Faegre Drinker

During an early pause, IA and the firm reconsidered assumptions about legal planning and studied hoteling, activity-based work, coworking, and lounge models. The strategy gives attorneys and staff from two legacy cultures more opportunities to encounter one another while preserving the privacy and concentration their work requires. Perimeter private offices are right-sized; interior offices are slightly larger to offset the lack of windows; and select rooms serve mobile and hybrid employees as hoteling space. Traditional hierarchy remains legible, but it no longer determines every choice. The office supports cultural integration by expanding where and how people can work without dismissing the profession’s established needs.

Modular components allow offices and workstations to move between assigned and unassigned use. Phone rooms, quiet coworking areas, active lounges, and shared settings offer varied levels of privacy and energy, letting the task guide the setting. The more efficient strategy reduced the footprint enough to sublease half a floor, while a dedicated conference center adds multipurpose rooms and catering facilities for clients, events, and larger team sessions. As a pilot for Faegre Drinker locations nationwide, Chicago provides a practical framework rather than a fixed prototype. It protects near-term real-estate value and gives the firm room to adjust as work patterns continue to evolve.