Law firm Husch Blackwell has recently completed the build-out of its new downtown Milwaukee offices, with employees transitioning into the new space this month.
Husch Blackwell is occupying roughly 76,800 square feet on the top three floors of the
recently completed Huron Building, at the northwest corner of Clybourn Street and Broadway.
The firm has 153 Milwaukee employees, including 85 lawyers and paralegals and 68 administrative staffers.
Some features of the firm's new space include the 11th-floor lobby complete with topographic map of Lake Michigan, glass office walls and wall-to-wall windows throughout, a large multi-purpose room with food-preparation and event-logistics spaces on the ninth floor, a 10th-floor cafeteria and outdoor terraces on each floor.
The space differs in a few ways from Hush Blackwell's former offices at the Cathedral Place building.
For one, it's smaller. Its former space totaled about 94,000 square feet, said Jack Enea, managing partner of Husch Blackwell's Milwaukee office.
The reduction comes in large part from the fact that all private offices are now the same size. This has numerous benefits, said Enea, including that lawyers don't have to move their office if they are promoted into a more senior role at the firm.
Another thing about the offices is that they have glass walls. This, combined with the movement of some workstations toward the outer walls, allows for virtually all employees to enjoy views of downtown and Lake Michigan, and to soak in natural light. This is also a departure from its previous location, Enea said.
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Two things particularly important in Enea's eyes are the office's location and the firm's logo signage placed in large lettering atop the building.
The location puts Husch Blackwell at the gateway between downtown and the Historic Third Ward, he said, with easy access both to the lakefront and the freeway.
"I think the signage is a tremendous message to the community and our clients that we're here, and we've made an investment for the long haul," Enea said.
A fraction of Husch Blackwell's employees are in the office due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Enea said about 40% of employees are authorized to be in the office. But because of staggered scheduling, 20% are in the office on any given day.
“This is an incredibly exciting time for our firm,” Paul Eberle, Husch Blackwell’s Milwaukee-based chief executive officer, said in a statement. “This new office space, and its prime location, will help us meet the evolving needs of our current employees and clients and position us for continued growth well into the future.”
Milwaukee-based
CG Schmidt was construction manager of the build-out work. Minneapolis-based
Nelson Worldwide LLC designed the space, and Colliers International provided project management services.
