When Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer designed its new office space at 3 World Trade Center, the firm opted for a more "egalitarian" approach to its individual offices: one-size-fits-all. That means junior associates up through the most senior partners have solo work spaces that are each roughly 140 square feet, which is also "smaller than they were" at the previous office, at 601 Lexington, firm leaders say. The verdict? At least two-plus weeks after officially making the move from Midtown Manhattan to the tip of the island, no one seems too upset about it. "I went from one of those larger partner offices to the same size office that every person in 3 World Trade at Freshfields has," said Paul Humphreys, an M&A partner and New York office managing partner, in an interview. "I don't think any partner laments the loss of additional square footage." There is more space overall, to be clear. The firm had 123,311 square feet at the Citigroup Center and signed a 15-year lease for 180,000 square feet on floors 51 through 54 of the World Trade Center Building a couple of years ago. "I think the old way of doing things for law firms was to have giant partner offices and smaller associate offices. And that's kind of a thing of the past," said Sarah Solum, U.S. managing partner for Freshfields. "It's much more egalitarian in terms of space and flexibility." On top of that, Freshfields—which has grown from about 200 lawyers to about 400 lawyers in the U.S. over the last half-decade—now has Gensler-designed office space that contains more kinds of collaborative spaces and a lighter, brighter aesthetic. For collaboration, the firm has spaces that look like traditional conference rooms, as well as hub spaces: places to get coffee and snacks, sit and catch up, plus smaller focus rooms for one-on-one tasks. It also has places where people can relax and talk on sofas or armchairs. The views don't hurt either. In fact, Humphreys said, in addition to the "pops of color" that come from pieces of art selected by committee and focused on representing the work of diverse, less-well-known artists, the views from the partner and associate offices are the most-talked-about feature. Humphreys said on a clear day, he can see up the Hudson to the George Washington Bridge from his north-facing window. He added that he is one of the firm personnel who now has to ride in to work as opposed to walking, but that the site was selected with the thought of doing "the least damage to the fewest people" in terms of commuting. The World Trade Center is connected to 12 subway lines, two lines to New Jersey and 30 MTA bus routes and has weather-protected entry. "This was really a well-thought-out area, for people who need to come into the office, do things with colleagues, and maybe do some errands as well," he said. "So it's all connected underground to shopping, some of the best restaurants in the city, and of course it's in the financial heart of the world." The building in particular also features what Solum called "table stakes" for many businesses these days—sustainability. The firm noted 3 World Trade holds LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, uses 12% less electricity and 30% less water than a conventional office building, and that 100% of the building's power comes from renewable sources including wind, solar and hydroelectric. Solum said perhaps the best word to describe the new office is "vibrancy." "People are really influenced by the environment they're in, and our goal is to make folks comfortable," she said. "Great design is all about making it easier to do your job well, and making it happier to be in the space, and I'm happy to say we've done that." Photos by Ryland West