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The coolest offices in the professional services sector

Legal, financial and insurance firms’ office spaces differ significantly from other types of companies. Dealing primarily in intellectual capital and intangible offerings, their services are grounded in expertise, advice and specialist knowledge. They typically follow project-based – rather than product-based – delivery models and depend heavily on talent, while their work is underpinned by client relationships.

As such, professional services firms also differ in their workplace requirements and design priorities. Their offices tend to be serviced spaces with a high level of amenities, administration and tech support to facilitate client-oriented work. These companies also require a workspace that is professional and confidential, supporting discrete appointment-based consultations.
But despite these traditional practices and specialist prerequisites, the professional services workspace is evolving. New ways of working and design innovations mean that legal, finance and insurance companies are also embracing dynamic and ‘cool’ work environments.

As we know, offices don’t have to be boring. Here, we take a look at some of the coolest and most exciting offices in the UK professional services sector.

The legal sector refers to the body of professional entities, institutions and activities involved in the provision of legal goods and services. Within the sector, legal professionals (solicitors, barristers) specialise in core practice areas, such as corporate law or intellectual property, and tend to apply their expertise to specific sectors, such as healthcare, energy or finance. Leading UK law firms, also referred to as ‘Magic Circle’ firms, include Clifford Chance, Linklaters, Slaughter and May, Freshfields and A&O Shearman.

Legal sector offices are highly professional work environments, where priority is given to private consultation. Unlike creative workplaces, which are defined by open space, law firms typically favour cellular formats, with individual offices and quiet areas for focused work.

But new designs are emerging. The following five firms have broken the legal office mould, balancing professionalism with highly original layouts, structures and features.. 

Our top 5 law firm office designs

The following five firms have broken the legal office mould, balancing professionalism with highly original layouts, structures and features. Here are our top office designs.

1/ Shoosmiths

In 2022, Shoosmiths relocated its Birmingham office to a Grade A corporate space in the city’s most iconic new development – the BCO award-winning 103 Colmore Row. Reflecting the firm’s innovative and client-focused mindset, this destination office is a cutting-edge hybrid work environment where clients and colleagues can collaborate. Light, open and creative, the new space provides a hospitality-style experience that defies design conventions. Doing away with the traditional demarcations between office and breakout areas, employees can choose how and where they work. Meanwhile, unique design features, such as detailed joinery and opulent jewellery motifs, reflect Birmingham’s industry heritage.

Shoosmiths office space Birmingham

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WRKPLC’s verdict

We love the fluid, open-plan layout that facilitates collaborative working and interaction. The flow of the design also reflects Birmingham’s waterways, which is a really nice touch. And there’s a great blend of open and ‘snug’ private areas, supporting different work styles and needs. Sustainability and employee wellbeing are clearly high on Shoosmiths’ agenda, as evidenced by the multiple relaxation rooms, gardens and greenspace – overall, an inclusive, progressive and beautifully designed work environment.

2/  HFW

Following a four-year workplace transformation programme, in 2025 HFW relocated to its new home in 8 Bishopsgate, London – the UK’s tallest BREEAM ‘outstanding’ and EPC A-rated building. The new office meets HFW’s original search criteria – improved flexibility, abundant daylight and impressive views of London, plus excellent infrastructure, outdoor access and shared amenities. The design scheme replaces fixed departmental siloes with flexible ‘neighbourhoods’, facilitating greater collaboration and communication. A central staircase spans all three floors, enhancing connectivity. And a range of workspace formats – from shared spaces to quiet study areas – supports employee needs, including those with neurodiverse requirements.

HFW office space London

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WRKPLC’s verdict

M Moser Associates’ design really reflects HFW’s core values, creating an agile professional environment that anticipates the future of legal work. We especially like the hospitality area and event suite, which hosts specialist spaces for different legal disciplines. The panoramic views will impress clients and visitors. And employees will benefit from the open interior layout, which enables clear sightlines and fluid movement, reinforcing unity and connectivity. A fantastic modern workplace design.

3/ Brabners

Brabners’ new Manchester office is an exceptional workplace for a leading UK law firm. Occupying two floors of a recently refurbished development, the office supports the organisation’s long-term growth ambitions, combining sophistication and innovation. It also reflects Brabner’s commitment to clients and staff through spaces that facilitate comfort and collaboration. Above all, the workspace communicates quality, with bespoke joinery, high-end finishes and attention to detail throughout. Statement ceiling designs in the reception and meeting rooms are particularly impressive – all the more so for having been delivered during challenging market conditions.

