XYZ Manchester move signals ‘new era’ for law firm Shoosmiths

National law firm Shoosmiths has moved into the XYZ building in Spinningfields.

Transferring its entire 190-strong Manchester team to developer Allied London’s latest scheme in the city, Shoosmiths said the move will support future recruitment and enable it to pursue its growth ambitions.

The new office concept, which Shoosmiths described as ‘agile workspace’, was decided upon following consultation with staff and fit-out company Claremont.

Shoosmiths has already introduced the concept at its bases in London and Reading.

The firm’s XYZ office spans 32,000 sq ft and incorporates 11 types of workspace, including a garden, library, multi-zonal project room, drafting areas, ‘touch down’ zones, telecon rooms and booths for single employees and groups.

Each of Shoosmiths’ five Manchester practice groups will have their own ‘neighbourhood’, but to facilitate free movement around the office, the firm invested in a purpose-designed IT solution to allow staff to stay fully connected while roaming the building.

Vaqas Farooq, head of Shoosmiths Manchester, said: “We are hugely excited to be in our new home. The move signals a new era for the Manchester office; the culmination of years of consultation and development work.

“Shoosmiths prides itself on doing things differently and on the quality of its client and employee experience. By investing in modern, bespoke, agile offices we will ensure that we continue to blaze a trail on each of these fronts.”

He continued: “We are changing the way that legal advisers work in the North West and are utilising the latest technology to support this new approach. Our new offices have been designed to make us ultra-responsive and collaborative, so that teams can work together efficiently and innovate.

“When it comes to recruitment and employee retention we know that millennials like to work collaboratively and that junior lawyers benefit hugely from an open environment and exposure to a variety of disciplines and colleagues.”