Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton signed the largest office lease in Manhattan for April, securing 475,000 square feet at Brookfield Properties' One Liberty Plaza in the Financial District. The law firm renewed and expanded its footprint at the 54-story building, where it has maintained a presence since 1990.
This lease represents a major win for Brookfield and signals renewed activity in Manhattan's office market. Large-scale leases like this one remain rare as companies reassess their real estate needs in a hybrid work environment. One Liberty Plaza, a Class A asset in Lower Manhattan, continues to attract institutional tenants seeking premium space in the Financial District.
The deal underscores the resilience of trophy office buildings in prime locations, particularly those housing established financial and legal services firms. While the broader Manhattan office market has faced headwinds from remote work adoption, anchor tenants like Cleary Gottlieb demonstrate that major professional services firms still require significant physical footprints for collaboration, client meetings, and operations.