International law firm CMS has relocated its Warsaw headquarters to the Varso Tower building, a new symbol of the Polish capital. The firm, which has been present in Poland for more than 25 years, moves into a new generation office of over 7,000 sq. m. that boasts functionality and design at a level never seen before in the legal services industry. It is a modern space for collaborating and developing relationships within the CMS team and with the firm’s clients—in line with the “cultureplace” concept implemented by CMS. 

CMS’ new Warsaw office occupies five levels, from the 39th to the 43rd floors, and its new space is significantly larger compared to the previous location. In particular, the space dedicated to collaborative work has been increased, including spacious conference rooms, creative work rooms, café-style kitchens and libraries. The CMS’ team also has access to a terrace on the 43rd floor that offers a spectacular view of the Warsaw skyline. The floors are connected by an internal staircase 21 metres high, which features a unique vertical garden and a dedicated mural by well-known Polish mural artist Tytus Brzozowski. This staircase, purpose built for CMS, is visible from outside the building as part of Varso Tower’s architecture, and also becomes part of the Warsaw skyline.

CMS Poland managing partner Andrzej Pośniak said: “We continue to build on our market position based on quality relationships, both within our team and with our clients. It is important for us to stimulate creativity, develop and exploit innovations and, above all, to cooperate. We want to build valuable relationships not only in employee-to-employee and employee-to-client terms, but also at the client-to-client level; to combine ideas and concepts, and then turn them into new possibilities and solutions. The new space makes it possible to do this even better, in line with our “cultureplace” concept, which puts relationships in the broadest sense of the word, respect for the environment and corporate social responsibility activities at its heart.”

CMS will be the first law firm in Poland, and one of the few firms in the world, whose office will undergo the WELL Building Standard certification process, testing the location to ensure the health and well-being of its users. The offices will also be assessed under the BREEAM certification system, which verifies office space in terms of environmentally friendly solutions. Beata Kępowicz, CMS’ chief financial & operating officer in Poland, commented, “Our interdisciplinary ESG team advises clients on how to operate in accordance with ESG standards. We want to be consistent and also set a good example with our activity. We have created a place that reflects the values of CMS: caring for employees and colleagues, especially their health and well-being, and responding to our clients’ needs with caring for the environment.”

Andrzej Pośniak added: “Our priority has been to create a space where our team and their needs are at the centre, as they are the people who care about our clients. Therefore, we focused on modern and customised solutions. Our team influenced several elements of the office’s design and functionality, and actively participated in the change from the very beginning. This has resulted in a unique interior that is highly conducive to collaboration. At CMS, we look to the future, and this is why our spaces are welcoming, colourful, functional, innovative and inspiring. We hope that everyone will feel very comfortable here.”

The Varso Tower building itself also aspires to the highest ESG goals. Owned by HB Reavis, it is part of a multifunctional investment that has transformed a once-neglected area into an attractive and vibrant part of the city. It features buildings that have been designed to the highest social and environmental standards. With sustainability in mind, they use environmentally friendly technologies whose quality has been confirmed by the highest rated BREEAM certificates. Independent auditors from WELL and the Integration Foundation have also acknowledged the solutions as having a positive impact on the health, safety and comfort of all users.

Comprehensive consultancy and implementation in creating CMS’ new office, from the search for a location to final completion, was handled by experts JLL, the leading real estate consultancy in Poland, along with HB Reavis and Tétris (the architecture branch of JLL). The space was designed by architectural studio Trzop Architekci.

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  • CMS

    Founded in 1999, CMS is an integrated, multi-jurisdictional organisation of law firms that offers full-service legal and tax advice. With 81 offices in 45 countries across the world and more than 5,000 lawyers, CMS has long-standing expertise both in advising in its local jurisdictions and across borders. From major multinationals and mid-caps to enterprising start-ups, CMS provides the technical rigour, strategic excellence and long-term partnership to keep each client ahead in its chosen markets. The CMS member firms provide a wide range of expertise across 19 practice areas and sectors, including Corporate / M&A, Energy & Climate Change, Funds, Life Sciences & Healthcare, TMC, Tax, Banking & Finance, Commercial, Antitrust, Competition & Trade, Dispute Resolution, Employment & Pensions, Intellectual Property and Real Estate. For more information, please visit cms.law