Peer to Peer: ILTA's Quarterly Magazine
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/1540097
P E E R T O P E E R M A G A Z I N E · F A L L 2 0 2 5 61 ASHLEA ALLBERY is the COO of Maptician, the leading workplace management technology platform for the legal industry. This slow progression underscores a fundamental reality: cultural change takes time. But it also highlights the opportunity: firms that invest in presence-driven design, dynamic seating models, and real-time space analytics are better positioned to realize the full value of their offices. STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS FOR LAW FIRMS IN 2025 AND BEYOND The legal workplace is becoming more flexible—but also more complex. Space is no longer a static asset. It is dynamic, multi- use, and susceptible to behavior and culture. Law firms that treat it as such will be the ones that lead the next phase of transformation. To move forward, firms must first rethink space as a strategic tool. This means not just reducing square footage but recalibrating it to support the way attorneys actually work. Collaboration space must be intentionally designed. Hoteling systems must be intuitive. Visitor coordination must be seamless. Offices must feel like places people want to go—not relics of a pre-2020 model. Second, firms must recognize that technology is now essential infrastructure. A fragmented set of tools—one for room booking, another for visitor check-in, and yet another for seating—is no longer sufficient. Firms need unified platforms that can deliver real-time data, automate logistics, and provide actionable insights for planning and strategy. Third, law firm leaders must remember that flexibility is only adequate when paired with purpose. Offering attorneys the option to work remotely is essential—but without cultural rituals, peer alignment, and incentives to engage in person, flexibility can devolve into disengagement. And finally, data must become a management discipline. Static headcounts or badge swipe data are no longer enough. Firms need ongoing visibility into who is using what space, when, and why. Only then can workplace leaders align real estate, technology, and culture to build the law firm office of the future—an office that supports attorney well-being, enhances client experience, and drives strategic growth.