“We applaud the very strong results achieved by our practice groups and professionals in the U.S. again this year,” said Sandy Thomas, the firm’s Global Managing Partner. “These results underscore Reed Smith’s commitment to and success in providing excellent client service and superior legal representation from coast to coast by our talented lawyers and the many industry and practice groups in which they collaborate.”
Chambers USA ranked 34 of the firm’s practices within its six-band structure, and named 12 others as “Recognized Practitioners.” Six of the 34 ranked practices were listed as Band 1:
- Illinois Insurance: Dispute Resolution;
- Pennsylvania Insurance;
- Philadelphia & Surrounds: Bankruptcy/Restructuring;
- Pittsburgh & Surrounds: Bankruptcy/Restructuring;
- Pittsburgh & Surrounds: Corporate/M&A & Private Equity; and
- Pittsburgh & Surrounds: General Commercial.
Seventy of the firm’s lawyers named in the 2019 edition were individually ranked in one of the six bands. According to the publication, “being ranked in any band is a significant achievement.”
Thirteen of the 70 earned Band 1 rankings in 14 practices, five of whom were recognized as top-ranked nationwide:
- José Astigarraga in International Arbitration;
- Michael Brown in Product Liability & Mass Torts;
- Elizabeth Carder-Thompson in Healthcare Regulatory & Litigation;
- Divonne Smoyer in Government Relations; and
- Douglas Wood in Advertising: Transactional & Regulatory.
Other members of Reed Smith’s Band 1 cohort for the year included:
- James Cooper in Texas Insurance;
- John Ellison in Pennsylvania Insurance;
- Kurt Gwynne in Delaware Bankruptcy/Restructuring;
- Eric Schaffer in Pittsburgh & Surrounds: Bankruptcy/Restructuring;
- John Shugrue in Illinois Insurance: Dispute Resolution;
- Claudia Springer in Philadelphia & Surrounds: Bankruptcy/Restructuring;
- Karl Thallner in Pennsylvania Healthcare;
- Elizabeth Carder in District of Columbia Healthcare; and
- John Vishneski in Illinois Insurance Dispute Resolution.
Two other Reed Smith lawyers were honored as “exceptional individuals”: Paul Singer was recognized as a “Senior Statesperson;” and Kyri Evagora was recognized as an “Eminent Practitioner.”
Six Reed Smith lawyers were listed in two of the bands in which Chambers USA recognizes individuals at the forefront of their generation. The four named “Up and Coming” were:
- Greg Chase in Nationwide Transportation: Shipping/Maritime Finance;
- Stacy Marcus in Nationwide Advertising: Transactional & Regulatory;
- Brian Rostocki in Delaware Chancery; and
- Paul Pitts in California Healthcare.
Nicole Bechtold in Pennsylvania Corporate/M&A & Private Equity and Nicole J. Aiken-Shaban in Pennsylvania Healthcare were named as “Associates to Watch.”
Six Reed Smith lawyers were named “Recognized Practitioners” – described as individuals “on Chambers’ radar.”
- Keri Bruce in Nationwide Advertising: Transactional & Regulatory;
- Betty Graumlich in Virginia Labor & Employment;
- Leigh Hansson in Nationwide International Trade: Export Controls & Economic Sanctions;
- Larry Sher in Nationwide Government Contracts;
- Michael S. Sherman in California Media & Entertainment: Transactional; and
- Jennifer Smokelin in Pennsylvania Environment.
Two lawyers were highlighted on one of the directory’s “Spotlight Tables” for the year:
Michael K Brown in Product Liability: Pharmaceutical and Peter Malyshev in Nationwide Capital Markets: Derivatives: Mainly Regulatory.
The 2019 Chambers USA guide is the 20th published by Chambers and Partners. This edition covers all 50 states, and includes regional rankings in many of them. Overall, more than 50 practice areas and sectors are included on the ranking tables, compiled through a comprehensive assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback.
