Manatt’s Century City Office, High-Tech Design Featured in Daily Journal

Donna Wilson's Vision for New Manatt Office Began With Inability to See Everyone
– Daily Journal

Manatt Managing Partner and CEO Donna Wilson spoke with the Daily Journal about the Firm’s renovated Century City office that pays tribute to its deep roots in California, a robust East Coast presence and the five generations of Manatt professionals. 

“I wanted a balanced aesthetic where everybody feels included,” Wilson said during a recent tour of the office space. The Firm’s office spans over 116,000 square feet across five floors, three of which are linked by a central staircase. Those floors, which Manatt has dubbed “The Hive,” were deliberately designed to encourage collaboration. 

In a tribute to Manatt’s East Coast footprint, the first of the connected floors plays home to the “Quiet Car,” which includes silent workplaces for professionals. In a nod to the Firm’s robust California presence, the second floor hosts the “Surfboard Room,” which is the central common area consisting of amenities ranging from a pop-up kitchen and table games to bleachers uniquely built into the staircase.  

Wilson said she was determined to design a space that did not look like a typical law firm. Instead, Manatt’s office boasts a midcentury modern aesthetic with offices of the same size for all professionals, regardless of level, and common workspaces to encourage collaboration and collegiality.  

In the article, Partners Kathleen Brown, Thomas Michael and Gregory Pimstone also discussed the glass-walled offices, interconnected common spaces and collective puzzle-solving:
 
  • Kathleen Brown: “It’s the best of both worlds. The openness is conducive to collaboration, which is important in growing a business. And, in becoming part of a team.”
  • Thomas Michael: “We are constantly bouncing ideas off of each other and brainstorming ways that we can do this law firm thing better, which is much easier for me to do when I have an office where I can bump into our CEO while getting water.”
  • Gregory Pimstone: “I am still adjusting to the glass walls — doesn’t allow for the occasional power nap, which is generally not a problem given that the two-martini lunch is a relic of the past.” 

Read the full article in Daily Journal here.  

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