Manatt Managing Partner and CEO Donna Wilson spoke with the Daily Journal about the Firm’s renovated Century City office that pays tribute to its deep roots in California, a robust East Coast presence and the five generations of Manatt professionals.
“I wanted a balanced aesthetic where everybody feels included,” Wilson said during a recent tour of the office space. The Firm’s office spans over 116,000 square feet across five floors, three of which are linked by a central staircase. Those floors, which Manatt has dubbed “The Hive,” were deliberately designed to encourage collaboration.
In a tribute to Manatt’s East Coast footprint, the first of the connected floors plays home to the “Quiet Car,” which includes silent workplaces for professionals. In a nod to the Firm’s robust California presence, the second floor hosts the “Surfboard Room,” which is the central common area consisting of amenities ranging from a pop-up kitchen and table games to bleachers uniquely built into the staircase.
Wilson said she was determined to design a space that did not look like a typical law firm. Instead, Manatt’s office boasts a midcentury modern aesthetic with offices of the same size for all professionals, regardless of level, and common workspaces to encourage collaboration and collegiality.
- Kathleen Brown: “It’s the best of both worlds. The openness is conducive to collaboration, which is important in growing a business. And, in becoming part of a team.”
- Thomas Michael: “We are constantly bouncing ideas off of each other and brainstorming ways that we can do this law firm thing better, which is much easier for me to do when I have an office where I can bump into our CEO while getting water.”
- Gregory Pimstone: “I am still adjusting to the glass walls — doesn’t allow for the occasional power nap, which is generally not a problem given that the two-martini lunch is a relic of the past.”
Read the full article in Daily Journal here.