Fieldfisher has taken out an extra floor at its Manchester office to accommodate a period of growth at the base.

The firm now occupies four floors within the FreeTrade Exchange building, bringing its total space to 22,500 sq ft and nearly doubling its occupancy in the past three years, according to the firm's Manchester managing partner Ian Austin.

The addition follows a period of significant expansion for Fieldfisher's Manchester base which, since March last year, has seen the firm more than double total fee-earners at the office from 36 to 76. This growth includes four partners, including office head of corporate David Bowcock, who joined from local firm Brabners. 

The firm last took on extra space last year, but recent growth has made the fourth floor necessary, Austin said.

He told Legal Week: "Although we only took over the fourth floor in November, our expanding practices have resulted in the need for even more space as we continue to recruit in our real estate, corporate, medical negligence, technology and employment teams."

Last year, the office contributed £11m to the firm's total revenue of £207m.

Austin added: "It comes after winning new business and clients, as well as bringing in lateral hires. We've consolidated our infrastructure across the various floors and have now added an extra floor, and fee-earners have taken up that space."

The firm has had a Manchester base since 2004, but it significantly expanded its presence in the city in 2014 when it secured a merger with boutique firm Heatons, adding 22 fee-earners to its headcount including eight partners.