Rising to the challenge

Lerch Early is dedicated to helping businesses, non-profits and individuals rise to every challenge in their professional and personal endeavors. Since its founding in 1950, the firm has grown to over sixty attorneys and has helped clients tackle legal issues pertaining to business, real estate, litigation, and life. Lerch Early lawyers are not only committed to clients—with deep roots in the Washington region, they invest time and talent in nearly one hundred local community and professional organizations. As a firm that is deeply connected to the region, they wanted an office to reflect that.

When the firm was looking to find a new office, they engaged JLL to orchestrate and lead the planning and search process. Before venturing out to the market, the JLL team took time to understand what defined Lerch Early’s culture, insight that they would rely on to identify viable options for the firm’s new space. At the time, tight market conditions posed a challenge. Available space was at a premium, particularly in the desirable Bethesda submarket, but JLL rose to this challenge. The team’s tenacity and intricate knowledge of the market allowed them to find an ideal space for Lerch Early, one not yet available in the market. The team engaged JLL’s project management expert Justin Gore, who led the team through the various phases of permitting and construction.

Lerch Early wanted its new space to look and feel less like a traditional law firm, and more like a modern, energizing workplace. This new space transported the firm from an environment of dark, solid walls to one flooded with natural light. Enhanced technology and conferencing systems provide the tools needed to help clients, while collaborative workspaces facilitate teamwork and knowledge-sharing among employees. Although employees love everything about the new space, two areas stand out as favorites: the café and reception area. The café has become so much more than a place to eat. No matter what time of day, you are guaranteed to see people there, whether they are enjoying a coffee with a colleague or taking in the sweeping views from every direction. The reception area is a sophisticated but inviting space for client meetings and events.

Not only has this new space motivated and energized current employees, it has also helped greatly with recruitment and retention efforts. Current employees love this new space and are eager to share it with potential recruits. Commitment to helping others has always been at the core of the firm’s mission. With its new office, its commitment to its own is abundantly clear.