Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) is set to relocate nearly 500 of its City workforce to a new office in Canary Wharf, as the firm moves out of its Finsbury Square base.
The move, announced today (17 May), will see 495 staff – including the majority of HSF’s London business services staff – relocated to the new office on Bank Street in September.
HSF will close its secondary base in Finsbury Square while keeping its UK headquarters at Exchange House on Primrose Street.
HSF says that the Wharf will reduce the proximity between services and clients, while still retaining valued members of the workforce, with a move further afield potentially signalling staff losses.
The move followed a postcode analysis in which Stratford, White City and Croydon were all considered before Canary Wharf was chosen.
Speaking to Legal Business, HSF managing partner Ian Cox lauded the benefits of the move: ‘The advantage is locating all these teams in a much more flexible way. When we went through the process, we looked at other locations and solutions but wanted to retain who we could’.
The firm followed a similar course in Australia, moving part of its Sydney workforce to a new office in Macquarie Park, which opened its doors in April.
HSF also recently announced that staff should disclose personal relationships with colleagues, while also introducing a third-party whistleblowing platform.
On the new office, Cox added: ‘The initial feedback has been very positive, Canary Wharf has a very unique buzz’
