and hierarchy for transparency and equality.
The first sign that something is different is that the firm has no front-desk receptionist, thus eliminating a barrier between clients and their lawyers. Those corner offices aren’t reserved for partners. In fact, they don’t exist. Legal assistants get the best spots in the office with their workspaces clustered near the building’s corners. From there they enjoy views of BB&T Ballpark and Romare Bearden Park. The attorneys have one-size offices, which serve to flatten existing hierarchies and make more efficient use of the space. Collaboration spaces take the place of filing rooms.
With its new space, King & Spalding gave up the traditional dark, wooden offices for a sunny and bright space with glass partitions instead of solid walls. A full 81% of the space’s partitions are glass, contributing to a more collaborative and communal atmosphere while providing offices with acoustic privacy for confidential conversations.
