Weightmans LLP is a top 45 UK law firm which employs over 1,200 people across 8 sites around the country, with offices in Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle. With roots dating back to 1827, the Liverpool-established firm offers a range of legal services to public organisations, private companies and individuals.

The team at Weightmans LLP contacted Ben Johnson Interiors seeking help with the renovation of their new Leeds site, No.1 Whitehall. The firm recognised the change in working preferences as a result of working from home during the pandemic and was looking to create an agile, collaborative workspace that provided everything employees needed to do their best work.

Weightmans wanted to retain and repurpose as much of the existing fit-out and fixtures as possible whilst adding their own brand flair, keeping costs to a minimum where possible and sustainability at the forefront.

We were tasked with producing a modern, refreshed scheme that mirrored other Weightmans workspaces around the country but stuck to a pre-indicated layout and very clear brand guidelines. The new workspace consists of agile workstations – including standing desks, a client suite, quiet rooms, meeting rooms, catering facilities and a social hub.

We understood that sustainability was a key focus for Weightmans and our team got to work on identifying the areas that could be retained but improved upon, such as refreshing soft seating with reupholstering, for example.

Our team also took virtual tours of other Weightmans sites, as part of the brief was to correspond with the design and flow of these workplaces. We looked to replicate elements of the design in the Leeds site, such as providing the firm with custom artworks and wall manifestations of the Leeds skyline, as well as replicating designs of their reception desks and client suites based on other sites.

Part of our space planning work was to ensure that the variety of workspace solutions (quiet areas, agile working areas) could co-exist harmoniously, so the acoustics were a key aspect of the solution we proposed, using panelling and dividers to separate in a non-intrusive way.

We also added a feature living wall, modern lighting solutions and furniture in the Weightmans brand colours, providing familiarity to staff and clients alike and keeping things sustainable.

A summary of the finished project:

The refreshed Leeds site of Weightmans LLP is fresh, dynamic and very much in keeping with the Weightmans brand. We worked closely with their Facilities team throughout to ensure solutions were in line with other sites within the organisation and got creative when it came to repurposing the existing fit-out and furniture so everything could still feel really fresh.

The end result is a modern workplace that provides a variety of working environments for the team and is finished to the high standards Weightmans is renowned for by their client base.