February 3, 2015 – Reed Smith LLP today announced its second consecutive advance and third consecutive appearance on the Acritas US Law Firm Brand Index. Acritas annually ranks law firms based on feedback from general counsel at large companies conducting business in the United States.

Reed Smith earned a 2015 rank of 14th, which it shared with another of the nation’s leading firms. In 2014, the firm ranked 17th on the Index.

“The 2015 results confirm we are consistently gaining ground as a leading U.S. brand,” said Sandy Thomas, Reed Smith’s Global Managing Partner. “Our positive, upward movement on Acritas’ Index is another indication we are constantly improving the firm’s reputation for delivering quality legal services. We will continue to work hard on establishing and maintaining client relationships driven by our core values, which I am confident is the reason our brand continues to experience strong growth.”

Acritas is an international firm that provides independent, customized strategic research services for law firms in areas such as client satisfaction, brand and communication, mergers and acquisition services and thought leadership.

The Acritas US Law Firm Brand Index 2015 was compiled from the unprompted responses of 692 senior general counsel in U.S. organizations with revenues over $50 million who were asked about their awareness of and favorability towards law firms; their consideration of firms for top-level litigation and major M&A; as well as their use of firms for high value work. A further 183 senior in-house counsel outside the United States were asked which firms they used for their U.S. legal needs. Interview participants were chosen from Acritas’ proprietary database of in-house counsel contacts and not influenced by the law firms ranked.

Acritas reports that although the top firm in the US Law Firm Brand Index has not changed since its launch in 2012, other law firms are now hard on the heels of the top firms. The consulting firm noted, “The most forward-thinking of the chasing pack are now focused on meeting clients’ stated desire for a new set of attributes, which include value, commercial awareness and business understanding. As clients’ needs for international expertise continue to expand, those firms who can meet their requirements on a global scale have the greatest competitive advantage of all.”

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, entertainment and media, shipping and transport, energy and natural resources, real estate, manufacturing and technology, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com.

U.S.: New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Houston, Princeton, Northern Virginia, Wilmington, Silicon Valley, Century City, Richmond

Europe: London, Paris, Munich, Athens

Middle East: Abu Dhabi, Dubai

Asia: Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Kazakhstan