Mixed emotions for me today, as Brodies have moved to a new office in Edinburgh - Capital Square on Morrison Street.
15 Atholl Crescent
The Atholl Crescent office was "home" in so many ways, because it's where I've worked throughout my legal career, since I joined as a trainee in October 1990. So many happy memories...
How lawyers work has changed enormously since then. When I started lawyers didn't have PCs and everything revolved around pieces of paper - incoming mail/ faxes, outgoing letters to be printed and signed, and lots and lots of files. Thank goodness for paper-less/ less paper working.
The purpose of the office has shifted at the same time, with colleagues being more flexible about where they work, and the office being more about collaboration rather than sitting at a desk working – formal/ informal meetings with colleagues and clients, and the "water cooler" discussions.
Unfortunately it's difficult to collaborate in a Georgian town house with lots of rooms on several floors, especially in an ever-growing business.
There was also the "pleasure" of having to go to appeal to get listed building consent to change the internal door into the reception area from a solid to a glazed door, because it was not an original doorway.
As a planning lawyer, I've enjoyed the heritage of working in a listed building, even if most of my time was spent working in rooms "out the back". I will miss walking along the Crescent.
There is a planning application pending to convert the office into 34 residential units, so hopefully others will be enjoying the building again soon.
Capital Square
It's also mixed emotions because the current Scottish Government guidance means working from home for a while longer, but it will be exciting to explore the new ways of working at Capital Square, with colleagues and clients. As planners know, places are about people.
Contributor
Partner
