Address to impress

What does your office move say about you, asks Ronel Lehmann, the chief executive, of Lehmann Communications

So, Allen & Overy has finally moved out of its famed City address at the foot of St Paul’s Cathedral, and has set up shop in the East End, in Spitalfields Market. The move has not been without controversy – there was the public relations disaster of protesters accusing the firm of destroying London’s history, for a start.

But then there was the somewhat trickier issue of just how a law firm of A&O’s standing was to convince its clients that leaving the City was no big deal. Perception is everything, and the firm found out only too quickly that where you are located also gives people an impression about who, what and how you are.

The trading address of a law firm is a big part of its overall persona, because clients remember street names and locations. One New Change was about as memorable as they come; when A&O decided to head off, rumour has it that the management lobbied Royal Mail in a bid to win an EC4 postcode in place of the less than sexy E1 with which they are now saddled.


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