(WASHINGTON, DC, July 22, 2013)—Today, Reed Smith is pleased to announce that four of the firm’s young lawyers in four of its U.S. offices have been honored by Lawyers of Color Inc. in the first annual “2013 Lawyers of Color Hot List.”

“We commend these young individuals for all they have done for our firm and for helping everyone realize the full value of a diverse global workforce operating in an inclusive environment where all can excel,” said Tyree P. Jones, Jr., Chair of Global Diversity & Inclusion at Reed Smith.

The LOC Hot List specifically recognizes early- to mid-career minority attorneys under the age of 40 for their noteworthy accomplishments and activity in legal pipeline initiatives. 2013 honorees were chosen by a selection committee that spent months reviewing nominations, bar publications and legal blogs in order to identify promising candidates.

Among the minority attorneys featured on the multi-region 2013 LOC Hot Lists are: Tillman J. Breckenridge, who leads the Appellate practice for the firm’s Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, offices; Tiffany Renee Thomas, a San Francisco-based litigator, who specializes in all aspects of employment law; Denise M. Ware, a Chicago-based member of the firm's Global Regulatory Enforcement Group; and Rana Jewel Wright, a Washington, D.C.-based partner in Reed Smith’s global Financial Industry Group who focuses on securities law.

“At Reed Smith, we recognize that diversity, at all levels of an organization, defines a successful enterprise,” said Global Managing Partner Gregory B. Jordan. “We are proud of these four young professionals, not only for their commitment to diversity, but also for sharing their skills, wisdom and experience with each new class of lawyers. Together, we are changing the legal industry and transforming diversity and inclusion initiatives from a cultural initiative to a business norm.”

About Reed Smith’s LOC Honorees

Tillman Breckenridge, who joined Reed Smith in 2011, has been a champion for diversity in the law for well over a decade. Tillman is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the William & Mary School of Law, where he directs the Appellate and Supreme Court Clinic, and he has been a lecturer at DePaul University on the subjects of Constitutional Civil Liberties and First Amendment law. Tillman also organizes the Just the Beginning Foundation’s “Supreme Court Law Day,” which provides local high school students with opportunities to hear about the legal profession from prominent guest speakers, which have included U.S. Supreme Court Justices.

Tiffany Thomas has been a leader in the firm’s diversity efforts in Northern California, including the establishment of a mentoring program for diverse associates, which has been duplicated in several of the firm’s offices. Tiffany’s efforts contributed to the firm receiving the 2013 Minority Corporate Counsel Association’s Thomas L. Sager Award for the West Region. Recently, her skill and leadership resulted in the firm naming her its 2013 Leadership Council of Legal Diversity Fellow. Tiffany, who is an active member of Black Women Lawyers of Northern California, has also been named by Super Lawyers as a Northern California Rising Star for the past two years.

Denise Ware joined Reed Smith’s Chicago office five years ago and immediately made diversity one of her prime missions. A 2008 Northwestern University Law School grad – and an Illinois Super Lawyer Rising Star in Criminal Defense/White Collar Law for the past three years – Denise has been an essential participant in local and firm diversity initiatives, including recruiting several talented minority attorneys. Chicago’s 2013 summer associate class reflects her success, with the young African-American and LGBT lawyers Denise recruited comprising its majority.

Rana Jewel Wright began her legal career in 2003 as summer associate at Reed Smith, where she would go on to be promoted to partner at the age of 33. In 2011, Rana was selected as an inaugural Fellow for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, a program which identifies high potential young lawyers and sets them on a fast track to leadership. She was recently appointed Vice Chair of Reed Smith’s firm-wide Global Diversity and Inclusion Committee, where she offers thought leadership on inclusion, generally, and focuses on developing content and programming related to recruitment, retention and sponsorship of diverse attorneys.

To learn more about Reed Smith’s commitment to diversity, please visit “Diverse Backgrounds: Global Perspectives” at diversity.reedsmith.com.

About Lawyers of Color

Established in 2008 to report news of import to black legal professionals, LOC is now a media and research company focused on lawyers of color. LOC produces news content, events, and social media platforms to engage legal professionals with the aim to promote the causes and contributions of minority attorneys. With a national reach, LOC has received recognition from the American Bar Association, Thomas Reuters, and The National Black Law Student Association, among others. For more information, visit onbeingalawyerofcolor.com.  

About Reed Smith

Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with more than 1,800 lawyers in 25 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses, from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its lawyers provide litigation and other dispute resolution services in multi-jurisdictional and other high-stakes matters; deliver regulatory counsel; and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, technology and media, shipping, energy and natural resources, real estate, manufacturing, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com.

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