The Boston office integrates transactional, regulatory, litigation, and advisory services to better support private equity and growth equity sponsors, financial institutions, and fund managers. The office will launch with 12 lawyers, including six partners, a senior strategic advisor, and five associates. The firm expects to announce additional partners in the coming weeks.
“Our Boston opening is a direct response to our clients, who want us closer to their business and in the places where they are investing and growing,” said Casey Ryan, Reed Smith’s Global Managing Partner. “Boston is a premier market for private equity, finance, banking, and life sciences, and our expansion reflects our commitment to these practices and industries.”
The firm’s opening includes top talent from Boston mainstays, including White & Case, Goodwin, McDermott Will & Schulte, Morrison Foerster, Kirkland & Ellis, and K&L Gates.
“By continuing to invest in top-tier lawyers, we bring the strength and resources to help clients achieve their most important business objectives, today and over the long term,” added Ryan. “As a firm, we are firing on all cylinders. Boston marks our fourth new office in the past 14 months, following Atlanta, Denver, and Riyadh, underscoring the exceptional growth and momentum we are seeing with clients around the globe.”
Reed Smith’s opening team includes Omar Hemady and Claudette Druehl, who join from White & Case and focus on fund formation, private equity, and private credit matters. Matthew Hacker, who joins from Goodwin Procter, advises on private equity and M&A transactions, particularly in the health care and technology sectors. Kevin J. Sullivan, former co-chair of Weil’s private equity practice, joins the firm as a senior strategic advisor to the private equity practice.
Ian Hohmeister, from Morrison Foerster, handles complex financings for banks and private credit providers, serving the fintech, digital assets, technology, and life science ecosystems. Grant Butler, from K&L Gates, focuses on financial services regulation and financial industry mergers and acquisitions.
Jim Nicholas, previously with McDermott Will & Schulte, focuses on transactional support and employment litigation for life sciences, technology, and private equity clients.
“Our Boston opening builds on our record-setting 2025, during which we welcomed more than 180 new lawyers across our global platform, including 55 new partners. This continued growth of top-tier talent reflects the strength of our client base and our commitment to being a best-in-class global firm,” said Julie Hardin, Reed Smith’s Managing Partner – Americas.
“Expanding to Boston strengthens our corporate and finance footprint in a critical market and directly responds to client demand for enhanced capabilities in the region,” added Hardin. “Our Boston team brings together decades of experience, with deep roots in the region and a keen understanding of the New England business community. We have received a strong response from clients and have big plans for the office; this is just the beginning of our expansion into the Boston market.”
“We are excited to join Reed Smith and to lead the firm’s expansion into Boston. In addition to the firm’s large-cap capabilities, Reed Smith knows how to provide elite service for the middle-market’s most complex and heavily regulated deals, which is important to my fund clients,” said new partner Omar Hemady.
“The firm’s strength in private equity, digital assets, banking and financial services, and life sciences expands the services I can offer my clients,” added new partner Ian Hohmeister. “We’ve all been impressed by the firm’s growth strategy and collaborative culture, which truly set Reed Smith apart.”
Kevin J. Sullivan, a seasoned strategic leader with decades of experience advising top private equity clients, expects to play a significant role in expanding the firm's practice: “I have admired Reed Smith’s investment in private equity and rapid ascent up the league tables. The firm is building something special, and I can't wait to be a part of it.”
“After more than 25 years advising leading private equity sponsors across leveraged buyouts, growth equity, carve-outs, and cross-border M&A, I know what it takes to serve this market at the highest level. Reed Smith’s established private equity practice and commitment to delivering value to its clients uniquely position the firm to become a leader in this market.”
“We are thrilled to welcome this talented team to Reed Smith and to continue growing our top-tier corporate and private equity practices,” said Matt Mohn, co-chair of Reed Smith’s Global Corporate Group and chair of its U.S. Corporate Group. “These lawyers add to our deep bench of private equity, fund formation, and finance partners and significantly expand our depth for sponsors, lenders, fund managers, and portfolio companies. They also provide us with day-to-day ‘boots on the ground’ in an important market.”
“Our clients are increasingly turning to us for sophisticated, multi-jurisdictional transactional support, and this team enhances our ability to meet that demand,” Mohn added. “Their experience in the Boston market aligns with where our clients are deploying capital and growing their businesses, positioning our firm to support complex transactions across the full lifecycle in a more comprehensive way. This is an important step in accelerating the growth of our corporate platform and delivering even greater support to our clients.”
The new Boston office reinforces Reed Smith’s commitment to expanding in key markets and continuing its momentum as one of the world’s leading global law firms.
The firm’s founding Boston lawyers include:
Grant Butler advises banks, bank holding companies, fintechs, and other financial services institutions on a wide range of financial services regulatory and transactional matters. His practice focuses on bank regulation and financial institution mergers and acquisitions. Butler and the financial services regulatory and transactional team are joined by former K&L Gates associate Anastassia Korin.
Claudette Druehl advises financial institutions, broker-dealers, investment advisers, fintechs, and investors on regulatory and compliance matters. Her practice focuses on SEC and FINRA registration, regulatory compliance programs, regulatory examinations, and day-to-day compliance advice.
Matthew Hacker advises private equity sponsors and strategic buyers on mergers and acquisitions and other complex investment transactions. His practice spans a broad range of industries, including health care and technology. Hacker and the private equity team are joined by former Kirkland & Ellis senior associate Austin McCarthy.
Omar Hemady advises private fund sponsors and investment managers on fund formation and sponsor-side transactions, with a focus on private credit and alternative investment strategies. He brings significant in-house and private practice experience structuring complex investment vehicles, including continuation funds. Hemady and the fund formation team are joined by former White & Case associate Aric Jain and will also be joined by international legal advisor Maud Fillon.
Ian Hohmeister advises banks and private credit providers on complex financing transactions, with a focus on technology-driven and fintech-related structures. He regularly works on sophisticated domestic and cross-border financings. Hohmeister and the finance team are joined by former Morrison Foerster associate Matthew Baker.
James (Jim) Nicholas advises life sciences, technology, and private equity clients on employment litigation and transactional support. He is experienced in high-stakes employment disputes and employment issues arising in corporate transactions.
Kevin J. Sullivan counsels public and private companies, private equity sponsors, and financial institutions on private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and restructurings. He joins the firm as a senior strategic advisor to the private equity practice and expects to leverage his decades of experience to support the practice’s continued growth.
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.
