OAKLAND, CA—Law firm Burnham Brown's Oakland roots date back more than 100 years. And recently, this Oakland staple recommitted to the city for several more years.

The firm right-sized its occupancy at 1901 Harrison St. from 40,000 square feet in two-and-a-half floors to 32,000 square feet in two full floors in a new direct lease. Burnham Brown was previously subletting a portion of its multi-floor space in the Uptown building, but its new lease term now runs on a direct basis with the building's landlord, Starwood Capital Group. The law firm's new agreement also reflects a commitment to occupancy on one of the floors for at least several more years.

"Prior to the pandemic, the legal sector was experiencing major workplace shifts at an accelerated pace, including investment in technology and office density," said Sherry Cushman, who leads Cushman & Wakefield's legal sector advisory group. "Now that the virus has impacted countries and economies on a global scale, the disruption has caused a dramatic pause in the legal sector, forcing firms to reconsider their business strategy as well as reimagine the future of the law firm workplace itself."