Reed Smith

Reed Smith is a large international law firm headquartered in the US but with a "transatlantic" feel thanks to two notable mergers with UK firms.

Today, the firm is decently-sized relative to the global giants, counting over 1,700 lawyers on its books, in 31 offices across the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Reed Smith’s journey kicked off in 1877 when George B. Reed and James H. Smith set up shop in Pittsburgh, rubbing shoulders with steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie.

What started as a go-to firm for the city’s booming steel industry soon built a reputation for litigation and regulatory expertise. Growth was steady, but the 21st century saw it kick things up a notch.

Reed Smith’s big push overseas began in 2001 with a merger with UK firm Warner Cranston, which turned the firm transatlantic. Then came the game-changing tie-up with shipping-focused City firm Richards Butler in 2007, giving Reed Smith serious clout in Europe and Asia, and creating what at the time was one of the 15 biggest law firms in the world.

The expansion hasn’t stopped since. Recent office openings in Atlanta and Denver show the firm is still on the move.

Reed Smith has a sector-focused approach. The firm’s five key sectors are financial services, life sciences and healthcare, energy and natural resources, transportation and media and entertainment.

The firm’s client list speaks for itself - Reed Smith claims it serves 64 of the world’s 100 largest companies and every top 10 bank in the US, UK and EU.

Reed Smith’s numbers are typically pretty impressive, consistently delivering healthy revenues and solid profitability - though it lags behind the top-tier global heavyweights, especially in the profitability stakes.

In 2024, the firm hit a new milestone, surpassing $1.5 billion in global revenue for the first time. Its London office  stood out with a 15% jump in revenue, reaching $247 million.

London has always been central to the firm’s plans. Today, London is Reed Smith’s largest office, with over 350 lawyers and nearly as many professional staff based there.

Other things to know

World Record Egg Advice: Some might remember the Instagram account “@world_record_egg” that went viral in 2019 after posting an image of an egg that became the most-liked Instagram post of all time. The company that owns the account was sold in 2024 and Reed Smith advised on the deal.

Sustainability Hours: Reed Smith has a firm-wide “Global Environmental Sustainability Plan” which allows lawyers to count up to 25 hours of environmental work towards their billable targets.

In-house Art Gallery: Reed Smith’s new London office at Blossom Yard & Studios (home since 2014) features an in-house art gallery created in partnership with Chelsea College of Arts, giving lawyers a creative boost and a welcome break from the usual office grind.

What is Reed Smith is known for?

Reed Smith is a full service corporate law firm and strong across a wide range of practice areas. In London, it stands out as having a mix of go-to expertise that is a little different compared to typical corporate and finance-focused City rivals:

Media and Entertainment: Reed Smith has a leading media and entertainment practice, advising across advertising and marketing, film and television, music, sports, technology, telecoms, internet, social media and video gaming. It is ranked highly by Chambers across all sub-sectors.

Shipping: Reed Smith has one of the City’s best shipping practices (the result of its 2007 merger with Richards Butler), advising on both contentious and non-contentious matters. The practice has a Band 1 ranking by Chambers.

Commodities and Trade Finance: Reed Smith is regarded as one of the leading firms in the commodities sector. It has a Band 1 ranking by Chambers for commodities work, and is ranked in Band 2 for trade finance.

What's Chambers?

We use Chambers rankings to demonstrate a firm's strengths. Chambers is the most highly-regarded provider of law firm rankings in the legal industry. Law firms are ranked in bands from 1 (highest) to 6 (lowest) across a range of practice areas.

It's important to note that being ranked in any band at all is still considered a significant achievement.

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Who does Reed Smith compete with?

Reed Smith is very much a sector specialist firm in the UK market. In the shipping space, it competes with the likes of HFW, Clyde & Co and Stephenson Harwood. In the media space, it competes with CMS, Baker McKenzie and specialist Wiggin.

In 2024 Reed Smith's global revenue was $1.5 billion.

In 2024, its profit per equity partner (PEP) was $1.8 million.

How much does a partner at Reed Smith make?

In 2024, Reed Smith’s profit per equity partner (PEP) was $1.8 million.

This is the total amount of profit available for distribution among equity partners, divided by the number of equity partners at the firm.

This represents the average amount that equity partners are entitled to. Some will receive significantly more, some less. It depends on the firm’s profit-sharing formula and each partner’s seniority.

How many trainees does Reed Smith take?

Reed Smith has around 26 training contracts available each year. Trainees complete four seats in different departments, each lasting six months.