What Makes A Law Firm Move Unique

Law firms have a number of unique requirements that set them apart from other large firms when it comes time to move. While traditional considerations like the furniture involved are comparable, the esoteric elements of a law firm create specific situations that a moving firm should not only be aware of, but comfortable and familiar with. Moving companies unfamiliar with these processes are more likely to experience challenges that could lead to a disruptive move.

One of the most significant differences between a law firm and a traditional firm is the number of key stakeholders during the move. While a traditional Fortune 500 may have a top-down management structure, meaning there is a chain of command and likely a single person who has been tasked with overseeing the entire move, law firms are more distributed.

The management structure means that the company handling the move needs to be incredibly flexible and capable of addressing the unique needs of several partners at the same time. Moving companies that do not have experience working with law firms may not have the bandwidth or ability to do this, which can result in delays, mistakes, or the inability to meet specific requests.

Below is a rundown of the unique challenges posed in moving a law firm and why it’s important to work with a moving company experienced in dealing with them.

1. Hands-On Expertise is Needed to Pack and Move Things Carefully

Law firms often have a large amount of artwork and personal items owned by the partners that need to be moved carefully. These elements tend to be more pronounced in a law firm than in a traditional company. As a result, this aspect of a move is more intricate for a law firm than for many other types of organizations.

Hands-on expertise is needed to pack and move these things carefully. While most firms have limited artwork and other high-value items that need to be moved, law firms still do. Every law firm is its own headquarters, meaning there may be years of ephemera and personal effects in the building that need to be moved along with the attorneys and their content.

2. Efficiency is More Important than Ever When The Move is 80% Boxes and IT

Because of the “always available” nature of a high-powered law firm, it’s vital that they minimize disruption during a move to the point of almost nothing. That means moves often start on a Thursday or Friday afternoon and must be completed by Monday morning so the firm can open on time. With moves now consisting of almost 80% boxes and IT equipment, the need for efficiency is more important than ever.

Because so much of the move is personal files that need to be in the office of the attorneys and their teams by Monday morning, it’s vital that the move be planned down to the minute, with flexibility built in to adjust on the fly if there is a last-minute request, change to the procedure, or an attorney needs a certain file.

3. Addressing the Separate Needs of Specific Parts of the Law Firm

Because of the importance of large moves that affect dozens of individuals, and the potential of downtime affecting “billable hours” at a law firm, there are a number of stakeholders who have a strong interest and therefore input into a law firm’s move. While the office management team in most other types of firms would handle the move from start to finish, a law firm is likely to have multiple stakeholders involved throughout the process. It’s important that the mover has experience with this element and the ability to respond quickly and flexibly.

4. Flexibility to Address Unexpected Issues As They Come Up During a Move

Last-minute changes, unexpected interruptions, or sudden requests are more likely to happen in a law firm setting. A law firm moving company should have the resources available and time accounted for to quickly respond to these last-minute needs without delaying the move.

There may be other instances where an attorney is not ready to move at the time a firm has scheduled the move. The moving company needs to have the flexibility and experience in these situations to adjust on the fly, allowing for last-minute work or urgent issues to take precedence over the logistics of the move. For a traditional moving company with rigid processes, this would likely prove challenging.

Office Movers Express maintains a management structure designed so that decisions can be made quickly by the individuals with which a law firm is communicating. This allows us to react quickly to unexpected changes and be more flexible to address issues in a rapid response way. Where a traditional moving company might refuse to make changes or simply be unable to accommodate a last-minute request, OMX was built from the ground up to ensure the highest possible level of flexibility for all of our customers.

Learn more about the differences that make a law firm’s move unique and how OMX address them in our white paper:
How Are Law Firm Moves Different From Other Moves

Andrew B. November 2023

The Armstrong Company

"It's such a pleasure to work with professionals that go the extra mile to make sure every move is as prefect as it can be. Thank you OMX for your commitment to Excellence!"

Nicole R. November 2023

Arrow Bookkeeping

"They really put our minds at ease and even made our move fun! Tim and his team were knowledgeable, friendly, professional and patient."

Mary S. November 2023

WETA Public Media

"We've been return customers for years because of quality service and a great team. Always careful in handling items, hard-working, proactively asking questions, raising better solutions, following our security protocols and easy to work with. Thank you!"

Daja C. October 2023

Integrated Community Services

"The team at OMX exceeded all of our expectations. It's clear they value their customers and prioritize effective communication. They went above and beyond."

Andrea A. August 2023

WMATA

"I want to thank your team for helping us move the office furniture to the various WMATA locations. The movers did an excellent job and were very professional. They also did a great job taking safety precautions and were very accommodating to the WMATA staff."

Adrian W. August 2023

Burke & Herbert Bank

"Our project went very, very well thanks to the team at OMX. Extending my appreciation to all involved!"

Pennie M. May 2023

Stein Mitchell

"I am so glad I picked you guys as my movers, you were perfect."

Cheryl H. May 2023

US Department of Education

"The OMX crews were properly badged, fully informed as to the scope of work, and were given the necessary equipment and information to do the job in a professional manner. A job well done by all."

Dawn D. May 2023

Dynamic Design Enterprises

"The OMX team assigned to our relocation did an outstanding job. Everything on site was amazing! Tim and Mary Anne were wonderful with communicating clearly about what to expect during our move and answering all of our questions. What a great team of hard working folks at Office Movers Express - we were so impressed."

David T. January 2023

Tobin, O'Conor & Ewing

"Everything was great from start to finish. The moving team was very courteous and we appreciated your responsiveness throughout the whole experience."