Pinsent Masons is shrinking its footprint in the U.K., significantly cutting floorspace in Glasgow and Leeds as it targets a nationwide rollout of agile working.

In Glasgow – despite growing headcount by 5 percent in the in the past year – the firm has consolidated its two current offices into one, cropping approximately 15,500 sq ft from its 52,000 sq ft footprint following the expiration of its lease on St Vincent Street.

All staff are now housed in the remaining Bothwell Street base, which has been remodelled to an agile working environment, bringing together lawyers and operational staff.

In Leeds, though it has grown headcount by about 9 percent in the last 12 months, the firm has also started scaling down floorspace at its One Park Row – subletting two floors to workspace provider Gilbanks, representing a 10,000 sq ft downsize from 49,000 to 39,000.

Alastair Mitchell, Pinsents chief operating officer, said: "The strategy is around building up agile working in the U.K. As a consequence, we're able to use less space."

About 60 percent of the U.K. workforce is already working on an agile basis, the firm confirmed.

However, although the firm sublet a floor in London last year, Mitchell does not expect his firm to cut any further space in London, where since January 1, 2011, it has taken on about 85% of the available space at the 192,070 square foot 30 Crown Place premises on a 20-year lease that ends in 2030.

As part of the agile working strategy, the firm is upgrading the technology in its U.K. offices with new laptops, headsets, mobile phones and the installation of high-definition video conferencing.

"Video conferencing is part of the agile agenda," Mitchell said. "We're discouraging travel due to its environmental impact, so we've invested heavily in video conferencing tech in all offices."

Despite the recent glut of partner losses, the firm expects to have grown its overall partnership from 437 to 458 – an increase of nearly 5 percent – in the year to May 1, 2019.

Mitchell said there is also a focus on recruiting technology-focused non-lawyers, especially in Leeds where the firm is adding a troupe of what he calls "legal technologists".  

"We had feedback that [our people] wanted to be more flexible, more agile [and] wanted access to better technology," he said.

"Investing in this enables us to make them much more mobile, especially given our multi-office work. They want to be able to touch down in all our offices, have meetings on the go, and work from home, which helps young parents."

He added that the firm is already fully agile in Dublin, Johannesburg and across Australia.