(Century City, CA, February 28, 2005) – Reed Smith LLP, a top 25 international firm, has tapped Stuart A. Shanus as its new Office Managing Partner in Century City, effective March 1. Mr. Shanus takes over the reins from Irwin Barnet, who has served in that position since the firm’s combination with Crosby Heafey in 2003.
“Irwin has done an exceptional job seeing Century City through the combination and ensuring that this office maintained a high level of performance, despite the recently cloudy economic climate in the state” said Jack Nelson, Reed Smith’s California Market Managing Partner. “Throughout, he has maintained a busy corporate and securities practice to which he is enthusiastically returning on a full time basis.”
Mr. Shanus will focus on enhancing Reed Smith’s southern California capabilities, with an immediate emphasis on identifying and recruiting additional personnel in the firm’s high-end commercial litigation, life sciences, securities and private equity practices, as a part of the firm’s overall California growth strategy.
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity assume leadership of an office which is running as smoothly as this one thanks to Irwin Barnet’s very capable term at the helm,” said Mr. Shanus. “We are anticipating significant business growth in this region over the next several years and I look forward to our lawyers playing a prominent role in positioning Reed Smith as an increasingly major player here.”
A 1989 graduate of George Washington School of Law, Mr. Shanus’ practice has focused on complex commercial litigation and intellectual property disputes. He has conducted numerous trials and arbitrations nationwide, including significant trade secret and breach of license agreement cases in the computer and cable television industries. Other recent work has included representing e-commerce companies in breach of contract litigation.
Mr. Shanus joined Crosby Heafey in 1997, serving as managing partner of that firm’s Los Angeles office prior to its combination with Reed Smith. He is admitted to the Bar in California and Illinois.
Reed Smith LLP, a top-25 international law firm with 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, health care providers and insurers, technology companies and entrepreneurs, power generators and suppliers, manufacturers, universities, non-profit organizations, real estate developers, and municipalities throughout the United States and in 40 countries. For more information, visit www.reedsmith.com.