(Oakland, CA, February 18, 2003) Reed Smith Crosby Heafey LLP, a top-20 international law firm, today announced that technology company manager and former venture capitalist Jay Ward has joined the firm as Counsel in its Oakland office. Ward will continue the growth and development of the firm's high technology and venture capital practice focus.  His practice will emphasize the representation of high technology companies and he will assist them in their capital raising, technology licensing, strategic alliance and general corporate legal needs.

"We're very excited about Jay's addition to our Venture and Technology Group," said Greg Beattie, Chairman of the practice group.  "We've made a serious commitment to growing our presence in the Silicon Valley and the East Bay technology sector.  His experience as a corporate attorney, venture capitalist and technology company manager will augment the deep resources the firm already has for serving the high technology community here in the San Francisco Bay Area and nationally." 

Ward is a graduate of Williams College and received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1987. In 1992, he left Heller Ehrman LLP and led business development efforts for Bowne, Inc. and RR Donnelley, Inc. He opened and managed the Silicon Valley office of Yazam, a global early-stage technology venture capital firm that was backed by Texas Pacific Group and The Carlyle Group.  Ward was Executive Vice President of Business Development for the firm, served on its Commitment Committee, and was responsible for the growth of the firm's portfolio of 22 international technology companies.  Most recently, he has served as President or Vice President of Business Development for a number of high tech firms in the telecommunications and enterprise software industries, including RingCentral, Inc., Gravitate, Inc., and Ankura.  He was responsible for enterprise technology sales, legal affairs, strategic alliances and mergers & acquisitions.

Ward is also active in the San Francisco Bay Area's African-American technology community.  He is the co-founder of The Network, a professional networking and educational association of African-American technology industry executives. "Reed Smith intends to be aggressive in its approach to achieving and maintaining a diverse workforce," said Sonja Weissman, Managing Partner of Reed Smith's Oakland office.  "We recognize that diversity at all levels of an organization is a true sign of a world-class business and we have made the recruitment, retention and promotion of women and minorities a top priority."

"I've been truly impressed by Reed Smith's commitment to the growth of its Venture & Technology Practice Group," Ward said.  "We intend to make the firm the pre-eminent legal services provider for East Bay technology companies.  With the global resources made possible by the merger of Reed Smith and Crosby Heafey, we're able to provide East Bay firms - public and private - an unprecedented level of service and value."

Reed Smith, a leading global law firm with nearly 1,000 lawyers located in 16 U.S. and two U.K. cities, represents Fortune 100 as well as mid-market and emerging companies. Clients include technology companies and entrepreneurs, financial services firms, life sciences companies and health care providers and insurers, communications companies, manufacturers, universities, non-profit organizations, real estate developers, and municipalities throughout the United States and in 40 countries. For more information, please visit reedsmith.com.