A commitment to the military, first responders and employees

L2 Defense

When Chief Executive Officer Sam Lennon founded L2 Defense in 2012, he had no idea just how successful it would be. L2 works to connect the United States Military, state and local first responders and provides training to military personnel so they are best equipped to handle incidents ranging from natural disasters to chemical and biological threats. L2 also provides first responders with training resources they might not have at the state or local level, ultimately improving their mission effectiveness and efficiency. The military and first responders often have mismatched knowledge and resources; L2’s mission is to help close this gap so these groups can work together in ways they never have before. 

L2 needed a space to support rapid growth, encourage collaboration and provide employees with a home away from home. They wanted a space to tell their brand story to the market and help recruit industry experts with a focus on veteran military personnel and firefighters. Over 60 percent of L2’s staff are veterans, and its commitment to this population and their expertise is critical to the company’s enduring success. With all of this in mind, the JLL team leveraged their knowledge of the Baltimore market to help L2 find their ideal location at 12 Irondale Street within Greenleigh at Crossroads. After an exhaustive market search over the course of three months, Sam and his team were completely confident they were making the right choice. The new headquarters offers various amenities and provides an easy commute for employees living north or south of Baltimore City.

When L2 moved into the 8,200-square-foot space in May, they immediately felt at home in the warm, welcoming environment. The open design fosters engagement and collaboration among staff, something that is readily apparent upon entering the office. The inviting lounge and kitchen area are always busy with colleagues and guests enjoying lunch or catching up over coffee. Large conference rooms are flooded with natural light adding a great energy to any long meeting or training. Although many employees were a bit hesitant to lose some of the privacy provided by high cubicles and private offices, they quickly realized the positives outweighed any potential negatives. JLL helped the team overcome these fears by emphasizing just how much more collaborative and engaged employees would be when they could physically see each other. When employees do need to use a private space for a phone call or one-on-one meeting, office pods or phone booths are available throughout the space.

For Sam, Vonda and Bill, it has been incredibly rewarding to walk through the space and talk with everyone so easily. Sam especially loves to host clients and guests in the office, something he rarely did previously. With Sam’s recognition in Washington Business Journal’s 2019 “Entrepreneur of the Year” and L2 topping the list for Baltimore Business Journal’s “Fast 50” the last two years, their workplace reflects the impressive growth and success the company is garnering outside the office. Most importantly, the new environment has created a sense of pride and identity that L2 didn’t have before. There is a collective sense among the staff that this is the company’s true first home. It was JLL’s mission to make this process as efficient and easy as possible so L2 could stay focused on its own critical mission—enabling those who serve our nation to do so with the best resources and training possible.