In the latest flurry of law firm leasing activity, Latham & Watkins has secured a lease at 1271 Avenue of the Americas, and is planning to move its largest office after the building undergoes extensive renovations. Meanwhile, Blank Rome is in negotiations to sign a lease at the building, according to a source familiar with the talks.

More firms could follow. “We're talking with several prospective tenants in the building, and that group of prospective tenants includes several law firms,” said Ed Guiltinan, senior vice president and head of leasing in New York for Rockefeller Group, the building's owner and developer.

Guiltinan declined to identify firms in discussions with the developer, but said they are seeking more than 100,000 square feet of office space. He said large portions of the floor plate at 1271 are column-free, attracting law firms demanding efficient space that they can design themselves.

Latham has been at its existing Manhattan office at 885 Third Ave., known as the Lipstick Building, since 1986. The firm has more than 450 lawyers in New York, more than in any other city. It will take up 10 floors at 1271, leasing 407,000 square feet at the 48-story building formerly known as the Time & Life Building.

The firm said it expects to relocate during the second half of 2020. Guiltinan said Latham signed a long-term lease, but declined to specify its length, along with other lease details.

In a statement, Michèle Penzer, managing partner of Latham's New York office, said many factors were behind the firm's decision to move to 1271, “including its central Midtown location, architectural significance and top quality renovations, coupled with the opportunity to design a new office.”

Latham partner James Hisiger and counsel Elizabeth Jaffe represented the firm in the leasing, while the landlord was represented by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher partner Steven Klein and of counsel Gary Litke.

Blank Rome would be relocating from 405 Lexington Ave. Norman Heller, the administrative partner for the firm's New York office, declined to comment about the leasing talks Monday.

Renovation at 1271 began in 2016 and is scheduled to end by late 2019. The renovation entails replacement of the building facade, restoration of the building's lobby, installation of new heating and cooling systems and modernization of the elevators, according to the Rockefeller Group.

It's shaping up to be a busy year for law firm real state deals. In the last month, Silicon Valley firm Fenwick & West signed a 10-year lease for office space in the Flatiron District at 902 Broadway, In another large upcoming deal, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is close to signing at 31 West 52nd St., according to a source familiar with the deal.