(Pittsburgh)— Reed Smith LLP, a top 25 international law firm, today announced as part of its strategy to focus on major legal markets that it has decided to exit two of its smaller markets, Harrisburg, PA and Westlake Village, CA. Most of the lawyers and staff in its Harrisburg, PA, office will join Wolf Block’s Harrisburg office, and it will relocate the Westlake Village, CA, operations to its Century City office.

The Harrisburg transition will take place in August and the Westlake Village combination will occur in October. This represents the next steps in an evolutionary process underway in recent years to expand the firm’s presence in larger cities, as seen in recent combinations on the West Coast and in London,  and growth in New York City, and to strengthen the firm’s representation of larger corporate clients.

Reed Smith is also evaluating expansion of the firm’s operations to other major U.S. and European cities.

“As part of Reed Smith’s ongoing emphasis on growing and strengthening the firm and expanding key client relationships, we determined that maintaining  our presence in Harrisburg and Westlake Village is no longer consistent with the strategic direction of the firm,” said Gregory B. Jordan, the firm’s managing partner. “Our people in Harrisburg have been a strong and productive group. All were offered an opportunity to transfer to one of our other offices, but it is understandable that with roots in the community, most have opted to remain in Harrisburg. We wish them all the best.”

“We are understandably excited about this new opportunity and believe Wolf Block will be a good fit for all of us,” said Mark Fontana, partner-in-charge of the Reed Smith Harrisburg operation. “We also anticipate working with our former Reed Smith colleagues on a variety of matters in the future.”

Reed Smith, a leading international law firm with nearly 1,000 lawyers located in 14 U.S. and two U.K. cities, represents Fortune 100 as well as mid-market and emerging companies.  Clients include financial services firms, life sciences companies and health care providers and insurers, technology companies and entrepreneurs, communications companies, manufacturers, universities, non-profit organizations, real estate developers, and municipalities throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and in 40 other countries.  For more information, please visit reedsmith.com.