Renowned law firms worldwide have been shifting their eyes and offices to the heart of the City of London, an intrigue commonly referred to as law’s puzzling fascination with the Square Mile. Historically, there have been famous locations associated with specific industries, such as Fleet Street for newspapers, Wall Street and Canary Wharf for finance, Silicon Valley for big tech and Madison Avenue for advertising. Now it seems that corporate law has forged its special bond with this specific area in London.
Within this impressive maze of glass, steel, ongoing construction and lunch locales lies a throng of law firms. For instance, Kirkland & Ellis has found its home in the iconic Gherkin whereas Latham & Watkins resides just across the road from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Paul Hastings, Fried Frank and many more.
In the latest evidence of this focused migration, Clifford Chance seems so eager for its relocation that it is expected to move into its new office before the end of its 2028 lease. Furthermore, the move to Linklaters’ new office is also reportedly happening ahead of schedule.
Despite this being an accepted trend within the profession, questions regarding this peculiar interest in the Square Mile remain. For a closer examination of this phenomena and a more in-depth discussion, you can read the full article here.