Law Firm Renews, Expands at Two Embarcadero

SAN FRANCISCO-Baker & McKenzie LLP recently inked renewal, expansion and relocation of its leasehold within Two Embarcadero Center. The law firm signed a 10-year lease for 44,537 sf, which represents an expansion of approximately 10%. The expansion and relocation to the 10th and 11th floors will occur in December.

Baker & McKenzie is a global law firm with 70 offices. In 2005, the company completed a 34,400-sf consolidation and 10-year restructure in Palo Alto. In both that lease and this one at Two Embarcadero, the company was represented by Staubach Co. senior vice president Harry Schoening, who did not return a Tuesday phone call seeking comment.

The rate on the Two Embarcadero lease was not disclosed by the parties involved. The asking rate for a 16,246-sf seven-year sublease on the 17th floor of the building is $45 per sf per year.

Embarcadero Center is owned by Boston Properties. The publicly held company acquired the 3.76-million-sf portfolio in 1998 for $1.22 billion. Boston Properties was represented in-house by Rod Diehl and Rick Buziak.

Baker & McKenzie has engaged Staubach’s project management team to supervise the tenant improvement construction and move. The team is led by Chris Albrow, who also managed Bingham McCutchen LLP’s 144,000-sf restack at 3 Embarcadero Center.