The best lunch hour at the world's largest law firm

The brief #

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is the largest law firm in the world by revenue. Its London team works from 30 St Mary Axe, better known as the Gherkin, and had been encouraging colleagues to take part in STEPtember: a month-long challenge to walk at least 10,000 steps a day while raising money for cerebral palsy charities.

The firm asked for a lunchtime walk in the immediate neighbourhood of the office: long enough to make a dent in the step count, short enough to fit into the working day.

The walk #

We set off from the Gherkin, passed Lloyd's of London and wandered into the Victorian splendour of Leadenhall Market, before winding through the hidden alleyways and courtyards off Cornhill.

What struck us most was how many people had worked in the City for years without knowing the history on their doorstep. It's easy to rush to and from the office without ever looking up.

The result #

Kirkland & Ellis already knew the physical benefits of a good walk. But one colleague told us the real win was something else: people were chatting to colleagues they'd never normally meet, forgetting the office for an hour and, crucially, laughing and having a good time.

Several walkers emailed the organiser afterwards, including one who called it "probably the best lunch hour I have had at Kirkland".