Brabners office space Manchester

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WRKPLC’s verdict

A stylish and inspiring workplace design. The ceilings are something else; not only aesthetically stunning, but also skilfully incorporating mechanical services, sprinklers and lighting – clearly a major feat of project management and implementation. The meticulous design features suggest a firm that’s wholly committed to the highest professional standards.

4/ Mills & Reeve

The Mills & Reeve office at One Centenary Way, Birmingham, is an inclusive, open and community-led workplace with sustainability at its core. Allowing for growth and flexibility, the office design caters for present need and future ambition. It combines the Mills & Reeve brand with major wow-factor features – for example, an instagrammable Client Lounge full of coloured lights and quirky design elements. Multifunctional spaces, quiet rooms and collaboration zones make this a diverse ‘destination office’. Its design also speaks directly to the surrounding city context, replicating Birmingham’s archways and other architectural features.

Mills & Reeve office space Birmingham

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WRKPLC’s verdict

This colourful office space combines professionalism and fun, communicating energy and ambition. Its sustainability creds are also deeply impressive, with the project team delivering on their commitment to reuse existing equipment and furniture. All flooring is at least 50% recycled content and 100% recyclable, diverting as much material from landfill as possible. And everything is locally sourced. Just shows that great design and green design can go hand-in-hand!

5/ Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Located in the iconic 100 Bishopsgate building, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman’s new office delivers on two core objectives: it provides a fitting home for a prestigious and powerful global law firm, while creating a sociable, welcoming and multifaceted work environment. Acknowledging the needs of the legal profession, the space combines cellular offices with flexible meeting suites and social spaces, plus moveable walls and seating to support a range of workplace functions. The internal aesthetic reflects the clean lines and shapes of the building’s glass façade, while wooden details and artwork provide warmth and depth.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP office space London

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WRKPLC’s verdict

This stunning workplace design really makes the most of the building’s floor-to-ceiling windows, with offices located around the perimeter to maximise natural light and views of London. We also like that Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman consulted their employees on the new office design, ensuring the workspace caters for everyone’s needs and preferences.

Office spaces in the finance sector

The finance sector refers to the institutions that manage money, credit and investment. Key players within the sector include banks, investment firms, insurance companies, funds and stock exchanges. Helping to drive economic growth and productivity, these players provide a range services, from banking, loans and investment management to asset allocation, capital flow and risk management.

In the UK, the top finance companies include HSBC, Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Capital One, Citi and Standard Chartered. Such companies tend to occupy impressive corporate real estate in key financial districts. Workspace is sophisticated and tech-enabled, designed to support expert service delivery and accommodate high-value clients.

Our top 5 finance office designs

The following five companies have embraced new forms of office design, displaying innovation and imagination in their creation of sustainable modern workspace.

1/ Santander

Located in central Milton Keynes, Unity Place is Santander’s new, state-of-the-art HQ – home to digital banking innovation. With its workforce previously split between different sites, this development brings Santander’s 5,000 employees together under one roof. An eight-storey, mixed-use campus, Unity Place reimagines the possibilities of corporate workspace. It offers diverse public amenities, including facilities for local businesses, students and start-ups, plus community spaces and retail. The site is configured across four blocks, connected by light-filled atria, with expansive outdoor terrace space and garden bridges.  

Santander office space London

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WRKPLC’s verdict

This big, bold and generous campus design takes banking workspace to a new level. Open and accessible to the local community, Unity Place reflects Santander’s social values and commitments. Its finishes, material selection and warm tones set it apart from traditional corporate buildings, while the collaborative, tech-first format reflects changes in the banking landscape.

2/ ANZ

The design of ANZ’s European HQ is based on circular economy principles, aligned to the company’s sustainable banking ambitions. Occupying the twelfth floor of the Cargo building in Canary Wharf, the office reflects the bank’s focus on employee and customer wellbeing. It offers an agile workspace that is functional and energising, promoting a sense of community. The floorplate arrangement creates different zones of activity, conveying the notion of travel as people cross the open plan space. Visible leadership also signals an open, inclusive and approachable organisation.

Anz office space London

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 WRKPLC’s verdict

This design scheme really understands the role of the post-pandemic banking office, centring on people and collaboration. The relaxed, fluid spaces create a sense of flexibility, while the sustainability efforts are second to none. Reused and low-carbon materials, efficient water and waste management, recycled furniture – ANZ and TP Bennett have raised the bar for sustainable workplace design.

