(Philadelphia, PA – February 27, 2008) The Philadelphia office of Reed Smith LLP, one of the 15 largest law firms in the world, has been honored as one of this year’s recipients of the Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program’s (VIP) Chancellor’s Award. The award recognizes the firm’s outstanding pro bono contributions to VIP in 2006 and 2007.
Reed Smith’s attorneys in Philadelphia have increased the number of referrals from VIP, and provided hundreds of hours of legal services to indigent individuals and families for a variety of civil matters.
“Helping the communities where we live and work has always been part of our firm’s mission,” said Christopher Walters, Reed Smith’s firmwide Senior Pro Bono Counsel. “We are pleased to be recognized by the Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program. But more importantly, we are very pleased to provide access to the legal system to people who otherwise would not have that access.”
VIP also awarded Heather A. Ritch, an associate in Reed Smith’s firmwide Life Sciences/Health Industry Group, and Carole B. Sheffield, an associate in its firmwide Wealth Planning Group, its People’s Choice Award for their efforts in assisting VIP clients establish clear titles to their real properties, and for their service as co-chairs of the firm’s Tangled Title Team.
Reed Smith, with the help of VIP, established the Tangled Title Team because the Philadelphia area has tens of thousands of properties that have passed to heirs without the necessary legal documentation. In many cases, real property has been passed on to several generations, but the title remains in the name of an original owner. Untangling the titles and establishing ownership is an important step to lift people out of poverty. As co-chairs, Ms. Sheffield and Ms. Ritch spent many hours assisting VIP clients and Reed Smith colleagues (through their oversight of the Tangled Title Team) with navigating through Philadelphia’s sometimes complex processes to quiet real property titles.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is one of the 15 largest law firms in the world, with more than 1,600 lawyers in 23 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 attorneys provide litigation services in multi-jurisdictional matters and other high stake disputes, 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 and media, shipping, international trade and commodities, real estate, manufacturing, and education. For more information, visit www.reedsmith.com.
U.S.: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Oakland, Princeton, Northern Virginia, Wilmington, Century City, Richmond
Europe: London, Paris, Munich, Birmingham, Greece
Middle East: Abu Dhabi, Dubai
Asia: Hong Kong, Beijing