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    Categories: Lawyers

Akerman Takes on Big Expansion in Chicago

Summary: Akerman is taking on a new, larger office space in the Hyatt Center in Chicago that will more than double the square footage of their current office space.

Chicago’s Hyatt Center is seeing a tenant of theirs expand their presence in the tower. Law firm Akerman LLP is moving into an additional two floors of the tower after Hyatt Hotels vacates them next year. The 47th and 48th floors will be the new home to the firm.

See Akerman Adds LaKeisha Marsh to Chicago Office to read more Akerman news.

Akerman currently leases the 46th floor of the building, but adding another two floors will add 41,000 square feet to their current 33,000 square foot space. The Hyatt is planning to move to a new 53-floor tower being built by the Chicago River. Their new lease will run for 15 years.

This big expansion goes against current trends of other law firms shrinking their offices to cut costs, but Akerman has been growing quickly since opening an office in Chicago. For example, Mayer Brown eliminated two of its eight floors in the same tower.

See Patent Litigator Continues Akerman Growth in Chicago for more information.

The Miami-based firm started off with eight lawyers two years ago, but now has 43 lawyers. Akerman’s managing partner in Chicago, Scott Meyers, says the firm hopes to continue expanding to 90 lawyers. Meyers explained, “We never anticipated we’d fill the space as quickly as we did. We knew we’d eventually be able to expand in the building.”

See Akerman Adds Five Litigation Attorneys in Chicago for more about Akerman’s expansion in Chicago.

The firm is planning to make the 47th floor more offices, while the 48th floor will become a conference center and event space. Until they are able to move in, Akerman is leasing temporary office space on the 21st floor of 71 South Wacker.

Source: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20160125/CRED03/160129933/law-firm-akerman-expanding-into-hyatt-hq-space-in-chicago

Photo: aaronsarnat.com

Amanda Griffin: