Get the Reed on this Pittsburgh native: A hometown star in healthcare, continuing to take its sector focused approach global.
Reed Smith Lateral Profile 2025
Reed Smith has 19 offices across the US and several more in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Across these jurisdictions, the firm can boast of many top rankings in the Chambers USA guide. In its Pennsylvania homeland, the firm comes out top in areas like healthcare, corporate/M&A and private equity, general commercial litigation, bankruptcy and restructuring, energy and natural resources, insurance and product liability. On the national level, the firm also receives top marks for its bankruptcy/restructuring work, alongside international trade: export controls and economic sanctions work, shoutout go to the firm’s privacy and data security and product liability practices too.
View the firm’s Chambers USA rankings
Read the firm’s Inside View feature on junior associate life
Why did join your firm? Associates say...
“I chose my firm for its strong reputation in finance, and shipping, alongside its supportive culture. The firm’s international connections also provide valuable cross-border opportunities, aligning well with my career goals.”
“I wanted to join a firm with a great Antitrust & Competition Team, and I found that in Reed Smith.”
“I loved the people in my team and really enjoyed the firm's emphasis on great work while having somewhat balance in personal lives.”
International and secondment opportunities
Common secondment destinations: London and New York
Overseas career development opportunities (view from the firm): With pre-approval, inter-office and external client secondment program is available to associates. The firm provides temporary on-site or virtual assistance for clients to bolster short-handed, in-house legal staff or to make specialist experience available. The firm also offers an inter-office secondment program designed primarily as a career and business development opportunity for associates.
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
18 |
0.99 : 1 |
81% |
||
|
partners made in 2024 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
65% |
73% |
70% |
||
| felt partnership was achievable for attorneys with childcare/caregiver responsibilities | felt partnership was achievable at the firm | agreed partners are nurturing future leaders |
||
The view from the firm: At Reed Smith, we know that to maintain our reputation for exceptional lawyering and client service, we must provide our people with first-rate opportunities for continuing learning and development. Doing so is part of our strategy to attract and retain top talent, and part of our culture.
We are committed to preparing our people for success, whether their career goals include
progression at Reed Smith, a role at one of our clients, or something completely different. As a result, our Learning & Development (L&D) and Human Resources teams collaborate with firm partners, professional staff subject matter experts, and leading external presenters to provide our people a broad range of training and development opportunities and resources across the legal and professional skills spectrum.
Hours & Compensation
|
2,000 |
10 |
46.7 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
67% |
68% |
50% |
|
agreed they had a good work-life balance |
felt like they could take vacation/annual leave on their own terms |
found the firm's claims around bonus allocation to be authentic |
Salaries
1st year: $225,000
2nd year: $235,000
The view from the firm: To qualify for a non-discretionary bonus payment, an Associate must have achieved a total of approximately 2,000 billable hours, a combination of client chargeable hours and credited pro bono legal services, DE&I, development in action training, innovation, sustainability, and firm legal hours.
Is Reed Smith the right firm for you?
|
83% |
78% |
83% |
|
were happy in their current |
agreed the work they received was of the right quality |
felt that they chose the right firm |
The view from the firm: Reed Smith’s goal is to attract, retain, develop, motivate, and reward high quality attorneys in each of its offices.
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“As a woman, it’s important to me to see other women in partner positions. Also, I wanted a firm that would allow me to work with others from all walks of life. It has become clear to me that Reed Smith does better on these metrics than other firms, in my experience.”
“I have found the people here to be incredibly welcoming, kind, and respectful, which is surprisingly hard to find at a top law firm.”
“As someone with a family it was important for me to find somewhere that would help me grow into a top-tier lawyer while not having to sacrifice my ability to be a great spouse and a parent. Reed Smith checks those boxes.”
Pro Bono
|
42 |
88% |
|
average pro bono hours per US attorney |
agreed the firm puts effort towards its commitment to pro bono and social impact activity |
Pro bono highlights: Richard Glossip (independent investigation of death penalty case); Refugee resettlement in Canada; transgender rights; Goyette v. Minneapolis (civil liberties); Post-Dobbs Pro Bono Committee (reproductive rights).
Sustainability and CSR
The view from the firm: We are committed to a number of initiatives that work to significantly reduce our carbon footprint and operate in a more sustainable fashion. These include:
- Being a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance (LSA). The LSA is a UK-based, internationally minded movement of law firms and related organizations committed to working collaboratively to take action to improve the environmental sustainability of their operations and activities.
- Our Sustainability Committee, which plays a key role in driving the progress of green initiatives. Safeguarding the natural environment is a core part of how our firm operates as a business.
- Our commitment to ethical procurement. We strive to ensure that our procurement of goods and services is responsible, ethical and sustainable.
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