The last 12 months have seen a number of law firms moving to new offices, with many signing 15 or 20-year leases. No-one can doubt that the legal market is going to change radically during that time, and no-one can be sure what the landscape will look like in 2031.

What is certain is that technology will continue to change the way we work, the legal services market will become even more globalised, and the impact of the Legal Services Act and the introduction of alternative business structures will change the market significantly.

Undoubtedly firms will need to be flexible and capable of adapting quickly to the changing demands of the business environment. This will manifest itself in both the services they provide and the physical environment in which they work. This was a key factor in Pinsent Masons' decision to opt for an open plan fit-out when we moved to our new international headquarters at 30 Crown Place in March.

In committing to a building for 20 years, we needed to ensure that the fit-out would work for us in 2020 and 2025, not just in 2011. We visited a number of firms which had moved in the last few years to see how they were structured and how they had designed their fit-outs, and we listened to a lot of advice. We decided Crown Place should be completely open plan.

While such a decision is still far from the norm in the legal sector, it is commonplace in other service industries – but lawyers worry about a number of issues associated with open-plan working.

The key issues surround privacy and confidentiality, two elements that commonly aren't considered achievable in an open-plan office. Yet we have found that both of these issues can be overcome with good design, space planning and intelligent use of technology.

In addition to client meeting rooms and case rooms, every working floor has an ample supply of internal meeting rooms, quiet rooms, team rooms and informal break-out areas. This structure ensures that when lawyers require privacy, it is easily available. We have just achieved ISO 27001 accreditation, proving that our move has not prejudiced our strict information security procedures.

Advances in technology have ensured that staff have the freedom to work anywhere in the building, whether on the hub floor (our cafe and restaurant), on the external terraces or in the meeting rooms and quiet rooms. Formal and informal work areas ensure that staff aren't tied to their workstations but instead have the flexibility to operate remotely and collaborate.

Being open plan is already bringing about numerous other benefits. No-one operates in a physical vacuum, ensuring open communication and improved teamwork. Interdepartmental collaboration is flourishing, creating new business opportunities. We have also devoted a whole floor to collaborative working, allowing teams working on major projects or deals to come together.

Beyond the immediate benefits, we believe that moving to an open-plan design has also ensured that we are best placed to adapt to whatever challenges and opportunities come our way. Even sub-letting, should it ever become necessary, is straightforward.

Open plan has given us the freedom to be nimble enough to adapt quickly and efficiently to change. One thing we can be sure of is that there will be plenty more of that over the next few years.

Martin Roberts is head of the London office at Pinsent Masons.