Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, one of the largest law firms in the US with over 1,000 lawyers, announced a plan to move its Austin offices to other buildings managed and owned by the Thomas Properties Group Inc. The Austin offices at One American Center at 6th and Congress will now be transferred to San Jacinto Center at Cesar Chavez and San Jacinto; both are still in downtown Austin. The move is expected to materialize in the summer of 2011. The international law firm plans to occupy over 73,000 square feet among the 8th through 11th floors. This will mean that the firm will have an approximately 18% occupancy in the entire building. The firm will also move all of its employees, which are over 190 in total.
Fulbright & Jaworski’s Partner-In-Charge for the Austin office, Butch Hayes, explained that the firm decided to make a big move after more than 25 years of stay in One American Center. “This move will allow us to be situated on contiguous floors, to create more collaborative space for our attorneys and staff, and to have better access to the 2nd Street area. For many years we have appreciated our relationship with Thomas Properties and are pleased to continue it in this way.â€
Andrew Smith of the Thomas Properties Group expressed his excitement over the latest decision of the firm. “We are extremely pleased that Fulbright & Jaworski has chosen to stay in one of our class-A downtown properties. It was a top priority to find a way to keep such a valued customer in the CBD and in one of our properties. Their decision to move from one of Thomas Properties’ buildings to another is strong evidence to our relationship, our market-leading efforts in sustainability and our focus as a firm on customer service.†Smith also revealed that the firm considered other locations before they managed to seal the deal. “It’s also a strong endorsement for downtown. Fulbright & Jaworski had a number of options outside of the CBD. To keep them downtown is the latest validation of the continued transformation of Austin’s CBD into a 24-hour urban core that has the right balance of live, work and play.â€