HFW moving to new ‘sustainable’ City office
New HQ features rainwater harvesting and air filtration systems as well as ‘highest solar panels in London’
HFW is set to relocate its City HQ to what it says is “one of London’s best and most sustainable new developments”.
The international firm will occupy three floors of a new building at 8 Bishopsgate, dubbed ‘London’s most sustainable tall office tower’, in 2023.
The new building is designed to be low-carbon in operation, featuring floor-by-floor air filtering, light-responsive blinds and rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling, with rainwater filtered and reused for irrigation and toilet flushing. It will also apparently boast the “highest solar panels in London”.
The 50-storey tower will house a private roof top terrace, a top-floor viewing gallery, a dedicated 200-seat auditorium and one of the largest bicycle parks in London, with almost 1,000 parking spaces, 680 lockers and over 50 showers.
HFW is currently based in Friary Court, with its courtyard garden often the venue of choice for after-work events during the warmer summer months, according to the firm’s rookies in our latest Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey.
Commenting on the relocation, Jeremy Shebson, HFW’s managing partner, said:
“We are very excited to be moving to one of London’s best and most sustainable new developments. We truly believe this will be transformational for HFW in London, giving us modern, agile and progressive space that allows us to adapt to the changing needs of our people and our clients. This includes giving us room to continue to grow in London, which is very much the plan. Sustainability is always a key factor whenever we’re looking at new offices around the world, so we’re pleased to have found a building that aligns with our commitments as a responsible business, with impressively low carbon emissions as well as outstanding facilities for active travel and wellbeing.”
A number of big City players have plans to relocate offices in the coming years.
Reed Smith, Hogan Lovells and Allen & Overy are set to move in 2024, 2026 and 2027, respectively. Elsewhere, Linklaters is set to relocate to a new site at 20 Ropemaker Street, Moorgate, from 2026.
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6 Comments
Shipping Law Enthusiast
Mmmmm yummy
Anon
Who are hfw??
In the real world
Still, look at the work descriptions of their Energy team and see this press release for the vacuous virtue signalling that it is. They are part of the legal network that enables massive carbon emissions and no amount of solar panels on the roof will set off that damage.
Damned if you do...
Yes, because it’s **quick Google** mid-sized law firms that are to blame for the energy industry’s carbon emissions…
Anyway, this building certainly sounds more environmentally friendly than my firm’s offices. (And we have a big energy practice too.) But space for 1,000 bikes and only 50 showers? Better turn up early!
Damned if you do...
Yes, because it’s **quick Google** mid-sized law firms that are to blame for the energy industry’s carbon emissions…
Anyway, this building certainly sounds more environmentally friendly than my firm’s offices. (And we have a big energy practice too.) But space for 1,000 bikes and only 50 showers? Better turn up early!
Krusty the Clown
Enablers of the industry cannot virtue signal and expect to get away with it. No-onme forces a firm to have an energy team. You need a lot of solar panels to offset these HFW projects:
– Advising on all aspects of an EPC offshore project for a European Operator’s Arabian Gulf based subsidiary, for the design fabrication transportation installation and commissioning of new offshore platforms and ancillary pipelines. This covered all aspects from initial tender documentation, contract terms and operational documentation including design approvals process. We also advised during the operational phase covering contract variations and issues of title to completed structures, cost overruns and contractor delay through to commissioning and final acceptance.
– Advising a Middle Eastern oil company in relation to the construction of an export terminal for petrochemicals for an Asian energy conglomerate.
– Advising on contractual matters in connection with engineering procurement and construction contracts forming part of a $5bn development of an offshore facility, entered into by a Middle Eastern subsidiary of an independent European oil and gas company. Following the project through from tender process, contract and covering issues arising during construction, installation and delivery as well as cost over-run, delay, termination issues and contractor insolvency.
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