Law firm reinvests in downtown Portland class-A space, published in the Daily Journal of Commerce Oregon

In an article published on 6/7, LRS is featured for its innovative design of Ball Janik’s new headquarters space in downtown Portland’s One Main Place Tower. The redesign, which started before the pandemic, saw a dramatic shift in law firm office design. Previously, corner offices and unique vistas were reserved for the firm’s management team—now, those corner spots and views are available for all employees to enjoy.

“They have a great brand identity,” said Amalia. “So, they were looking to match what they are and who they are to a space that welcomes clients and welcomes colleagues.”

Other redesign features included: a wellness room, seating nooks, a coffee lounge, corridor benches where lawyers can meet in a casual setting, and offices on the perimeter of the floor with support spaces in the center. All design elements were made to provide a radically new atmosphere for Ball Janik’s employees to embrace in a post-pandemic world.

“On a clear day, it is absolutely stunning,” Amalia said. Unlike some companies that prefer open office plans, Ball Janik leaders expressed a need for private space. “If you know anything about lawyers, sound and confidentiality were very important,” Amalia said. An existing acoustic tile ceiling was retained, allowing LRS to put resources into other aspects of the design.

To read the story in full, click here (subscriber-based).

 

Designing Offices to Place People First, published in OfficeInsight

The emergence of Covid, followed by the Delta variant, has raised many questions, including how to provide employees with a safe workplace that allows for productivity, efficiency and boosts employee morale. Ball Janik, LLP, is featured for its newly designed headquarters in downtown Portland, designed by LRS Architects. The main goal of the firm and the design is to place the people first.

“Diverging from the traditional law office mentality, there is a high level of transparency along the office edge, eliminating barriers for inter-office communication and allowing the stunning views and daylight to be visible from the interior of the floor plate,” writes LRS. ”These framed views of the Willamette River, the scattered city bridges, and a dazzling Mount Hood on good days are not reserved for the elite corner offices. They are celebrated destinations nestled at the ends of strategically placed “view corridors.” Cushioned bench seating positioned to capture these stunning vistas is open to all, providing much-needed individual respite away from the workstation or the perfect place for an intimate impromptu conversation. LRS and Ball Janik opted to maintain the traditional private offices elsewhere for health and safety reasons, staff comfort, and acoustical privacy during the now ever-popular Zoom calls and teleconferences. Large relites allow daylight to puncture through the offices and bring light into the main circulation pathway encircling the space. The private offices are traditional in function but break the mold by embracing one size fits all. This approach foregoes traditional hierarchy office sizes found in most law firms.”

To read the article in full, click here (subscriber-based).

 

LRS Architects redesigns Ball Janik’s Portland headquarters, published in Portland Business Tribune

Portland-founded legal firm Ball Janik is moving back into its Portland headquarters after a redesign by LRS Architects, the legal firm announced in May.

The 17,348-square-foot office space occupies the 18th floor in the One Main Place skyscraper at 101 S.W. Main St., #1800 in Portland.

Due to the Great Resignation and talent retention priorities, and as more employees desire to continue working from home or flexibly, the redesign was intended to create a more welcoming, collaborative and creatively rich workplace environment, according to the firm.

To read the article in full, click here.

 

Why a downtown Portland law firm is shedding some office space, published in Portland Business Journal

Ball Janik LLP is moving up in the One Main Place building and trimming its footprint.

The law firm said it has signed a 10-year lease renewal for 101 S.W. Main St. in downtown Portland. It will move from the 11th to the 18th floor.

The move, scheduled to take place near the end of the year, will reduce Ball Janik’s footprint from 24,000 to 17,348 square feet. The decision comes at a time when businesses are moving ahead with hybrid work schedules that will demand less time in-office. That includes Portland, where other companies have signaled hybrid work will become part of their routines.

“With our new office, we are minimally reducing our square footage to maximize efficiencies, right size our offices, get rid of the big corner offices, create a more collaborative work environment for our clients and colleagues and embrace a hybrid workspace,” said Ball Janik Managing Partner Jim Prichard in a statement.

To read the article in full, click here (subscriber-based).

 

Q&A With Heather Oden: Ball Janik’s COO on the Role Legal Ops Plays Today, published in Attorney at Work

Tell us about your new headquarters, designed without corner offices, and how remote work played a role in your design decisions?

HJO: Our Portland headquarters is moving to a newly redesigned office space on the 18th floor in the same building this year. We have worked carefully with LRS Architects to design an open-concept environment without corner offices to foster an inclusive, collaborative and flexible office. The open areas of the new office allow enough space for social distancing while still maintaining a collaborative and healthy environment. The new office is slightly smaller with dedicated spaces designed for working in small groups.

The redesign focuses on a mid-century modern style combined with natural aesthetics. Our design philosophy aims at encouraging ingenuity, innovation and a healthy work environment.

To read the article in full, click here.

 

Ball Janik LLP Teams with LRS Architects to Redesign Headquarters, published in Attorney at Law

PORTLAND, OR—New Portland office provides collaborative spaces and removes corner offices to enhance creativity and deliver outstanding client service through innovative design

Ball Janik LLP, a bi-coastal comprehensive services law firm focused on real estate, land use, construction, and business litigation, is proud to announce that the company’s Portland, Oregon headquarters is moving to a newly redesigned office space. The new location sits on the 18th floor in the same building it has occupied since 1982 and embodies an open-concept environment to foster an inclusive, collaborative, and flexible office. Ball Janik teamed with LRS Architects to establish a redesign focused on a mid-century modern style combined with natural aesthetics.

To read the article in full, click here.

 

Ball Janik LLP Teams with LRS Architects to Redesign Open-Concept Collaborative Headquarters

Ball Janik LLP, a bi-coastal comprehensive services law firm focused on real estate, land use, construction, and business litigation, is proud to announce that the company’s Portland, Oregon headquarters is moving to a newly redesigned office space. The new location sits on the 18th floor in the same building it has occupied since 1982 and embodies an open-concept environment to foster an inclusive, collaborative, and flexible office. Ball Janik teamed with LRS Architects to establish a redesign focused on a mid-century modern style combined with natural aesthetics.

“Our goal for our new space is to provide a stellar environment for our current employees and those we will be hiring,” said Heather Oden, Chief Operating Officer of Ball Janik. “We’re a progressive law firm, and as we continue to grow, we are committed to providing our people a welcoming, modern, and safe work environment. Designing a workspace that embodies this message is the first step toward that goal.”

To read the article in full, click here.

 

Walking the Well-Being Walk, published in Legal Management Magazine, Annual Issue (Cover Story)

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has made it more important than ever for firms to focus on mental health and well-being—both in policy changes and office design. In an article published as the cover story for ALA’s Legal Management Magazine on 7/25, LRS Architects is featured for its design work on Ball Janik’s headquarters in Portland, Oregon, executing on a vision of making a more inclusive, equitable, and collaborative work environment.

The legal industry has long seen alarming rates of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse and currently sits at a crossroads in a post-COVID pandemic world. Ball Janik’s prioritization of mental health and wellness highlights the design work LRS conducted at Ball Janik’s headquarters. Previously, corner offices and unique vistas were reserved for the elite of the firm—now, those corner spots are available for all employees to equally enjoy. Other design features include a wellness room, seating nooks, coffee lounges, corridor benches for casual meetings, and offices on the perimeter with support spaces in the center.

To read the story in full, click here.