(March 10, 2011, New York/Palo Alto) - Leading international law firm Reed Smith LLP has announced new Office Managing Partners on both U.S. coasts, effective immediately.

Corporate and securities partner Catharina Y. Min takes the Silicon Valley office leadership role formerly co-held by Jack R. Nelson and Richard Scudellari; financial services litigation partner Jordan W. Siev assumes the New York management position previously held by Robert A. Nicholas.

Mr. Nicholas will continue to serve as Reed Smith's Global Head of Legal Personnel.  Mr. Nelson will continue in his role as Vice Chair of the Litigation Department, with oversight responsibility for the firm's Specialty Litigation Practice Groups.

"Catharina and Jordan are well respected, dynamic leaders in our firm; both will bring energy, enthusiasm and expertise to their expanded roles in these key East and West Coast offices," said Gregory B. Jordan, Global Managing Partner. "I am confident their legal and management experience and their insights will contribute to Reed Smith's continued strategic growth firmwide."

Both new Office Managing Partners have growth at the forefront of their management agendas. "Building on the strong record of success Bob Nicholas achieved, I plan to further strengthen this office through the addition of high-quality laterals," said Mr. Siev. "Reed Smith has dramatically increased its presence in New York over the past few years, and I plan to ensure that our influence continues to expand in the key world financial markets."

The new Office Managing Partner in California concurs. "We have an outstanding group of attorneys with decades of experience in Silicon Valley, and I am looking forward to helping expand our presence here, locally and worldwide," said Ms. Min, who also leads the firm's Korean practice.  "By leveraging the firm's international platform, we can provide far-reaching services for our clients' global expansion-from local start-ups looking to enter foreign markets to international companies looking to get into the Silicon scene."  Ms. Min, who is the firm's first female and first Asian American managing partner in Palo Alto, also enjoys cultivating opportunities for advancing the careers of women and other Asian Americans in the Valley.

A 1990 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Ms. Min represents U.S. and international clients in mergers and acquisitions, private financings, joint ventures, strategic alliances, corporate partnering, securities offerings and other corporate transactions, as well as emerging companies in general corporate matters and financings. She has extensive experience representing Asian clients doing business in the United States and Asia. She frequently lectures to many organizations, including the Silicon Valley Association of Startup Entrepreneurs and the Korean IT Network Forum on cross-border transactions and venture capital financing.

Mr. Siev is a 1988 graduate of New York University School of Law.  His representation of financial institutions and hedge funds focuses on litigation in federal and state courts throughout the U.S, and frequently involves litigation over structured products, as well as bankruptcy and restructuring issues.  He also regularly handles arbitrations and defends financial institutions in major class and derivative actions.  Mr. Siev is a frequent writer and speaker on financial services litigation matters.

In addition to leadership transitions in its New York and Silicon Valley offices, Reed Smith also announced eight leadership changes at the practice group level.  Pittsburgh partner Dusty Elias Kirk is the new Practice Group Leader of the firm's Real Estate Group; Pittsburgh partner Casey Ryan is the new Practice Group Leader of the Labor & Employment Group; and Washington, D.C. partner Carol Loepare joins Los Angeles-based Michael Brown as Co-Chair of the Life Sciences Health Industry Group.

Other leadership changes include New York partner Edward Estrada heading up the firm's Eastern Commercial Litigation Group; Washington, D.C., partner Scott Hasselman takes on the role of Life Sciences Health Industry Group Vice Chair-Healthcare/Regulatory; and Los Angeles partner Barry Thompson becomes the Life Sciences Health Industry Group Vice Chair- Litigation.  Two leadership changes in the firm's London office include Richard Spafford's move to Practice Group Leader for Commercial Disputes in Europe and the Middle East, and Nola Beirne to Financial Industry Group Vice Chair for Europe and the Middle East.

About Reed Smith

Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with more than 1,600 lawyers in 22 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, technology and media, shipping, energy trade and commodities, real estate, manufacturing, and education.  For more information, visit reedsmith.com.

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

Europe: London, Paris, Munich, Greece

Middle East:  Abu Dhabi, Dubai