Lima leads Reed Smith’s unclaimed property team and represents leading national companies on unclaimed property audit defense, litigation and compliance. She was lead counsel in a landmark win before the Delaware Supreme Court in 2021, in which the court quashed an unclaimed property subpoena and laid out procedure for future cases.
On behalf of the Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization (UPPO), Lima was lead counsel in drafting two key amicus briefs in Delaware v. Pennsylvania, a closely watched U.S. Supreme Court case involving more than 30 states. The controversial dispute addressed the Court’s prior allocation of intangible property among states. The Court’s decision earlier this year was the first unclaimed property decision in 30 years.
In addition, Lima has had a critical role in changes to unclaimed property legislation nationwide. As a representative of UPPO’s Government Relations Advocacy Committee, she testified before a Delaware Senate Unclaimed Property Task Force hearing preceding the state’s overhaul of its unclaimed property laws. Lima also represented UPPO in 2016 advocating before the Uniform Law Commission before it promulgated its Revised Uniform Act, a model law that has been enacted by more than 10 states.
In addition to her active practice, Lima holds a leadership position in the Women’s Initiative Network of Reed Smith (WINRS), serves as a formal and informal mentor to numerous associates and is a member of several Reed Smith Business Inclusion Groups.