🔒Portland law firm Bernstein Shur embarks on office overhaul

Kaveri Subbarao Nauhaus, CEO of Portland-based law firm Bernstein Shur, was recently looking out the window of her temporary office at long yellow and lime-green debris chutes descending seven stories outside the building.

The chutes were installed at the start of a major update of the firm’s headquarters in the west tower at 100 Middle St. in the city's Old Port.

“We’re in the throes of renovations,” Nauhaus told Mainebiz. “We moved out of our space entirely. We’ve been in a swing space for almost three months.”

The renovations involve the fourth floor up to the top floor on the seventh story.

“We were very lucky to have the second and third floors available to us in the same building,” she noted.

Original tenant

Bernstein Shur was one of the building’s original tenants when it was built in 1987, but the firm’s space had been largely untouched over the years.

Originally, the headquarters was well constructed for what the firm needed at the time.

“We’ve outgrown that,” Nauhaus said. “They were darker spaces, with less access to light. In the climate we live in, light is so important to the mindset. Airier spaces with lots of natural light are intentionally included.”

Over the past decade, the firm considered trying to find or build a new headquarters. Considerations included being on the Portland peninsula and having both views and parking. But construction costs became prohibitive.

Instead, Bernstein Shur signed onto a plan with the 195,000-square-foot class A office building's recent buyer. The deal, including the seller, was worked out with the help of Joseph Porta of Porta & Co. The buyer worked creatively on a rent structure and tenant improvement allowance for Bernstein Shur and also plans to invest in the overall building improvements, according to Porta.

The same day as the sale, Bernstein Shur signed a new long-term lease on its 52,000 square feet of office space and closed a construction loan to fund the renovation plan. The firm has not disclosed the project cost.

‘Big picture’ ideas

“We realized the ownership created this opportunity to look at our space in new ways and invest in changing it so we could create an environment that balances sophistication with approachability,” Nauhaus said.

The project, which is financed by Norway Savings Bank and supported by a tenant improvement allowance from the landlord, includes layout, technology and systems upgrades as well as vertical integration of client activities.

The project results from “big picture” ideas that align with the firm’s latest strategic plan, she said. That includes fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration and inclusion and encouraging higher levels of employee engagement.

“Where we are and what we see every day plays a big part in that,” she said. “Renovating the space ensures outstanding employee and client experience."

Gathering space

The vision for the revised layout includes a mix of private and collaborative spaces.

“I remember being an associate and being able to have serendipitous conversations in the hallway,” Nauhaus said. “Our space is meant to create more open areas where everyone can get together. We’re encouraging convening and talking.”

A centerpiece will be the seventh floor, with views of the water and accessible to everyone at the firm.

“The highest floor will be a gathering space primarily,” Nauhaus said. “It will have some offices, and our meeting rooms and board room will be there. That way, lots of folks can appreciate and leverage that space, not just a handful.”

The project also includes layout and aesthetic enhancements to improve the client experience.

The plan includes removing walls and adding interior glass walls and improved lighting to bring more natural light into the space.

“It will be open and light from one end of the hallway to the other,” she said.

Functionality

The use of materials, sourced locally as much as possible, will balance sophistication with everyday use. The color palette will lean toward lighter hues as a reflection of light and the ocean.

“It’s about functionality,” Nauhaus said. “People are going to spill coffee. We want to be easy about all that and choose materials that will withstand the test of time.”

The project team includes Wright-Ryan Construction as the general contractor and Reveler Development as the owner’s representative; both firms are based in Portland. Sherry Niazmand and her team at Boston architectural firm Visnick & Caulfield Associates Inc. handled design.

Bernstein Shur expects to be back in its space next spring.

The firm has about 200 employees overall, with about 175 based at 100 Middle St. Based on the number of Maine-based attorneys, the firm is ranked No. 3 among the state's largest law firms in the 2026 Mainebiz Book of Lists.

“Our team has done a phenomenal job of logistics,” Nauhaus said. “We’ve got rotating schedules, with certain practice groups coming in at certain times in our swing space.”