Company Briefs
Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a global full-service law firm providing legal advisory, litigation, regulatory, and transactional services to large businesses and enterprises, particularly those in energy, entertainment/media, financial services, health care/life sciences, and transportation. It serves companies with cross-border and domestic legal needs, coordinating specialists across its international office network. The firm makes money the way large law firms typically do: billing clients (usually hourly or via alternative fee arrangements) for attorney time on matters like disputes, regulatory compliance, and deal work.
Recent News
- April 8, 2026 – Added four litigation partners from K&L Gates to build out its new Boston disputes team
- March 19, 2026 – Reported record 2025 results: global revenue up 5.6% to $1.58bn, profit per equity partner up 11.3% to over $2m
- March 17, 2026 – Launched new Boston office, hiring six partners from six Big Law rivals including a former Weil private equity co-chair
- 2025 – Opened new offices in Atlanta, Denver, and Riyadh; added 180+ lawyers including 55 partners over the year
- January 1, 2026 – Announced 2026 promotion class of 59 lawyers (29 to partner, 30 to counsel)
Key People
- Casey Ryan — Global Managing Partner, re-elected June 2025 for a term starting Jan 2026; first woman to hold the role in the firm's 146-year history (first elected 2023); ~30-year Reed Smith career, Chambers-ranked labor and employment trial lawyer
- Julie A. Hardin — Managing Partner, Americas
- Gregor Pryor — Managing Partner, Europe & Middle East
- Doug Cameron — Global Head of Legal Personnel; Pittsburgh-based litigator, on Senior Management Team since 2016
Weil, Gotshal & Manges
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is a major international law firm headquartered in New York, known for its Business Finance & Restructuring, Private Equity, M&A, and Antitrust practices. It's one of the historic "white shoe" New York firms, but recent coverage notes it has been overtaken by some NY peers and is working to catch up competitively.
Recent News
- Announced leadership succession: Ramona Y. Nee named incoming Executive Partner, succeeding longtime leader Barry M. Wolf, with Jonathon G. Soler becoming sole Managing Partner effective January 1, 2027 (March 2026)
- Elected 17 new partners effective January 1, 2026, plus a 57-person counsel class across four departments
- Opened expanded Boston office at Lyrik Back Bay, growing footprint by a third to 37,000+ sq ft (June 2026)
- Coverage from Bloomberg Law noting the firm is working to catch up to NY Big Law peers
Key People
- Barry M. Wolf — outgoing Executive Partner, has led the firm for 16 years, will chair the Management Committee until retiring end of 2027
- Ramona Y. Nee — Co-Managing Partner and Co-Head of U.S. Private Equity practice, set to become Executive Partner and Management Committee Chair on Jan 1, 2027
- Jonathon G. Soler — Co-Managing Partner, becoming sole Managing Partner with primary responsibility for firm operations on Jan 1, 2027