Inspired by a newfound comfort with remote work, almost 40% of the Am Law 100 are planning to reduce their office footprints, according to this year's survey. At an average cost of $55 per square foot and an average footprint of more than 900,000 square feet, based on more than 50 firms that detailed their present real estate situation in the survey, there is the potential for massive savings—and many firms are eager to take advantage.

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But not everyone is ready to cut back—22% of respondents said they have no intention of reducing their office space—and some elite firms may seek to use their vast footprint as a differentiator as the competition slims down, legal industry observers say.