Early in the pandemic, WORKTECH Academy published a special report on the emerging shape of the future legal workplace. This identified several cultural shifts and presented four key design models: the Magnet, Matrix, Mutual and Mentor. Five years on, how have these models developed? In this keynote presentation, Professor Jeremy Myerson looks at the implications for law firms today and at what lies ahead for the global workplace.

As artificial intelligence rapidly redefines legal processes—from document automation to predictive analytics—the legal workplace must evolve in parallel. In this session, Tom Whittaker shares how Burges Salmon is approaching AI adoption from a workplace design and operational perspective. He’ll explore how emerging technologies are influencing talent expectations, workflows, knowledge management, and physical space requirements.

In today's dynamic legal landscape, the workplace is evolving into more than just a space to conduct business—it's becoming a hub of innovation and collaboration. To understand what truly matters to lawyers, we conducted two new legal workplace studies in the UK and the U.S. These comprehensive reports reveal the preferences and insights of lawyers, providing valuable guidance for anyone involved in shaping their firm's real estate and workplace strategies.

Data insights and the potential of AI is at the forefront of our minds, naturally so as it offers the potential to transform how we work and how we manage our spaces. But quality of data matters. Garbage in, Garbage out. We unpack what happens if we get the foundations wrong and the true cost of inaccuracy. By focusing on real and tangible outcomes, we can truly understand traditional ROI and also Returns on Insight.

Hear how HFW redefined its workspace through a four-year collaboration with M Moser. Trace the firm’s strategic relocation to 8 Bishopsgate, the UK’s tallest BREEAM Outstanding and EPC A-rated building, through the transformation of its working culture. A move to 100% agile working, supported by a 1:0.6 desk ratio, enabled HFW to reduce its footprint from 79,000 to 59,000 sq ft. Hosted in the new Client Suite – where panoramic views frame a reimagined client experience – this session offers an exclusive first look at insights from 18 months of post-occupancy data.

A deep dive into Baker McKenzie's redesigned London office, focusing on unassigned seating, smart technology, and workplace design that strengthens connection and well-being.
Hear how Baker McKenzie’s redesigned London office creates an innovative and flexible approach to a new legal workspace. Rachel will outline the shift to unassigned seating, the integration of smart technologies to boost performance, and design strategies that enhance collaboration, client engagement, and enhance employee well-being. All in all, reflecting a modern, flexible approach to future legal workspaces.

This expert panel will explore how the legal sector is redesigning its workplaces for a hybrid, digital-first future, discussing strategies for embedding culture, enhancing collaboration, leveraging emerging technologies, and delivering sustainable, future-fit environments that support productivity, talent retention, client service, and long-term organisational resilience in a rapidly changing professional landscape.

This session explores how data-driven design is reshaping legal workplaces for a new era of agility, confidentiality, and collaboration. As law firms adapt to hybrid models and evolving talent expectations, we reveal how real-time spatial data and digital tools can optimise workplace performance, reduce real estate waste, and create environments that support both focus and flexibility in a high-stakes professional landscape.

Drawing on findings from a new global state of the market survey by WORKTECH Academy and SPS, this session will reveal how performance is shaped by workplace environment, digital tools, and policy. It will offer practical strategies and new performance frameworks to help your employees thrive in an era defined by flexibility, data, and transformation.

In this forward-looking session, Matthew explores the transformative impact of AI on the legal workplace. AI evolves from a passive tool into an active, goal-driven collaborator, legal institutions are reimagining how work is structured, decisions are made, and environments adapt to human needs. Drawing on real-world insights and emerging use cases, Matt will illustrate how Agentic AI enables intelligent automation, proactive space optimisation, and predictive decision support—empowering employees, enhancing productivity, and reshaping office design.

Agentic AI is set to transform the legal profession—shifting how lawyers work, how workplaces function, and how offices are designed. This session explores the impact of autonomous systems on legal processes, decision-making, and space planning, and asks how firms must adapt their culture, technology, and built environment to stay competitive in an increasingly intelligent, AI-driven world.

This lecture argues that many contemporary workplaces are stuck in a rut that social scientists describe as “languishing.” This talk breaks down the characteristics of languishing and describes how to elevate employee experiences in the direction of flourishing. Then takes a deep dive into metrics that create a basis for a data-driven approach to creating high-performance working environments.

As the day concludes, join us to reflect on key themes, insights, and takeaways from the conference. This interactive session will distil key learnings, spark discussion, and explore how the ideas presented can drive future action. Share your thoughts, gain fresh perspectives, and leave inspired to turn insights into impact.