Pinsent Masons announces new Birmingham premises

The firm will take two floors occupying over 40,000 sq ft. The intention is that this will be a client space for the purposes of meetings and will house personnel primarily engaged in serving the regional, national and international markets. A fit-out will take place in the coming months with the firm expecting to formally move in during 2017. The decision to change premises comes ahead of the expiration of the firm’s lease with Wesleyan next year.

The plan to take new and enhanced premises in Birmingham underlines the firm’s continued commitment to the market, and follows a period of growth in the firm’s presence in the city. In recent years the firm has added banking and restructuring specialists Amy Flavell and David Doogan to the team in addition to well-known property partner Joel Kordan.

The firm has also acted on a number of the most high profile matters in the market including advising the developers Arena Central on plans to build a new UK headquarters for HSBC’s Retail bank, and acting on the landmark £100m redevelopment of Selly Oak Park.

Greg Lowson, Head of Pinsent Masons Birmingham office and current President of the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce , says:

“The West Midlands remains a crucial market for us and this is a significant moment given our roots in Birmingham dating back to 1836. The region is undergoing an economic renaissance as evidenced by the recent and planned moves here by organisations like HS2, Vax, Jacobs engineering and HSBC. The opening of Grand Central and the impending construction of the rail college and the HS2 station are just a few examples of the significant infrastructure spend that the city is to benefit from over the next decade. Birmingham is going to be among the most vibrant legal and commercial centres outside of London over the next decade, and our flagship new office reflects that. Given that context we are proud to be able to offer access to an internationally recognised and innovative legal service in the heart of the Midlands.”

John Hammond at IM Properties, the Landlord, says:

"We are naturally delighted that Pinsent Masons has selected 55 Colmore Row.  They are exactly the calibre of tenant we had set our sights on when we pressed the button on the £30m redevelopment of the building last September. Birmingham is an exciting place to be right now and we are pleased that our show of commitment to the region is proving justified."

Additionally, the firm will be establishing a second base of equivalent quality in the city in due course to house existing personnel who provide operational services to Pinsent Masons' business across the UK and internationally. These premises will be located within a short walking distance of the client space and fitted out to better-reflect the professional needs of the staff based there. A further announcement concerning the detail of those premises will be made upon completion.

Shirley De Roché, Pinsent Masons Director of Facilities said:

"In addition to the legal team delivering services from our Birmingham office, we also have a large number of other professionals based in Birmingham who provide services to the whole firm. Combined they create a need for a significant amount of office space, and that has afforded us an opportunity to think innovatively about meeting our property needs. That fuelled our idea to design one office specifically around the needs of our clients and one office specifically around our operational needs. Both offices will be of matching quality, but to those working in them they will feel like a more appropriate fit for their work."

Pinsent Masons, which was named the Most Innovative Law Firm in Europe by the Financial Times in October 2015, is currently shortlisted in the Law Firm of the Year category of the Law Society of Birmingham legal awards.