Riker Danzig LLP occupies half of the sprawling second floor at 7 Giralda Farms in Madison. — All photos courtesy: Riker Danzig
By Joshua Burd
Riker Danzig LLP has unveiled its new headquarters at Madison’s historic Giralda Farms campus, following a high-profile move from its longtime home in downtown Morristown.
The law firm, which occupies 45,500 square feet at 7 Giralda Farms, said it has redesigned its offices to incorporate a dynamic, open layout with hoteling options, collaborative workspaces and modern technology for a team of 180 that is based at the property. Those attorneys and staff will have access to several internal amenities on the second-floor space, including a large cafeteria and lounge with a custom bar and reconfigurable knowledge center, as well as the additional perks available at the building and the 20-acre campus.
Riker Danzig is leasing the space from Bergman Real Estate Group, touting it as a major upgrade from its prior home at Morristown’s Headquarters Plaza and a complement to its other offices in Trenton and Midtown Manhattan.
“It is deeply satisfying to see our strategic planning in the lease negotiation process and space retrofitting culminate in such a thoughtfully designed office environment,” said Nicholas Racioppi Jr., an executive committee member with Riker Danzig and head of its real estate practice, who led the lease negotiations for the firm alongside Partner Joshua M. Greenfield. “We feel that we really hit a homerun with our new headquarters. It provides an enhanced experience for all of our stakeholders — staff, attorneys and clients alike — and we couldn’t be happier with the final result.”
SLIDESHOW: Riker Danzig's new Madison headquarters
Riker Danzig, whose name was emblazoned on Headquarters Plaza’s West Tower, announced late last year that it would move to Madison after more than 40 years in Morristown. It said at the time that the new office will reimagine its layout from a compartmentalized, siloed office tower into a more open and vibrant atmosphere better suited for its collegial culture and team-based approach, as well as an evolving hybrid office model.
The 143-year-old, full-service firm is one of the state’s largest and is now among the latest additions to the 236,000-square-foot building. Cushman & Wakefield’s Bill Brown and Joshua Cohen represented ownership in negotiations with the firm’s Marc Rosenberg, who represented the tenant, while architect Jeffrey Barton spearheaded the design and Tim Fritzsch of GTL Construction of NJ Inc. led the construction team.
“We are thrilled about welcoming our clients and friends to our new home,” Riker Danzig Managing Partner Michael P. O’Mullan said. “The atmosphere in our new offices is vibrant, with a new appreciation for and enjoyment of the collegial culture we have long experienced. The modern floor plan allowed us to completely reimagine our workspace, and we have made the most of the opportunity. We are very pleased that our new office delivers everything an innovative law firm needs.”
Part of the former Geraldine R. Dodge Estate, 7 Giralda Farms has three floors of Class A office space with a two-story atrium entrance with granite and wood accents, according to a news release. Additional amenities include a café, underground parking, an outdoor patio with seating, an expansive fitness center, walking paths and an upscale lounge and game room.
Riker Danzig Cochair Anthony J. Borrelli, meantime, noted that the firm designed the space with a focus on making the most of its collaborative work areas, a multipurpose knowledge center and large employee cafeteria lounge.
“Our foremost goal throughout has been to create an office environment that truly reflects the way our people work together and connect with each other,” Borrelli said. “Since moving to our new space, we have experienced a very positive energy across all of our departments as we are now on one floor. It has been a great part of each day to walk the floor and interact with people who had not been part of our regular day-to-day because of the past separation across multiple floors.”
Kelly S. Crawford, cochair of the firm, added that the reception area features a descriptive, illustrated timeline that goes back to its 1882 founding in Newark and details many of its notable leaders through the decades, including Supreme Court justices, federal judges, state and U.S. attorneys general and bar presidents.
“Our history is quite impressive, and we wanted to prominently feature it throughout the new office,” Crawford said. “We also named our main conference rooms after several of our Riker luminaries, with their photos etched in signs and accompanied by brief bios — another nod to those who made us who we are today.”
Riker Danzig moving to Madison, plans to leave longtime headquarters in Morristown in 2025
