(SAN FRANCISCO, May 8, 2012) — Reed Smith LLP is pleased to announce today that San Francisco-based Financial Services partner Peter Muñoz has been honored with the “2012 Robert Frandzel Award,” which is given annually by the California Bankers Association (CBA) for superior and noteworthy long-term legal assistance by an outside counsel to the California Banking Industry. Mr. Muñoz was honored specifically this year for his outstanding work with the CBA’s Legal Affairs Committee, on which has served for ten years.

“Peter is the lawyer’s lawyer,” said David Thompson, managing partner of Reed Smith’s San Francisco office. “He serves so many of our clients in the industry, and always with distinction. Over the years, Peter has contributed meaningfully to the CBA on a volunteer basis, and we could not be more proud of him and his achievements.”

The award was conferred to Mr. Muñoz at the CBA’s combined 121st Annual Convention of Bank Officers & Directors and 45th Annual Bank Counsel Seminar at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel in Dana Point, California.

During the seminar, Muñoz joined Sherry Geyer of First Republic Bank, and Steve Weise of Proskauer Rose for the break-out session: “So, You Think You Already Know Article 9 – The 2010 Amendments to Article 9,” which discussed practical, operational issues of importance for the in-house banker in regards to the 2010 Article 9 Amendments.

Mr. Muñoz is a member of Reed Smith’s more than 220- attorney global Financial Industry Group, and the 75+ attorney Bankruptcy & Commercial Restructuring team. He is also a member of the firm’s elite 8-lawyer MF Global Task Force, launched on October 31, 2011 in response to the insolvency proceedings of MF Global in both the U.S. and the UK. Muñoz’s clients consist of a mix of large, mid-size and small banks and private real estate and commercial financing entities.

As a longtime member of the CBA Legal Affairs Committee, Mr. Muñoz has participated in analyzing the myriad of laws and regulations that are constantly being proposed for the banking industry in Sacramento. As well-intended as some of these proposals are, many of them contain language that conflicts with current law or conflicts with current regulatory requirements. The Legal Affairs Committee works to identify potential legal and regulatory conflicts, make those conflicts known and secure a reasonable solution for the industry.

Thus, Mr. Muñoz is among the CBA’s trusted decision-makers who review legislation and proposed regulations, provide testimony on behalf of the banking industry to legislative bodies, and draft proposed amendments. For example, Mr. Muñoz along with Buchalter Nemer shareholder Neil Rubinstein, were heavily involved in drafting California Senate Bill No. 1069, which is aimed at expanding anti-deficiency protections to purchase money loans that are refinanced -- a significant protection for California homeowners. The bill was approved by the California Senate Judiciary Committee last week and will be heading to a general assembly vote later this year.

In addition to the work done on the legislative and regulatory fronts, CBA’s legal Affairs Committee also gives a voice to the banking industry in important legal matters, including following and analyzing litigations and filing amicus, or “friend of the court,” briefs in critical legal proceedings, among the many legal services the CBA provides on behalf of the banking industry.

About the Financial Industry Group (FIG)

Reed Smith’s Financial Industry Group is comprised of more than 220 lawyers organized on a cross-border, cross-discipline basis, and dedicated to representing clients involved in the financial sector, advising most of the top financial institutions in the world. As well as being authorities in their areas of law, FIG lawyers have a particular understanding of the financial services industry, enabling them to evaluate risks, and to anticipate and identify the legal support needed by clients. FIG lawyers advise on transactional finance covering the full spectrum of financial products, litigation, commercial restructuring, bankruptcy, investment management, M&A, consumer compliance, and bank regulation, including all aspects of regulatory issues, such as examinations, enforcement and expansion proposals. For more information, visit www.reedsmith.com/fig.

About Reed Smith

Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with nearly 1,700 lawyers in 23 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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