WASHINGTON, DC-Cushman & Wakefield has launched a benchmark survey for law firms that extensively queries them about their real estate needs and usage. Eventually, the survey--which Sherry Cushman, executive managing director and head of C&W's Legal Sector Advisory Group, calls unprecedented in the commercial real estate industry—will be used to track far-reaching trends. For instance, she tells GlobeSt.com, the survey is following such eventualities as law firms that may go completely virtual.

In the shorter term the survey can be expected to yield valuable information for more traditional – i.e. office occupying -- law firms interested in maximizing their real estate space.

"The legal industry more so now than ever is struggling to maintain profitability," Cushman says. "Fee structures are more and more challenging and it is more difficult for firms to maintain profitability."

With the survey, C&W hopes to delve deeper not just into law firms' workplace strategies but what is impacting the business and financial side of their operations as well. To that end, it is asking 10 to 20 key questions in each business category, she says.

During the next 90 days, C&W's legal group will gather completed surveys from the legal community through the US. The survey has gone out to such titles as Global Real Estate Directors, Chairmen, Executive Directors, Managing and Real Estate Partners, and Senior Administrators. C&W will analyze the data and produce a detailed, statistics-based report.