Lawyers

Why Reed Smith?

With lawyers from coast-to-coast in the US, as well as in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Reed Smith is known for its experience across a broad array of industry sectors. Reed Smith counsels 13 of the world's 15 largest commercial and savings banks; 8 of the world's 15 largest oil and gas companies; and the world's three largest pharmaceutical distribution and wholesale companies. Reed Smith's shipping practice has been designated among the most preeminent in the world, and its advertising law practice is regarded as among the legal industry's finest. The firm’s strategy is to continue to be one of the preeminent law firm’s in the world.

London is the largest of the Reed Smith offices with nearly 300 fee earners, across a full range of commercial practice areas. Since April 2009, our entire London team has been located in a single, brand-new flagship building: The Broadgate Tower. We are delighted to be occupying the top twelve floors and the move is a key part of our commitment to providing the best possible environment for the practice of law. Consistent with the firm’s strategy, the London office has grown significantly over the last five years. Key to this growth has been our ability to successfully integrate new hires into our business and give them a platform to flourish. The firm places huge significance on listening to its people and incorporating their ideas wherever possible. This has developed an inclusive and open culture within the firm, as recognised in the Legal Week Employee Satisfaction Survey 2011 where Reed Smith placed 3rd overall among US firms.

What others say about Reed Smith 

• Reed Smith placed third in the ranking of Legal Week's Client Satisfaction Report 2011 based on feedback from 1,069 companies, including 78% of the FTSE 100. 
• The BTI Client Service Survey 2010 - Reed Smith ranked in the Top 10 Firms for Client Service for the 7th year running. 
• The Black Solicitors Network Diversity League Table 2010 - Reed Smith Ranked 4th out of 10 International firms for the 2nd year running. 
• LawCareers.Net 2010 - Reed Smith awarded Best Trainer: Large City Firm. 
• “One of the smoothest transatlantic mergers of recent times.” The Lawyer 2011 
• “According to current and former Reed Smith partners, the compensation system has been a key in engendering – even enforcing – global integration.” The Lawyer 2011

Career Opportunities

Partners: All our new partners attend an induction to support them in their transition to partnership. Reed Smith prides itself on its international platform and culture of cross-selling. For laterals, the firm has a comprehensive and impressive on-boarding programme, both on the practical and social side. The firm works hard to ensure that integration processes are as straightforward and run as smoothly as possible.

The strength of goodwill and collegiality in the relationships among our partners underpins our cross-selling/cross-serving achievements. We apply the same spirit to all our relationships across the firm. One way we have been building on this has been our Women’s Initiative, where senior women partners work with female associates and junior partners to develop their capacity to contribute to the success of the firm, and to equip them to become part of the next generation of leaders within Reed Smith.

Of counsel: Some of our senior associates will choose the role of ‘Of counsel’ as an alternative career path to partnership or as a stepping stone to move into the partnership at a later date.

Associates: Reed Smith has successfully moved away from the typical and rigid post-qualification progression method to a more dynamic and successful competencies based system, called CareeRS. The purpose of CareeRS is two-fold: to provide the firm's lawyers with the transparency, development opportunities and support they need to achieve career satisfaction and success at Reed Smith, while at the same time allowing the firm to provide the best legal representation to its clients. The CareeRS programme has three key components: Competencies, Development Options including a competency-based curriculum, and CareeRS Advisors.

The programme provides a framework to develop and reward associates from NQ level through to Senior Associate. Each Associate is appointed a CareeRS Advisor to act as an independent mentor. Associates also benefit from comprehensive performance reviews, which results in a real understanding of how to manage and develop their careers. To help associates progress against the competencies, CareeRS provides a wide variety of development opportunities, from training programmes mapped to the nine core competencies, to on-the-job development, pro bono opportunities, client and intra-firm secondments, online resources, and more. Learn more about CareerRS.

The Firm places a great emphasis on providing Associates with high quality work both in terms of the clients it acts for and the type of work undertaken. Client secondment opportunities are readily available both in the UK and sometimes overseas.

As demonstrated by our continued growth, in size, revenue and profit, Reed Smith is a firm that is driven to achieve – but it’s also part of our relationship philosophy that people need a balanced life. The chargeable hours targets we set for our lawyers are intended to be sensible, not exhausting. Those who outperform expectations are rewarded for their additional contribution.

Paralegals: We always have a number of paralegals throughout the firm in our different practice areas, both in permanent and temporary roles. To apply for paralegal opportunities at the Firm candidates must have completed the LPC. Candidates should be aware that paralegal opportunities at Reed Smith are not a route into our training contracts.