Here's the full list of Reed Smith’s 2019 Chambers USA rankings:
Advertising: Transactional & Regulatory
- Douglas Wood (Band 1), Nationwide
- Keri Bruce, Nationwide
- John Feldman, Nationwide
- Stacy Marcus, Nationwide
Antitrust
- Daniel Booker, Pennsylvania
- Debra Dermody, Pennsylvania
Banking & Finance
- James Lawlor, Philadelphia & Surrounds
Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- Kurt Gwynne (Band 1), Delaware
- Eric Schaffer (Band 1), Pittsburgh & Surrounds
- Claudia Springer (Band 1), Philadelphia & Surrounds
- Derek Baker, Philadelphia & Surrounds
- Stephen Bobo, Illinois
- Peter Clark, Philadelphia & Surrounds Paul Singer, Pittsburgh & Surrounds
- Matthew Tashman, Philadelphia & Surrounds
Capital Markets: Derivatives
- Kyri Evagora (Eminent Practitioner), Nationwide
- Peter Malyshev, Nationwide
Chancery
Corporate/M&A
- Diane Frenier, New Jersey
- Betty Yan, New Jersey
Corporate/M&A & Private Equity
- Nicole Bechtold, Pittsburgh & Surrounds
- Seth Hemming, Illinois
- Bradley Schmarak, Illinois
- Kristin Wells, Pittsburgh & Surrounds
Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation)
- Peggy Heeg, Nationwide
- Colette Honorable, Nationwide
- Regina Speed-Bost, Nationwide
Environment
- Jennifer Smokelin, Pennsylvania
Government Contracts
- Holly Roth, Nationwide
- Larry Sher, Nationwide
Government Relations
- Divonne Smoyer (Band 1), Nationwide
Healthcare
- Elizabeth Carder-Thompson (Band 1), Nationwide and District of Columbia
- Frederick Robinson, Nationwide and District of Columbia
- Nicole Aiken-Shaban, Pennsylvania
- Carol Loepere, District of Columbia
- Kurt Peterson, California
- Paul Pitts, California
- Brad Rostolsky, Pennsylvania
- Karl Thallner, Pennsylvania
Healthcare: Pharmaceutical/Medical Products Regulatory
- Gail Daubert, District of Columbia
Insurance
- James Cooper (Band 1), Texas
- John Ellison (Band 1), Pennsylvania
- Douglas Cameron, Pennsylvania
- Timothy Law, Pennsylvania
- Stephen Moll, Texas
- Doug Widin, Pennsylvania
Insurance: Dispute Resolution
- John Shugrue (Band 1), Illinois
- John Vishneski (Band 1), Illinois
- Thomas Marrinson, Illinois
- Stanley Nardoni, Illinois
- Carolyn Rosenberg, Illinois
Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Policyholder
- John Ellison, Nationwide
- David Halbreich, Nationwide
- John Shugrue, Nationwide
- John Vishneski, Nationwide
- Paul Breene, New York
Insurance: Policyholder
- David Halbreich, California
Intellectual Property
- Nicolas Barzoukas, Texas
- Robert Browne, Illinois
- Peter Chassman, Texas
International Arbitration
- José Astigarraga (Band 1), Nationwide
International Trade: Export Controls & Economic Sanctions
- Leigh Hansson, Nationwide
- Michael Lowell, Nationwide
Labor & Employment
- Betty Graumlich, Virginia
- Linda Husar, California
- Casey Ryan, Pennsylvania
- Mark Temple, Texas
Life Sciences (Corporate/Commercial)
- Michael Sanders, California
Litigation: Appellate
- Raymond Cardozo, California
- Paul Fogel, California
- Jim Martin, California
Litigation: E-Discovery
- David Cohen, Nationwide
- Anthony Diana, Nationwide
Litigation: General Commercial
- Martin Bishop, Illinois
- Daniel Booker, Pennsylvania
- Miles Dumville, Virginia
- Edward Mullins, Florida
- Louis Solomon, New York
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
- Thomas Suddath, Pennsylvania
Media & Entertainment: Transactional
- Michael Sherman, California
Product Liability & Mass Torts
- Michael Brown (Band 1), Nationwide
- Barbara Binis, Nationwide
- Melissa Geist, Nationwide
Real Estate
- James Brennan, Northern Virginia
- Robert Diamond, Northern Virginia
Tax
- Leo Hitt, Pennsylvania
- Lee Zoeller, Pennsylvania
Transportation: Aviation: Litigation
- Oliver Beiersdorf, Nationwide
- Patrick Bradley, Nationwide
Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Finance
Venture Capital
- Michael Sanders, California
For more information, visit chambers.com.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. Our belief is that by delivering smarter and more creative legal services, we will not only enrich our clients’ experiences with us, but also support them in achieving their business goals.
Our long-standing relationships, international outlook, and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for the speedy resolution of complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
For further information, please visit reedsmith.com.
