As part of its expansion in Newcastle city centre, a law firm operating in 21 countries is preparing to move to one of the city’s most prominent office buildings.
With a £1m energy efficiency-focused renovation nearing completion, Gallowgate’s Wellbar Central is to be the new home of Kennedys Law, following completion of a lease on a 2,554 sq.ft. fifth-floor suite.
Comprehensive improvements to the 10-storey building, including an environmentally-friendly upgrade to the reception, WCs, lift lobbies, as well as the installation of new shower facilities and an electric Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heating and cooling system, helped attract the firm of dispute resolution and legal advisory experts.
Commenting on the move, Kennedys partner Andrea Ward said: “Having established our Newcastle office at Rotterdam House on the Quayside in May last year with a team of six, we have now grown to have thirteen colleagues and counting, all of whom work to a hybrid model.
“We wanted a central location that was easily accessible, and the environmental credentials were also very important, so Wellbar Central was the perfect choice, enabling us not only to host and better serve our clients in a modern working environment, but to accommodate further growth as we actively recruit to expand our teams.
“Our Newcastle offering, which specialises in liability, medical malpractice and casualty, serves key local and international clients, and has gone from strength to strength, recently earning recognition as a ‘Firm to Watch’ in the UK Legal 500 2025 rankings. We are excited to move into this dynamic space.”
Wellbar Central, which is already home to Global Radio, Turnitin, and Sky, as well as XPS Pension Group, Irwin Mitchell Solicitors and Advance Business Software, comprises 118,000 sq. ft. of Grade A office accommodation.
In June, law firm Eversheds Sutherland announced that it was also relocating to Wellbar Central after agreeing a lease on space within the 8th floor of the building.The £1m refurbishment programme has included works to the vacant 9th floor, which extends to 11,354 sq. ft of open plan office space and according to joint letting agents Knight Frank and Savills, offers occupiers unrivalled views across one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.
Nathan Douglas, senior surveyor at Knight Frank, said: “The investment in this Grade A office space has been considerable, with all works due to complete later this month to offer a sustainable, contemporary working environment that appeals to thriving and ambitious organisations such as Kennedys Law.
“With the building’s 9th floor coming to the market later this month, we look forward to more enquiries from firms wishing to see how these improvements could accommodate their own growth plans and help them achieve higher environmental standards.”
Kennedys Law was represented by London-based commercial property consultancy Spring4.
