Location, Location, Location

Location, Location, Location


The views from WilmerHale's New York office, located at the top of the brand new 7 World Trade Center, are not just distractingly beautiful. They also reflect why this is a great place to do legal work in New York City.

Looking out of my north-facing office window, I can see the stunning Midtown Manhattan skyline: The Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and the tightly packed glass boxes where many of my law school classmates are spending their summers. Seeing Midtown a few miles away reminds me of a big factor attracting me to WilmerHale. As a native New Yorker whose offices have always been downtown, I've always had a preference for downtown over Midtown. The streets are quieter, and they contain a healthy mix of apartments, offices, interesting shops and delicious lunch options. And best of all: You don't have to spend all day in the bustle of Midtown!

Looking south, one can see the World Trade Center Memorial, the new Fulton Street Transit Center, the new PATH station and down to the harbor. With all of this new infrastructure, I'll say a bit about the commute: it's super convenient to get here. Just about every subway line in the city passes within three blocks. One summer associate lives on the Jersey Shore and takes a ferry that drops him off a few blocks away. If you live in Brooklyn, like many of the attorneys and staff, getting here is a snap.

Looking east, you can see the federal and state courthouses, the SDNY US Attorney's Office, City Hall and many other government offices. We're in the center of the legal, governmental and litigation universe down here. This geography reflects both the varied government experience of the office's attorneys and the importance of the matters this office handles.

Finally, looking west, you see the Hudson River and New Jersey. New Yorkers sometimes say that the best feature of living in New Jersey is that you get a great view of the New York Skyline. I've never lived there, but it seems about right to me! New York pride aside, I will say that it's pretty nice to be so close to the east bank of the Hudson. The other day, another summer associate and I ate some takeout on a shady and breezy bench at the Hudson River's edge. It was a nice break from the city and the kind of peaceful moment unavailable in Midtown.

If you've lived and worked in New York City before, then I'm sure you appreciate why being in Lower Manhattan makes WilmerHale a great working environment. But if you're new to the city, then take my word for it: this is where you want to be.