National law firm plans major renovation of its 100,000-square-foot Seaport office, creating a more flexible, collaborative, and hospitality-focused workplace for employees and clients
BOSTON — National law firm Nutter has engaged Elkus Manfredi Architects to develop a strategic workplace plan and renovate its 100,000-square-foot headquarters at 155 Seaport Boulevard in Boston’s Seaport District, marking a significant investment in the firm’s future growth and evolving workplace needs.
The renovation will modernize Nutter’s flagship office with updated infrastructure, enhanced amenities, and redesigned collaboration spaces aimed at supporting employees, clients, and the firm’s continued expansion. Construction is expected to be completed in late fall 2026, with Nutter remaining fully operational throughout the renovation process.
A longtime presence in Boston’s Seaport, Nutter was among the early organizations that helped establish the waterfront neighborhood as a destination for innovative businesses and professional services firms. More than two decades later, firm leadership says the location remains central to its growth strategy.
“The past several years have been among the most dynamic in Nutter’s history, marked by national growth, evolving client needs, and the continued expansion of our team,” said Michael Scott, Nutter’s co-managing partner. “After more than two decades in the Seaport, we saw an opportunity to reimagine our workplace in a way that strengthens collaboration, supports our people, and reinforces our role as a convenor for clients and the broader business community.”
Scott said Elkus Manfredi Architects was selected because of its understanding of both the firm’s culture and business objectives.
Working closely with Nutter’s leadership team, Elkus Manfredi Architects is designing a workplace that emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and hospitality while supporting the firm’s client-focused culture and long-term growth plans.
The redesign will feature adaptable office configurations that can easily transition into shared workspaces as workplace needs evolve. The firm also plans to enhance client-facing and employee-focused amenities, including a reception lounge, café with barista service, wellness rooms, and upgraded conference and gathering spaces.
A key component of the project is the transformation of Nutter’s conference center and amenity areas, reinforcing the firm’s role as a gathering place for Boston’s legal, business, and civic communities.
“Good office design isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about creating spaces that deliver lasting value and adapt seamlessly as firms evolve,” said Elizabeth Lowrey, principal at Elkus Manfredi Architects and leader of the project. “We focus on supporting the business of law through planning and designing environments that enable mentoring, facilitate client service, strengthen culture, and foster the creativity essential to solving complex legal challenges.”
Lowrey noted that flexibility has become a critical consideration for law firms as they adapt to changing workplace expectations and evolving client demands.
“Creating areas in the Nutter office to support collegial interaction and opportunities to engage with the firm’s clients will create a noticeable energy that will resonate,” she said. “Noticeable energy is what we strive for when planning and designing workspaces, understanding that engaged professionals in a ‘destination office,’ rather than an ‘obligation office,’ is an all-round win.”
Elkus Manfredi Architects has developed a national reputation for workplace strategy and design, particularly within the legal sector. The firm regularly studies workplace trends through its proprietary Legal Workplace Snapshot research report, which examines emerging practices in law firm office design across the country.
For Nutter, the renovation represents more than a physical upgrade. Firm leaders view the project as a strategic investment in attracting top talent, enhancing client service, and creating a workplace designed to support the next generation of growth.
Founded in Boston, Nutter today serves clients across the United States and internationally through offices in Boston, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, and Orinda. The firm’s practices span business and finance, intellectual property, litigation, real estate and land use, labor and employment, tax, and trusts and estates.
When completed in 2026, the redesigned headquarters is expected to offer a more connected, flexible, and hospitality-driven environment that reflects both the firm’s history in Boston and its ambitions for the future.