3/ Wise

Expanding its office space by 40%, fintech company Wise has relocated its global HQ to Worship Square in Shoreditch. The new space combines aesthetics and sustainability to great effect, creating a unique and dynamic work environment for over 1,000 employees. The interior design scheme comprises striking colours, materials and artwork, connecting to the history and culture of Shoreditch. Meanwhile, an onsite sauna, massage area and nap pods ensure employees can feel rested and refreshed. On the sustainability side, the building aligns with the UKGBC Net Carbon Framework, having undergone and Whole Lifecycle Carbon Assessment and a switch to low-carbon materials.

Wise office space London

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WRKPLC’s verdict

Wise’s new HQ captures the spirit of Shoreditch and embraces the new era of sustainable financial services. We like the uniquely themed workspaces, which celebrate different aspects of the local area’s history. And the sustainability performance is impressive; reducing embodied carbon by 11 tonnes is a real statement of intent. Good work!

4/ Mondrian Investment

Mondrian Investment’s new workplace occupies the top two floors of Sixty London Wall, one of the city’s newest landmark developments. Offering an unbeatable end-user experience, this world-class destination engages with the new ways of working that have redefined the finance sector. Offering a rich mix of social space and traditional work zones, the workplace is enhanced by timeless décor and furnishings. A barista bar, statement firepit and extensive outdoor terrace are just some of the standout features, while biophilia and recycled materials showcase the company’s commitment to sustainability.

Mondrian office space London

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WRKPLC’s verdict

Mondrian’s new office combines premium hospitality with high-functioning workspace, creating a stylish interior that also offers the very latest in workplace AV technology. It’s a destination that will support valuable employee-client interactions and experiences – a shining example of post-pandemic workplace innovation.

5/ Revolut

Following an extensive search, leading fintech company Revolut decided to relocate its global HQ to the YY Building in Canary Wharf. Increasing its London footprint by 40%, Revolut signed a 10-year lease on the new property, which it described as “a commitment to our future in finance”. Spanning four floors, the Revolut HQ is an experience, not just workplace – one which challenges traditional design conventions and paves the way for future growth. Boasting best-in-class workspace, local amenities and leading ESG building credentials, the new HQ prioritises sustainability, employee wellbeing and productivity.

Revolut office space London

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WRKPLC’s verdict

This is a fitting location for a company that’s come so far, so fast, from small startup in 2015 to leading fintech with 40 million customers globally. We look forward to seeing how this remote-first business uses its new space, which lends itself to workshops, events, launches and more. Exciting times!

Office spaces in the insurance sector

The finance sector refers to the institutions that manage money, credit and investment. Key players within the sector include banks, investment firms, insurance companies, funds and stock exchanges. Helping to drive economic growth and productivity, these players provide a range services, from banking, loans and investment management to asset allocation, capital flow and risk management.

In the UK, the top finance companies include HSBC, Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Capital One, Citi and Standard Chartered. Such companies tend to occupy impressive corporate real estate in key financial districts. Workspace is sophisticated and tech-enabled, designed to support expert service delivery and accommodate high-value clients.

Our top 5 insurance office designs

The following five companies have embraced new forms of office design, displaying innovation and imagination in their creation of sustainable modern workspace.

1/ Lancashire Insurance Group

The insurance sector comprises businesses that provide financial protection against risk, transferring potential financial burden from individuals or organisations to insurers. Customers make regular payments – premiums – to the insurer, which cover the cost of unforeseen events such as car accidents or household damage.

In the UK, the top insurance companies include Churchill Insurance, AIG, Legal & General, Axa, Zurich Insurance Group, Vitality and Direct Line. Like finance sector firms, insurance companies tend to opt for plush corporate workspace with high-end design features, finishes and furnishings.

Lancashire Insurance office space London

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 WRKPLC’s verdict

This bold reimagining of elevated workspace has literally taken Lancashire’s office design to another level. The transformation has enabled the firm to articulate its brand values while embracing new working patterns and preferences.

2/ Aviva

Aviva’s London HQ at EightyFen provides a modern and sustainable work environment for the firm’s clients and employees. A positive, people-oriented space, the new office creates visual connections and transparency, leveraging the building’s light-filled atrium to maximum effect. Bringing Aviva’s teams together into one central area, the workplace is comprised of agile, open-plan spaces, with distinct neighbourhoods organised via a central booking system. A warm, neutral colour palette, timber flooring, carpet and tiles create a welcoming look and feel, while Aviva’s brand identity is referenced throughout.

Aviva office space London

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 WRKPLC’s verdict

This is a really lovely office design, whose commitment to creating connections and shaping a positive workplace really shines through. It’s a vibrant and dynamic hub that will delight clients and staff alike, while also delivering on the firm’s ESG ambitions.

