The law firm of Pillsbury Winthrop LLP announced today that it has moved its New York co-headquarters to the Bertelsmann Building, located at 1540 Broadway in the heart of Times Square, an area revitalized through efforts of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, which the firm has represented for the past decade. The move marks the beginning of a new chapter in the firm’s life, optimal access to its national and international client base, and a reaffirmation to New York City, where the firm has long-standing ties to the city’s history and development.
“The move of our office to Times Square is a strategic business decision that allows us to offer the quality service that our clients expect along with a more efficient office space,” says Donald G. Kilpatrick, managing partner of the firm’s New York office. “When Winthrop merged with Pillsbury three years ago, we added a broader and deeper national and international client base. Our new location in the heart of Times Square will not only permit us to better meet client needs, but will also allow us to continue to participate in the revitalization of this area.”
At the new space, Pillsbury Winthrop will occupy seven floors, encompassing approximately 180,000 square feet and accommodating up to 225 attorney offices. The new office is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including plasma screens with cable television in each conference room, as well as Wi-Fi (high-frequency wireless local-area network), which allows attorneys to access the firm’s computer network from anywhere in the office.
Pillsbury Winthrop opened its New York office in 1868 and has been connected to the development of New York City, its financial markets and the practice of law for 135 years. Today the office, which was founded by Elihu Root and has included such luminaries as Henry L. Stimson and Felix Frankfurter, includes 153 attorneys. Throughout the years, five partners have served as President of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York including the current president, the Honorable E. Leo Milonas.
Pillsbury Winthrop’s rich history will be prominently displayed in a glass vitrine in its 22nd floor reception area. Items within the display case document significant periods in the firm’s history and include artwork, plans for one of the early subway lines being built by a firm client, and the firm’s first court docket.
The 42-story Bertelsmann building, built in 1990, was designed by the architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Its distinctive look features a tower of green glass, aluminum and stainless steel. The building houses the U.S. headquarters of the Bertelsmann Co., the third-largest media company in the world, based in Germany. Tourists and music aficionados will recognize the 1540 Broadway building as the address of the Virgin Megastore.
The firm’s New York office has a comprehensive corporate practice and a highly accomplished litigation practice. It handles mergers and acquisitions, public and private securities offerings, tender offers, proxy solicitations and project and equipment financing. New York attorneys litigate major business and commercial cases at all levels of state and federal courts, from trial through appeals; they also address intellectual property matters for technology companies.
