(Oakland, CA -- June 28, 2006) Kathleen M. Banke, head of the Appellate Practice at Reed Smith LLP, a top-25 international law firm, has been appointed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve as a judge on the Alameda County Superior Court. Ms. Banke has been with Reed Smith since its 2001 merger with Crosby Heafey Roach and May and works out of the firm's Oakland office.
“I am honored at the confidence Governor Schwarzenegger has shown in me to serve as a neutral judicial officer,” Ms. Banke said. “I look forward to the opportunity to serve the citizens of Alameda County.”
Ms. Banke joined Crosby, Heafey, Roach and May nearly 25 years ago after a two-year federal clerkship and quickly developed an expertise in federal civil rights litigation. Three years later she joined the firm’s Appellate Group, and since then has focused on appeals, writs, major dispositive motions and post-trial motions. She has handled or been co-counsel in more than 200 appellate matters in the California Supreme Court, all six districts of the California Courts of Appeal, U.S. Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. She is a member of the prestigious California Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
“Reed Smith’s loss is truly California’s gain,” said W. Thomas McGough, Jr., the firmwide head of Reed Smith’s Litigation Department. “Kathy has been a dedicated leader of the firm’s appellate team. We see her arrival to the bench as being very complimentary to Reed Smith and symbolic of how this firm attracts the best and brightest to serve our clients,” added McGough.
“While we will miss her immensely, this is a tremendous opportunity for Kathy,” said Jack Nelson, the California Market Managing partner for Reed Smith. “Her wealth of experience working on cases that have reached the highest courts in California and the U.S. will surely help her make the transition to this new, important role.”
Ms. Banke is a California native and graduated law school in 1979 from the University of Colorado Law School, Boulder, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Sacramento.
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About Reed Smith
Reed Smith LLP is a top-25 international law firm with nearly 1100 lawyers located in 18 cities worldwide (14 in the U.S. and four in Europe). The firm represents clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to mid-market and emerging companies. Clients include financial services firms, life sciences companies, health care providers, technology companies and entrepreneurs, power generators and suppliers, manufacturers, real estate companies, universities, and non-profit organizations throughout the world. For more information, visit www.reedsmith.com.