3/ Cambiasso Risso

Cambiasso Risso’s new European HQ centres on collaboration and creativity. Drawing on the company’s heritage in maritime insurance broking, the design scheme deploys fluid, organic lines suggestive of water. Bespoke joinery articulates the coastlines of other Cambiasso Risso locations, while the prevailing colours and textures make reference to the ocean. Multiple design cues connect back to the company’s Italian and maritime roots, while modern and sustainable features help to blend past and present. The space also makes the most of natural light and views of London, creating a bright and tranquil working environment for employees.

Cambiasso office space London

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WRKPLC’s verdict

This is a beautifully conceived workspace full of bright and inviting spaces, with a strong conceptual link to the company’s history and heritage. It’s a really elegant space that not only articulates Cambiasso Risso’s brand values, but seeks the very best for the end-user.

3/ Marshmallow

Having outgrown their serviced office space, Marshmallow needed a new London home. Design consultants Oktra guided them to the Featherstone building, an industrial-inspired workspace in the heart of Old Street. The new space consolidates all facilities on a single floorplate, bringing previously segregated departments together and promoting collaboration. A large café breakout space serves as a hub for company-wide meetings and events, while a range of design formats – booths, retreat spaces, open spaces – allow for diverse working styles. Unconventional design finishes and colours, plus abundant biophilia and natural ventilation, make this a unique and sustainable modern workspace.  

Marshmallow office space London

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 WRKPLC’s verdict

We love the way this design supports Marshmallow’s flexible work ethos, creating a more connected and cohesive workspace. The carefully curated textures and finishes also make for an inviting and tactile work environment, while the signature colours really bring the brand to life.

5/ Dale Underwriting

Having relocated to the sixth floor of 70 St Mary’s Axe in the City of London, Dale Underwriting wanted to create a work environment where people could thrive. Peldon Rose conceived an immersive, modern workspace with a sleek and timeless aesthetic. Dale’s value of ‘All Together’ informed the spatial layout, with a focus on collaboration, engagement and inclusivity. The design also highlights the building’s unique architectural qualities, while making visual references to Dale’s affiliation to Lloyds. Crucially, the firm’s ESG ambitions are realised through an Excellent BREEAM building certification, strengthening their green workplace credentials.

Dale Underwriting office space London

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 WRKPLC’s verdict

A timeless design that puts people first. We love the natural light and biophilic design features, which create a sense of wellness and calm. The open plan desking also encourages dialogue between individuals and teams, reinforcing the collaborative cultural ethos.

So, what have we learned from these innovative and cool professional services offices?

First and foremost, workplace location is critical in the highly specialised and competitive markets of finance, insurance and law.

Offices are usually based in major cities whose industry associations support a firm’s purpose and brand positioning. Being at the heart of a reputable legal or financial district, with access to local talent, transport links and amenities, enhances a firm’s prospects and resonates with clients.

Likewise, impressive views of city skylines reinforce the notion of centrality and relevance, subconsciously providing a ‘view of future success’. Workspace with a killer view is therefore a key office search criterium.

Client experience is paramount, with companies going the extra mile to accommodate their fee-paying visitors. More and more, we’re seeing dedicated client welcome areas, work lounges and catering facilities, alongside more conventional consultation spaces for key services – for example, ‘broker booths’ or specialist rooms for litigation and mediation. Ensuring clients can receive the support they need, in privacy and in comfort, is a core design focus.

Tech infrastructure is essential too, with first-class AV technology a prerequisite for all professional services firms – particularly those where remote or hybrid work models are still in place. In finance, design increasingly supports digital-first banking and investment, with workspace needing to incorporate the relevant tech hardware, IT and data systems.

New ways of working also require design solutions that enable collaboration. Across all three disciplines, open spaces that encourage cross-departmental dialogue are being explored, as firms look to encourage less siloed and more fluid, entrepreneurial exchanges. Even in legal, where cellular formats and confidentiality are key, private spaces are increasingly offset with open areas that promote collaborative interaction. And in banking, bringing all people together under one roof is an emerging post-pandemic trend.

Finally, we’re seeing professional services firms placing sustainability at the heart of their workplace agenda. Low-carbon strategies, efficiency measures, reused furniture and locally sourced materials are key design requirements – as companies increasingly balance their commercial goals with the interests of people and planet.

If you’re looking to revamp your professional workspace, get in touch with WRKPLC for expert guidance and advice. You can also download our free Office Design Companies Guide.

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