Legal Professionals Rely on Furniture Rental and Relocation Support for Efficient, Cost-Saving Solutions

CORT Supports Law Firms for Trials and Other Temporary Projects, Flexible Home and Office Furniture Solutions

FAIRFAX, VA (May 3, 2010) CORT, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is showcasing its proven best practices in support of legal firms at the Association of Legal Administrators' (ALA) 2010 Annual Conference and Exposition in Boston this week, helping law firms efficiently manage temporary and permanent furniture and relocation services.

“We’ve been a trusted business partner for legal firms for more than four decades, providing furniture rental and relocation services that help legal management professionals conduct business more efficiently and with greater profitability,” said Paula Green, CORT Regional Vice President.

Law offices routinely deploy employees on temporary assignment as dictated by trials and case needs, and firms typically hire employees on a temporary basis, including interns, summer associates and contract attorneys. For example, CORT provided temporary office furniture and relocation support for law firms in many recent asbestos and tobacco trials across the country.

In general, assignments lasting up to three months will often use corporate furnished apartments. Short-term apartments or rental homes should be considered for stays lasting more than three months which can substantially reduce costs. The right decision varies depending on the location. For example, the options in New York and Boston are very different from those in Jackson, MS. CORT has local experts that can help firms make the right decision virtually anywhere in the nation, providing cost-effective solutions regardless of the duration of the assignment.

In addition to cost management, providing support also enhances the effectiveness of employees. Having employees settled into their new locations quickly, and without the stress of having to make too many arrangements on their own, enables them to focus on the job right away. In addition to finding housing and furniture rental, CORT also provides other destination services including car rental, help connecting utility services such as cable television and Internet services, and renter’s insurance.

Offering these services has also emerged as a powerful tool for recruiting new hires, particularly for young employees recently out of school who are accustomed to the mobile lifestyle afforded by renting. Many firms support an often life-changing transition for new employees and their families relocating to a new city with “pre-decision” recruitment that includes area orientation tours that help with perhaps the most important decision employees will make outside the office – choosing the ideal location to live in a city they are not familiar with. The tours help employees make an informed decision with consideration including access to local amenities and knowledge about commuting patterns to get to work.

Furniture rental has historically been viewed as a temporary solution; however, financial considerations suggest that furniture rental should be reconsidered as a strategic decision to provide flexibility and avoid long-term hidden costs for storage and management.

While companies often never consider renting furniture until a “trigger” event, such as moving, expanding, hiring or acquiring occurs, there are numerous benefits to incorporating furniture rental as part of an overall asset strategy.

Often, the decision to rent at least a portion of a firm’s office furniture is rooted in having the strategic flexibility to grow and contract in response to the ebb and flow of market conditions. Renting furniture enables companies to respond to actual usage, including employee turnover and shifts in department tasks, and is often the most cost-effective alternative in office swing space or during renovations.

With offices across the nation, CORT can be relied on to provide high-quality furniture for permanent and temporary needs – no matter how logistically complex.

“We have the resources to respond quickly and efficiently, often setting up offices in 48 hours,” Green said. “The fact that we’re currently supporting the 2010 Census by establishing more than 500 temporary offices across the nation is a testament to our operational efficiency, and we’ve applied the same dedication and unparalleled performance on behalf to all our clients for the past four decades.”

For the past 40 years, CORT has been a leading provider in rental furniture and has provided services to more than 80 percent of the Fortune 500 companies. CORT also provides the nation’s most comprehensive range of rental relocation services, including area-orientation tours and online apartment search services at www.ApartmentSearch.com. CORT is a Berkshire Hathaway company and has offices in every major U.S. market and a global furniture rental network of affiliates in more than 50 countries. For more information about CORT, visit www.cort.com.

Amanda Manna
919-459-6456
amanda@largemouthpr.com