Ross-Bown joins from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, where she was responsible for a wide range of business, innovation, administrative and operational functions worldwide. During her tenure with Cleary, she worked to align key functions and resources across the firm that directly supported the legal practice groups in order to enhance client service, augment profitability and innovate the delivery of legal services with a particular focus on process improvements, technology enablement and legal project management.

“Rebecca is a terrific addition to our leadership team,” said Nick Bagiatis, Reed Smith’s Chief Operating Officer. “Her extensive experience in the increasingly diverse spectrum of functions that make up legal operations will help us continue to drive progress across our global business. We know she will make a significant positive impact on our current and future operations.”

During her more than 20-year career, Ross-Bown has held C-suite roles with three law firms. Her experience includes more than a decade in broad-based legal operations management and several years as a consulting economist. She began her legal industry career as an intellectual property litigator with an AmLaw 100 firm.

“Reed Smith is at the forefront of a disciplined and data-driven approach to legal operations,” Ross-Bown said. “I’m excited to be part of a firm known for pressing forward on what’s next.”

Ross-Bown’s responsibilities at Reed Smith include driving operational efficiency, revenue growth and profit improvement of the firm’s industry and practice groups. She succeeds Jack Nelson, who served in the role since 2016 after 30 years as a commercial litigator at Reed Smith and legacy firm Crosby Heafey. Nelson will move into a senior director role, working with firm management on special projects.

Ross-Bown received a J.D., magna cum laude, from Boston College Law School and a B.A. in Economics (with Honors) and Political Science, magna cum laude, from Bucknell University.