(October 8, 2014) – Reed Smith LLP today announced the appointment of its Global Venture Capital and Technology Practice Group Co-Chair Donald C. Reinke as Managing Partner of the firm’s Silicon Valley office. In his role as Office Managing Partner, Mr. Reinke will lead the office and oversee strategic growth in the firm’s office in Palo Alto.
Mr. Reinke takes the reins from Catharina Y. Min, who, after four years leading the office, now serves as Vice Chair of the firm’s global Business & Finance Department. Ms. Min joins partners Scott A. Pearman in London and Michael Pepper in Hong Kong as the three vice chairs of Business & Finance, with David J. Boutcher in London serving as chair.
“Don is one of our top corporate lawyers, and he is a Valley veteran with deep relationships in capital markets and the angel investor and venture capital communities,” said Sandy Thomas, Reed Smith’s Global Managing Partner. “His practice covers the entire life-cycle of emerging companies, from start-ups to IPOs, and his experience encompasses numerous industries, including a significant number of life sciences and tech clients, and extends across the Bay Area and beyond.”
Reinke, who focuses his practice on public and private financings of technology, healthcare and other emerging growth companies, has extensive experience in middle market mergers and acquisitions, and in representing issuers as well as private equity and venture capital funds.
“I look forward to taking a hands-on role in continuing the growth of our Valley practice and carrying forward the integration between our Palo Alto and San Francisco offices and working with the firm’s overseas offices,” said Reinke.
Reinke is a long-time Reed Smith veteran, and one of the original partners in its Silicon Valley office which the firm opened in 2007. Reinke is intimately involved in the Valley’s private equity and venture capital communities, and he has served on numerous boards and committees for the advancement of emerging technologies. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco, teaching venture capital and finance at USF’s School of Management’s International & Executive Programs.
Reinke is also deeply committed to pro bono, focusing on initiatives for positive business growth in the Bay Area’s underdeveloped communities. For example, he serves as a Board Member and member of the Audit and Governance Committees for the East Bay Community Foundation (EBCF). Since 2002, he has also been a Board Member and former Chair for Inner City Advisors (ICA), which provides women and minority-owned and other small business owners with expert consulting, education and capital to grow their businesses.
Catharina Min, who also leads the firm’s global Korea practice, will step out of her role as the Silicon Valley managing partner to devote more time to her busy cross-border transactions work and to tackle her new responsibilities in the Business & Finance Department, which comprises half of the firm’s lawyers.
“We owe a great debt of thanks to Catharina for her steadfast commitment to the Silicon Valley office,” said Sandy Thomas. “During her tenure, Catharina led a re-launch of the office by recruiting a core team of lawyers who have served as a springboard for growth.”
Min helped bring in former software and telecommunications engineer George Willman, who represents some of the Valley’s biggest and newest companies in technology transactions, patents and IP counseling. Other recent additions include Bob Stefanski, who was formerly TIBCO Software’s general counsel and a member of its founding management team; China and regional transactional specialist, Judy Deng; and cross-border transactions attorney Rick Horning.
“Catharina and our teams in Palo Alto have leveraged our global platform to serve clients across the firm’s platform, including work now flowing from Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore and many countries in Europe,” said Reinke. “We look forward to furthering these client relationships and building new bridges to the Valley."
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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