The law firm of Baker Donelson has signed a long-term lease to relocate its New Orleans office to One Canal Place, one of New Orleans' leading Class A commercial office buildings.
Baker Donelson will move in the fall of 2026 to occupy approximately 40,000 square feet on the top two floors of One Canal Place, relocating from its current office in Place St. Charles, where the national law firm has been located since launching its New Orleans presence in 2004.
Noah Kressler, managing shareholder of the Firm's New Orleans office, said, "Being at the top of an iconic office building like One Canal Place is ideal for the next phase of Baker Donelson's story in New Orleans. We're committed to a large and long-term presence here that includes continuing to grow with the leading talent in the legal industry. Our new home in One Canal Place means our people will be in a vibrant, highly desirable area of our city and will have access to some of the best amenities and views available in this market. Our team is truly excited about this move, and we look forward to continuing our growth and success in a space that reflects the future of our Firm and our city."
With more than 700 attorneys and public policy advisors across more than 20 offices in 12 states and Washington, D.C., Baker Donelson is one of the largest law firms in the country. It has seen significant growth in recent years, expanding its geographic footprint with added offices across the Carolinas and in New Jersey. The Firm's New Orleans office has nearly 60 attorneys and over 100 total employees.
Managed by Corporate Realty, One Canal Place is a 32-story office complex located at the foot of Canal Street, an area that is seeing significant development, including the redevelopment of the World Trade Center into a landmark Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences (2021), a newly constructed Ferry Terminal (2023), substantial renovations to the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium (2023), the transformation of Caesar's New Orleans, including a new Nobu Hotel (2024), and the revitalization of the historic Governor Nicholls and Esplanade wharves that, when complete, will connect nearly 2.3 miles of continuous waterfront access, becoming one of the largest continuous riverfront parks in the nation (ongoing).
"One Canal Place is one of the state's premier office spaces and is in a prime location with the best New Orleans has to offer. That was clearly important to Baker Donelson as they look to build on the incredible momentum they are experiencing," said Andrea A. Huseman, leasing and brokerage specialist at Corporate Realty. "We share Baker Donelson's commitment to New Orleans and are excited to help them build upon their momentum as well as thrilled to welcome such a respected national law firm as a tenant."
The design of the new office space, which is being developed by integrated design firm ASD|SKY, will capitalize on the stunning views from the top floors of the building, incorporating natural light throughout. The space will also feature common areas designed for collaboration as well as a greater number of attorney offices to accommodate Baker Donelson's plans for continued growth.
Greg McCavera, Ella Adkins, and Greg Riera of JLL advised Baker Donelson in this transaction. "JLL is honored to have worked alongside the Baker Donelson team to locate this exciting new office space on the top floors of One Canal Place," said Greg McCavera, Vice Chairman of JLL. "The new space at One Canal Place will allow the Firm to implement an efficient and modern office design with the ability to accommodate the Firm's growth in New Orleans."