As has been the case since 2017 and 2020 respectively, Reed Smith ranked in Tier 1 for Kazakhstan Dispute Resolution and for United Arab Emirates Construction. In addition, Reed Smith secured a Tier 1 ranking for France Media and Entertainment: Music for a second year, and the firm’s ranking for Greece Energy rose up a band to Tier 1.
The Legal 500 commented on the firm’s energy practice in Greece: “Displaying extensive expertise in the financing and development aspects of wind and solar photovoltaic projects on behalf of renewable energy companies and major financial institutions, Reed Smith LLP is praised for being ‘knowledgeable, responsive and commercial in its dealings’.”
Regarding the firm’s dispute resolution abilities in Kazakhstan, the publisher noted that Reed Smith has “a reputation for domestic and international disputes in litigation or arbitration, alongside pre-contract risk management, targeted negotiation and alternative dispute resolution strategy.”
For the firm’s UAE construction law work, The Legal 500 said: “Bolstered by its international network, Reed Smith is geared to represent clients in cross-border construction litigation and arbitration. On the non-contentious side, the ‘top tier team with an abundance of knowledge’, handles sizeable UAE projects.”
The firm’s new practice rankings are:
- Belgium Industry focus: Transport
- France Private Equity: Venture/Growth Capital
- United Arab Emirates TMT
Reed Smith improved its rankings for Belgium Competition: EU and Global; Greece Energy; Greece Projects and Privatisation; UAE Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and International Litigation; and UAE Commercial, Corporate and M&A.
Ten individual lawyers ranked as Leading Individuals, Hall of Fame lawyers and/or Next Generation Partners:
- Dimitris Assimakis – Greece Energy (Hall of Fame) and Greece Projects and Privatisation (Leading Individual)
- Ana Atallah – France Shipping (Leading Individual) – new entry
- Sachin Kerur – United Arab Emirates Construction (Hall of Fame)
- Michelle Nelson – United Arab Emirates Construction (Hall of Fame)
- Jamie Ryder – United Arab Emirates TMT (Next Generation Partner)
- Marianne Schaffner – France Intellectual Property: Patents (Leading Individual)
- Andreas Splittgerber – Germany Information Technology: Data Protection (Leading Individual)
- Andrew Tetley – France Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration (Next Generation Partner) and France Shipping (Leading Individual) – new entry
- Sally-Ann Underhill – Greece Shipping Litigation (Leading Individual) – new entry
- Askar Zhansagimov – Kazakhstan Commercial, Corporate and M&A (Leading Individual) – new entry
Six lawyers were ranked as Rising Stars:
- Chris Edwards – United Arab Emirates Construction (Rising Star) – new entry
- Antoine Guillemot – France Shipping (Rising Star) – new entry
- Minas Kitsilis – Greece Energy (Rising Star)
- Aurelie Lopez – France Shipping (Rising Star) – new entry
- Umbreen Meenai – United Arab Emirates Banking and Finance: Corporate Finance (including Islamic Lending) (Rising Star) – new entry
- Sultan Seidalin – Kazakhstan Commercial, Corporate and M&A (Rising Star) – new entry
The Legal 500 defines “Hall of Fame” individuals as lawyers who have a sustained leading presence in their respective practices over several years; and “Rising Stars” as lawyers below partner level who frequently appear in their rankings.
The full list of practice rankings for the firm are:
Belgium
- Competition: EU and Global
- Customs, Trade, WTO and Anti-dumping
- EU Regulatory: Pharma, Medical Devices and Biotech
- Industry focus: Transport – new entry
France
- Dispute Resolution: Commercial Litigation
- Derivatives and Structured Finance
- Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration
- Industry focus: Energy
- EU, Competition and Distribution
- Industry focus: Healthcare and Life Sciences
- Intellectual Property: Trade Marks and Designs
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Media and Entertainment: Music (Tier 1)
- Intellectual Property: Patents
- Private Equity: Venture/Growth Capital – new entry
- Project Finance
- Real Estate
- Shipping
- Tax
Germany
- Information Technology: Data Protection
- Information Technology: IT and Digitization
- Real Estate and Construction: Real Estate
Greece
- Energy (Tier 1)
- Projects and Privatization
- Shipping Litigation
Kazakhstan
- Commercial, Corporate and M&A
- Dispute Resolution (Tier 1)
United Arab Emirates
- Banking and Finance: Corporate Finance (including Islamic Lending)
- Commercial, Corporate and M&A
- Construction (Tier 1)
- Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and International Litigation
- TMT – new entry
Published annually, The Legal 500 EMEA researches law firms and lawyers in countries across Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Africa. It surveys clients globally to obtain feedback on which law firms best serve the needs of in-house counsel and business leaders.