(Philadelphia, PA, July 19, 2006) – The Philadelphia office of top 20 international law firm Reed Smith LLP has named Robert E. Warring as the inaugural recipient of its law school Fellowship.  Philadelphia joins the firm’s Pittsburgh and New York offices in awarding a Fellowship to a first-year law school student who has surmounted economic and/or social adversity in pursuit of earning a law degree.  The firm intends to award the Fellowship annually.

Mr. Warring is a student at Temple University Beasley School of Law.

The first in his family to attend college, Mr. Warring surmounted a significant level of family disadvantage and economic hardship to do so.  Although he began working to contribute to his family’s support at age 15, he graduated first in his high school class.  Mr. Warring subsequently was admitted to and graduated cum laude from The University of Pennsylvania, with majors in both English and History.

He continues to work full time and is at the top of his law school class.

The Philadelphia Reed Smith Fellowship will provide a $10,000 scholarship and employment as a Summer Associate at Reed Smith during the summer after his second year of law school.

"Robert’s dedication and determination to become a lawyer are compelling," said Lloyd Birnbaum, a partner in the Philadelphia office and a member of Reed Smith’s Diversity Committee.  “Reed Smith is pleased to provide assistance to students like Robert who have sustained a high level of commitment to better themselves and their families through hard work and academic achievement. It is especially commendable when such outstanding and indomitable young people are attracted to the legal profession. We are delighted to have an opportunity to recognize, celebrate and support his educational progress.”

The Reed Smith Fellowship was established in Pittsburgh in 2002 as an annual award to a second year law student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law who overcame adversity in pursuit of a legal education. In 2004, the firm’s New York City office launched a similar fellowship.

To compete for the honor, law students must demonstrate excellent scholarship in their first year coursework and write an essay describing how they achieved academic success while overcoming economic or social adversity.  The winner must also demonstrate a commitment to his or her community and involvement in extracurricular activities to be competitive for the Fellowship.

In his application essay, Mr. Warring described both the challenges he faced, and the opportunities he leveraged en route to becoming a law student.  After graduating first in his class of 275 students at South Western High School in 1998, he entered the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania.  Mr. Warring served as a volunteer tutor at the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project and wrote a weekly column in the Daily Pennsylvanian while in college.

Since January 2003, he has worked as a paralegal in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.  Among his responsibilities is serving as principal liaison between Philadelphia detectives and police officers and local/state prisons to arrange movement of prisoners for re-arrest and interrogations.

Mr. Warring served as staff editor and is currently research editor of Temple Law Review and is also a member the Temple Moot Court Honor Society.  His recent submission to the Temple Law Review is scheduled for publication in an upcoming issue.

Mr. Warring spent a portion of the summer studying at Temple University’s Rome campus, and has recently returned to the U.S.  He will be honored at a reception at Reed Smith’s downtown office later this year.

About Reed Smith

Reed Smith LLP is a top-25 international law firm with 1,000 lawyers located in 18 cities worldwide (14 in the U.S. and four in Europe).  The firm represents clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to mid-market and emerging companies. Clients include financial services firms, life sciences companies, health care providers, technology companies and entrepreneurs, power generators and suppliers, manufacturers, real estate companies, universities, and non-profit organizations throughout the world.  For more information, visit www.reedsmith.com.