The AmLaw Industry Awards honor the most exceptional lawyers, law firms, legal departments, and legal organizations in the United States, and the annual winners will be announced at a formal event on December 2 in New York.
Reed Smith has been recognized in the following categories:
- Partner Jennifer W. Cheng, who serves as U.S. vice chair of the Global Corporate Group, is one of six winners of the 2021 “Young Lawyer of the Year” award.
- The firm is among three finalists for “Pennsylvania Regional Litigation Department of the Year.”
- The firm’s Knowledge Management team is shortlisted for “Best Business Team.”
Young Lawyer of the Year
AmLaw recognized Cheng for her leadership in successfully managing a global practice group of some 160 lawyers, her contributions in building Reed Smith’s public M&A practice, and for her representation of high profile clients in several significant M&A transactions. Her most notable deal work over the past two years includes advising:
- Complex Networks in its sale by Verizon and Hearst to Buzzfeed for $300 million, part of Buzzfeed’s business combination with 890 5th Avenue Partners, Inc. (a SPAC).
- KushCo Holdings, Inc. in a stock-for-stock merger of equals with Greenlane Holdings, Inc., creating the leading ancillary cannabis company and house of brands.
- TIDAL, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter’s streaming service, in the sale of a majority ownership stake in TIDAL to Square, Inc.
- Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter in the sale of his ownership interest in two cannabis-related companies, CMG Partners Inc. and OG Enterprises, Inc., to Subversive Capital Acquisition Corp., a Canadian SPAC.
Pennsylvania Regional Litigation Department of the Year
Reed Smith’s Pennsylvania disputes lawyers were recognized for their overall performance during the past two years for their handling of certain landmark litigation, such as:
- Litigating over 10-years Bayer’s entitlement to more than $175 million in tax deductions, which involved more than $6 billion in qualified research conducted at more than 40 research facilities across the United States.
- Winning a series of significant victories in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit over the construction of a 303-mile, $4.6 billion natural-gas pipeline.
- Obtaining the full $751-million liability insurance coverage on behalf of MGM for the defense and settlement of thousands of claims arising from a mass-shooting incident in Las Vegas in 2017.
- Defeating a $330-million claim against PNC Bank and others over funds in a $660-million trust established by Mellon heiress Sarah Mellon Scaife in 1963.
- Winning freedom from state prison for pro bono client Douglas Hines after he was unfairly sentenced at the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.
Best Business Team
Reed Smith’s Knowledge Management team received recognition for Now & Next, a tech-building initiative launched during the pandemic to address clients’ emerging legal needs. The firm was also recognized for a suite of innovations developed over the past two years. The business team’s accomplishment include:
- London Interbank Offering Rate (LIBOR) documentation – Development of Gravity Stack’s AI-driven Contract Lifecycle Management solution for repapering contracts affected by the cessation of LIBOR.
- Insurance policy and endorsement clause analysis – Enhanced application of Gravity Stack’s diligence tool to extract insurance policy wording relevant to COVID-related issues.
- Fintech legislation tracker – Creation of an automated tracker for more than 30 congressional bills relating to crypto, blockchain, and fintech.
- Remote proceedings best practices – A project gathering litigators’ knowledge of remote discovery, mediations, and oral arguments to bring consistency and quality to the firm’s approach.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
For more information, please visit www.reedsmith.com.
