Axinn’s New Office In Rockefeller Center Promises To Be Collaborative Hub Designed To ‘Attract Top Talent’

With the push to bring attorneys back to the office more often in the wake of the pandemic, some law firms are making an effort to turn the office into an attractive venue. Firms are now experimenting with open floor plans in the hope of creating an atmosphere where collaboration is the name of the game, enabling partners and associates alike to easily exchange ideas and experience true team-building moments.

One of the firms that’s taken advantage of a new office space like this is Axinn, a midsize firm with one of the largest antitrust practice groups in the country. The firm recently relocated its NYC headquarters to the iconic Rockefeller Center, in a thoughtfully designed, 28,000 square foot space that will afford lawyers room to grow together, both creatively and professionally. Nick Gaglio, a New York partner who’s been with the firm since its founding, took the time to answer some questions for us about the unique nature of Axinn’s brand new office in the city that never sleeps.

Staci Zaretsky (SZ): Congratulations on the firm’s beautiful new office space! Could you please tell me a little bit more about why the firm chose this type of open floor plan?

Nick Gaglio (NG): Thank you! Our move to 45 Rockefeller Plaza gave us an opportunity to rethink what a law firm office could be. We knew we didn’t want a traditional hierarchy-based layout with corner offices reserved for partners. Instead, we set out to design a space that encourages interaction, collaboration, and creativity at every level.

As a firm specializing in antitrust, intellectual property, and high-stakes litigation in competitive markets, we compete by offering bespoke, incisive, deep insights. Clients need to see that we’re not just different—we’re better, so we deliver work product that is more tailored to their business problems. That kind of bespoke service isn’t just about legal knowledge—it’s about how we work together to generate business-focused solutions. Given this, it just makes sense to orient our workplace around breaking down silos and amplifying the Axinn ethos: we are one collaborative, integrated team, regardless of geography, title, or practice group.

That philosophy drove every design choice. We replaced traditional corner offices with shared collective spaces—for team huddles and client meetings, a work café where attorneys and business professionals at all levels can gather, and pods for summer associates. The space is intentionally hybrid: some attorneys still have offices, but many choose to sit in open areas, depending on what’s most efficient for the work at hand. Attorneys can plug in at common tables or jump into breakout rooms for client calls or meetings. Glass walls and AV-forward meeting rooms make collaboration seamless, whether you’re meeting in person or across offices. The result is a floorplan that encourages bold ideas and impromptu conversations—and makes it easy to tap into the collective intelligence of the team.

SZ: How do you think this reflects Axinn’s culture, and what are some of the benefits for attorneys and clients alike?

NG: This office is a physical expression of Axinn’s culture. From day one, Axinn has been about entrepreneurialism, ambition, and collaboration. These values are built into how we train, evaluate, and work together across practice areas and seniority levels. Our new space supports and reflects those values.

We’ve also built in spaces for team huddles, informal coaching, and chance encounters that spark ideas.

For attorneys, it’s about accessibility and shared ownership of the work. Everyone, from junior associates to senior partners, shares the same open, energized environment. You’ll see partners sitting alongside associates in open areas or walking the loop around the office and checking in with colleagues. There’s visibility—literally, thanks to the glass walls—which fosters mentorship, learning, and a shared sense of purpose. The layout also creates a more social atmosphere, where chance meetings and informal conversations strengthen relationships. That kind of everyday connection supports individual well-being, deepens internal trust, and ultimately benefits the firm and our clients alike.

For clients, the benefit is real. When your lawyers operate in a space that promotes horizontal collaboration, the solutions they develop are more creative, more precise, and more attuned to business needs. You get a group that acts as a true team rather than a loose collection of individuals. That cohesion—across roles, practices, and offices—is part of our go-to-market strategy. It enables us to deliver the kind of forward-thinking advocacy that clients expect from a specialized firm like ours.

SZ: Do you think that an office like yours may be the next step for all offices going forward?

NG: I think it’s where the industry is heading—especially for firms that want to attract top talent and deliver sophisticated, cross-disciplinary service. We’re seeing the limitations of legacy, static office design in an agile world. At Axinn, we didn’t just want to adapt; we wanted to evolve. This space gives us the agility to meet the needs of our clients and teams, whether that means hosting depositions, CLEs, or client strategy sessions.

That said, it’s not about forcing everyone into one model. What works for us is that the space accommodates a range of work styles. Some attorneys have private offices; others choose a fully agile approach. The key is that everyone has a choice—and that the environment supports collaboration.

We designed this office to make it easy to engage. That’s already creating momentum: our newer associates are more eager to be in-person, and our senior lawyers are more accessible than ever before. The physical space is reinforcing our culture in ways we couldn’t have predicted. I wouldn’t say every firm should copy our blueprint, but I do think every firm should ask: does our space reflect how we want to work now and into the future?

Without further ado, here are some photos that will provide a brief tour of Axinn’s new office space in New York City. (All images courtesy of Axinn.)

On behalf of everyone here at Above the Law, we’d like to thank Nick Gaglio of Axinn for taking the time to give us insights on the firm’s beautiful new office space in New York.

Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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