Reed Smith
Encyclopedia
Reed Smith LLP is a global law firm, with more than 1,600 lawyer
s in 23 offices throughout the United States
, Europe
, the Middle East
and Asia
.
Reed Smith represents leading international businesses from FTSE 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises.
The firm is known for its activity in advising companies across a broad array of industry sectors including: financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, technology and media, shipping, energy trade and commodities, real estate, manufacturing and education.
James Reed was also a prominent member of the secretive South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
which created the artificial Lake Conemaugh through the clubs purchase of land from the Pennsylvania Railroad
. The dam
holding back Lake Conemaugh failed on May 31, 1889, causing the Johnstown Flood
which killed over 2,200 people and caused US$
17 million in damage.
In 2007:
In 2005:
In 2003:
In 2001:
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s in 23 offices throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Reed Smith represents leading international businesses from FTSE 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises.
The firm is known for its activity in advising companies across a broad array of industry sectors including: financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, technology and media, shipping, energy trade and commodities, real estate, manufacturing and education.
History
Founded in 1877, as the Pittsburgh firm Knox and Reed by partners Philander Knox and James Hay Reed, Reed Smith has built practices in financial services, life sciences, health care, and other sectors.James Reed was also a prominent member of the secretive South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club was a Pennsylvania corporation which operated an exclusive and secretive retreat at a mountain lake near South Fork, Pennsylvania for more than fifty extremely wealthy men and their families...
which created the artificial Lake Conemaugh through the clubs purchase of land from the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. The dam
South Fork Dam
The South Fork Dam was located on Lake Conemaugh, an artificial body of water located near South Fork, Pennsylvania, United States. On May 31, 1889, the South Fork Dam failed catastrophically and 20 million tons of water from Lake Conemaugh burst through and raced 14 miles downstream, causing the...
holding back Lake Conemaugh failed on May 31, 1889, causing the Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood
The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, 1889. It was the result of the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam situated upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall...
which killed over 2,200 people and caused US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
17 million in damage.
Reed Smith's expansion to date
In 2008:- The firm enhanced its New York presence with the arrival of more than 50 lawyers from the insurance heavyweight Anderson Kill & Olick. The firm also launched in BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
with the joining in that market of legacy operations from Dewey BallantineDewey BallantineDewey Ballantine LLP was a white shoe corporate law firm headquartered in New York City. In 2007, Dewey Ballantine merged with LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae to form Dewey & LeBoeuf...
.
In 2007:
- Reed Smith merged with the London based firm Richards Butler, adding more than 250 lawyers in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris, PiraeusPiraeusPiraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
, Abu DhabiAbu DhabiAbu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
and DubaiDubaiDubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
. The union brought added depth to several key practices and created new practice groups in shipping and energy, trade & commodities. - In October 2007, Reed Smith completed a merger with Richards Butler's independent Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
office. The partnership went live in January 2008, providing Reed Smith with a strong presence in the Asian market as one of Hong Kong's five largest international firms.
In 2005:
- Reed Smith opened offices in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
In 2003:
- Reed Smith combined with California-based Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May adding four significant offices and more than 200 lawyers in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. The union strengthened firm practices in appellate law, complex litigation, business, finance and other areas.
In 2001:
- Reed Smith merged with UK based Warner Cranston.
Recognition
Notable Reed Smith recognition includes:- Ranked 1st out of 411 law firms by The BTI Client Relationship Scorecard for building and maintaining client relationships, June 2009.
- Middle East team of the year by The Lawyer, 2009.
- CSR firm of the year by Legal Business, 2008.
- Ranked 1st place out of international firms and 8th place out of all participating firms in the UK Diversity League Table survey published by Black Solicitors Network, for 2008.
- Reed Smith's Product Liability Group was named among Top 3 in The American Lawyer Litigation Department of the Year awards in 2008 and 2006.
Notable mandates
- Advised long-standing client Mellon Financial Corporation in its $16.5 billion merger with the Bank of New YorkBank of New YorkThe Bank of New York was a global financial services company established in 1784 by the American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. It existed until its merger with the Mellon Financial Corporation on July 2, 2007...
. - Through its Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
office, the firm advised SABMillerSABMillerSABMiller plc is a global brewing and bottling company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's second-largest brewing company measured by revenues and is also a major bottler of Coca-Cola. Its brands include Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell...
as a selling shareholder in Anheuser-BuschAnheuser-BuschAnheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
's HK$5.6 billion tender offerTender offerTender offer is a corporate finance term denoting a type of takeover bid. The tender offer is a public, open offer or invitation by a prospective acquirer to all stockholders of a publicly traded corporation to tender their stock for sale at a specified price during a specified time, subject to...
for the Harbin Brewery Group. - Counseled Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. in various acquisitions and stake purchases throughout Europe.