The move continues the trend of law firms setting up shop in Portland, but bucks the trend of office vacancies in Portland’s downtown.
Snell & Wilmer has relocated its Portland office to a bigger space in Moda Tower in the heart of downtown, the law firm announced Monday.
The news comes amid high — and climbing — downtown office vacancy rates in Portland. Although the downtown vacancy rate dropped to 26.8% in the first quarter of this year, by the end of Q2 the rate had risen to 28.4%, according to data collected by the commercial real estate brokerage CBRE.
While Snell & Wilmer is bucking a trend among white-collar employers, it’s not the only law firm to make a similar announcement In recent months. Miller Nash and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe are both setting up shop in the 11W building at 1140 S.W. Washington St. Block 216, the Ritz-Carlton tower, has leased 19,100 square feet of office space to Davis Wright Tremaine.
Snell & Wilmer’s Portland office began with four lawyers in 2020. In September 2021, the firm moved its offices from its Lake Oswego office to a 4,300-square-foot space in The Broadway Tower in downtown Portland. The law firm will now have a team of 11 lawyers in the new 11,500 square-foot Moda Tower location.
According to the law firm’s press release, the move to Moda Tower represents a deepening commitment to the firm’s Pacific Northwest clients, and a continuation of the firm’s growth in the region.
“This new office and continued growth in Portland support the firm’s strategic objectives to provide our clients with excellent legal services in the Pacific Northwest,” Barb Dawson, chair of Snell & Wilmer, said in the release. “The new space will foster our collaborative and innovative culture while supporting our commitment to service and leadership in the local community.”
