In an unprecedented surge, law firms across the United States are setting new records for office space leasing, primarily driven by stricter office attendance mandates. According to the latest Legal Sector Q2 Leasing Trends report by Cushman & Wakefield Legal Sector Advisory Group, the first half of 2025 witnessed law firms leasing an astonishing 10 million square feet of office space—the strongest start to any year on record.

David Smith, head of Americas insights at Cushman & Wakefield’s Global Think Tank, highlighted the continuous upward trajectory in the real estate market for law firms. "The momentum continues for law firms," Smith remarked, attributing the boom to the new mandates requiring lawyers to be in the office three to four days each week. This shift towards a more traditional office setup, often referred to as being "very office-centric," marks a significant change from the remote working trends prompted by the recent global events.

This spike in leasing activity is not just a transient phase but could potentially mark 2025 as the fourth consecutive year of record-breaking figures in U.S. law firm leasing if the trend sustains through the second half of the year. The push towards more in-office presence is seen as a move to bolster productivity, enhance team collaboration, and reinforce firm culture—factors that are considered slightly at odds with the remote working model.

The implications of these trends extend beyond just the legal sector. They signal a broader reassessment of office space utility and configurations post-pandemic, influencing commercial real estate markets significantly. Landlords and developers are closely monitoring these shifts, as the demand for office spaces could dictate future developments and offerings in the real estate sector.

As law firms continue to adapt to the evolving professional landscapes, the rest of 2025 will be critical in determining whether this surge in leasing activity is a new norm or a temporary reaction to post-pandemic adjustments. Either way, the legal sector’s current trajectory is setting a precedent for how professional services might approach office work in the future, potentially reshaping urban commercial real estate dynamics extensively.