Mishcon signs 20-year lease for new London HQ

Mishcon de Reya has signed a 20-year lease for a new London headquarters at MidCity Place in Holborn, marking one of the City's largest recent law firm office commitments.

The firm has taken 161,000 sq ft across four floors of the building, which is currently undergoing a £20 million refurbishment and decarbonisation by owner Oxford Properties.

Mishcon expects to relocate in 2029 following a full fit-out and has also secured an option over an additional floor to support future growth.

Under one roof

The move will bring Mishcon's London workforce together under one roof for the first time in several years.

The new headquarters will include client hospitality and events space, while the wider building will feature amenities including a rooftop terrace, courtyard and podcast studio.

Managing partner Daniel Naftalin said the relocation has been “designed with connection and culture in mind”, adding that Holborn, the firm's home for decades, will remain its home for “a long time to come”.

Mishcon has been at Grade II listed Africa House since 2015 and has called Holborn home since 1961.

Office arms race

The announcement adds Mishcon to a growing list of firms committing to new or significantly upgraded London headquarters as the race for premium office space continues.

Jay Drexler, vice president of asset management at Oxford Properties, said London office demand is increasingly concentrated in the highest-quality buildings and that “future supply remains constrained”, noting confidence that demand for prime office space will continue.

A&O Shearman, Linklaters, HSF Kramer and Clifford Chance are among the firms that have announced future moves to new HQs, while Kirkland & Ellis, McDermott and Addleshaw Goddard have relocated to new London offices recently.