Law firms face real estate challenges as the corporate landscape transforms in 2026. While 72 percent of organizations prioritize cost reduction, forward-thinking firms are evolving beyond reactive space management to create strategic advantages through “elastic portfolios” that flex with changing needs, experience-centric workplaces that attract top talent, and AI-powered infrastructure that drives operational efficiency.

With office utilization averaging just 54 percent yet headcounts expected to rise, firms must balance cost optimization with talent retention. These trends require integrated strategies that transform real estate from a cost center into a competitive differentiator. Read the research to discover implementation strategies for each trend.

When is the last time you got a quote on your LPL insurance? The discount members can get on getting LPL through the ACBA Insurance Program – powered by USI – is often greater than the cost of ACBA membership. For more, visit www.ACBA.org/Insurance.

Need to dig through some digital files for a case? Members receive a five percent discount working with bit-x-bit, the ACBA’s endorsed provider for digital forensics services. The ACBA partners at bit-x-bit can also help you with eDiscovery, cybersecurity and incident response, ESI prevention and drive imaging, document review and more. For more information or to get stated, click below.

If your firm is considering hiring an attorney, paralegal or legal secretary in 2026, be sure to check out the ACBA Job Board at jobs.acba.org. The Pittsburgh Legal Community’s top resource for legal job postings, the ACBA Job Board gets more than 3,000 page views each month, the vast majority from Pittsburgh-area legal professionals looking for jobs. For more information, contact Jennifer Pulice, the ACBA’s Director of Legal Employment Services, at jpulice@acba.org.

Interested in getting involved in ACBA leadership? The ACBA Nominating Committee is seeking candidates to run for President-Elect and Treasurer, as well as members interested in running for spots on the Board of Governors and the Judiciary Committee. Terms begin July 1, 2026 and the deadline to submit a candidate application is Friday, Feb. 27. For more information on the process, requirements and more, click below.

All members are invited to join the ACBA Asian Attorneys Committee in celebrating the Lunar New Year, one of the most significant holiday festivals in China and throughout much of East Asia, on Tuesday, Feb. 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Chinatown Inn in downtown Pittsburgh. The Lunar New Year celebrates the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar; 2026 is the “Year of the Fire Horse.”

The event will feature a 10-course meal, traditional Chinese dancers, and more. Thank you to Achieva Family Trust for sponsoring this event. Space is limited and the event typically sells out quickly, so those interested are encouraged to register ASAP.

ACBA Night with the Dukes is Wednesday, Feb. 18 at the UPMC Cooper Field House. ACBA members are invited to take advantage of discounted tickets as the Duquesne men’s basketball team takes on Atlantic 10 Conference rival LaSalle beginning at 7 p.m. The discount – available exclusive for ACBA members and their guests – is valid for tickets in the new arena’s baseline sections, along with section 111.

The Kennedy T. Friend Scholarship Fund was established by the will of Kennedy T. Friend, a distinguished member of the ACBA who passed in London, England in 1929. Any child of an attorney who is a member of the Allegheny County Bar and has an active practice in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is eligible for this scholarship if they choose to attend Yale University or the successor schools of the University of Paris.

Have a New Year’s Resolution to get healthier in 2026? The ACBA Health and Wellness Committee is forming a walking team for the annual Pittsburgh Marathon – scheduled for Sunday May 3 – and all members are encouraged to participate. Participants will walk the 13.1-mile half marathon course. ACBA members get a 50 percent discount off of regular registration prices through March 31; members who choose not to walk can participate in other ways, such as cheering sections along the course.

To register, use the code ACBADSGPM26 at the below link. For more information, contact Mary Ann Fiorilli at mfiorilli@acba.org.

ACBA members are invited to attend any of an upcoming series of open houses, presented by the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Civil Division, to learn more about the Division’s new case management system. The sessions will be held at 11 a.m. on the following dates at the City-County Building:

• Wednesday, Feb. 11
• Wednesday, Feb. 18
• Wednesday, Feb. 25

The session will start with a short presentation on the case management rules and the system followed by a 20-minute formal question and answer session. Following these sessions, attendees are free to come and go, pick up copies of the rules and ask questions of case management staff. To register or for more, click the button below.