Law firms drive surge in office leasing in first half of 2026, new data shows
Law firm leasing increased 17% across the country in the first half of 2026, according to data released Thursday from commercial real estate company Cushman & Wakefield. (Image from Shutterstock)
Law firm leasing increased 17% across the country in the first half of 2026, according to data released Thursday from commercial real estate company Cushman & Wakefield.
Firms leased nearly 12.2 million square feet during this period, reports Cushman & Wakefield, which also noted that the legal sector hit a quarterly record of 7.3 million square feet leased in the second quarter of 2026. This exceeded the previous high by 23% from the fourth quarter of 2024.
Reuters and the JDJournal covered the news.
“Law firms are pretty optimistic about their trajectory,” David Smith, the head of Americas insights for Cushman & Wakefield’s global think tank, told Reuters.
In the second quarter of this year, firms accounted for 14% of total office leasing across 10 major legal markets, Cushman & Wakefield reports. New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C., were among the hottest leasing markets.
Strong revenue and hiring demands are continuing to support firms’ need for more office space, the JDJournal reports. According to Cushman & Wakefield’s data, 15 legal sector deals larger than 75,000 square feet closed during the second quarter.
See also:
Legal industry is expanding its office footprint, new report finds
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