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Cooper Grace moves offices
Internal growth has prompted Brisbane-based law firm Cooper Grace Ward to secure a ten year lease in the first five green-star building under construction in the CBD.
Biwa Kwan
UNEXPECTED growth has prompted Brisbane-based law firm Cooper Grace Ward to secure a ten year lease in the first five green-star building under construction in Brisbane’s CBD.
The move, planned since 2007, is the firm’s first building move in 20 years. Cooper Grace Ward will occupy three floors of the yet to be completed building on Brisbane's 400 George Street, a 4,300 square-metre area. The firm uses 2,900 square metres in its current premises on Eagle Street. About 160 staff will be relocated to the new premises on 12 October, and the office space has room the capacity to house another 50 lawyers for future growth. They will be joining tenants including the Queensland government’s Environment Protection Agency in the 36-storey building. The new premises will offer the firm’s staff a state-of-the-art working environment coupled with better access to facilities including child care, food hall and public transport, a spokesperson said. Cooper Grace Ward managing partner, Chris Ward, said the relocation was motivated by Cooper Grace Ward’s need for more space to accommodate its continuing growth. “The relocation might be seen as a bold move in the current economic climate but it’s one that aligns with our long term business strategy,” said Ward. In the last year Cooper Grace Ward has appointed three new partners, three special counsel, two senior associates, two associates and one consultant, as well as several lawyers. This expansion does not include internal appointments of a number of lawyers from within the firm to associate and senior associate roles. The firm is also recruiting candidates for eight different legal roles from junior lawyer to partner level. “We’re not interested in growth for growth’s sake, however our increasing array of services and industry experience equates to better support for our clients,” Ward said. The building was built by architects Cox Rayner to include a number of environmentally sustainable design elements, such as the use of rubber flooring made out of recycled materials, non-toxic paints, the installation of 50 per cent better ventilation than a typical office building and energy efficient T5 lighting. The building is has a five star Australian Building Greenhouse Rating, in addition to a 20 percent carbon dioxide reduction valuation. The estimated savings of green house gas emissions equates to 2,604,000 kg of carbon dioxide a year compared to a Four Star ABGR rated building. The office design incorporates open and closed office designs, with more than 65 lawyers having their own closed offices.
