K&L Gates acquires A&O's old home

Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis (K&L Gates) has agreed to move to Allen & Overy’s former offices at One New Change.

The US firm’s London office, the bulk of which consists of the legacy Nicholson Graham & Jones, plans to take up to 142,000 sq ft of office space in the site adjacent to St Paul’s Cathedral.

The building is set for completion in 2010. K&L Gates hopes to relocate to the office in the following year. K&L Gates’ current offices at 110 Cannon Street offices comprise 75,000 sq ft.

The firm’s London office was formed by the 1 January 2005 merger of US firm Kirkpatrick & Lockhart and Nicholson Graham & Jones. Last year the firm merged with fellow US firm Preston Gates & Ellis to form a 1,400-lawyer outfit.