Law Firm Kirkland & Ellis to Open 131K-SF Office at 900 Third Avenue

Chicago-based law firm Kirkland & Ellis will expand its New York City presence with a second Midtown East office.

Kirkland, which serves a range of clients in private equity and corporate transactions, has signed a lease for 131,000 square feet at Paramount Group’s 900 Third Avenue, Bisnow reported, citing a report from JLL.

The law firm’s new space will be right around the corner from its current 520,000-square-foot office at BXP’s 601 Lexington Avenue, where its lease runs until 2039, according to a spokesperson for Kirkland.

Kirkland said in a statement it is opening another location “in response to our growth and anticipated future needs.”

Cushman & Wakefield (CWK) represented both the tenant and the landlord in the deal, Bisnow reported. Spokespeople for C&W, JLL and Paramount did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The length of the lease and asking rent were unclear, but a report from Colliers found office rents in Midtown averaged $80.47 per square foot during the first quarter of 2025.

Paramount, which is the majority owner of 900 Third Avenue, announced in January that it sold a 45 percent interest in the building between East 54th and East 55th streets to an unnamed buyer. The deal valued the property at $210 million.

“This transaction underscores the underappreciated value of our assets in the market,” Paramount CEO Albert Behler said in a statement at the time of the sale. “Furthermore, this deal strengthens our balance sheet and offers enhanced flexibility in our capital allocation strategy.”

Other tenants of the 36-story office tower include construction advisory firm Lehrer Cumming and employment and labor law firm Littler.

Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.