(January 4, 2010, New York and Philadelphia) – For Reed Smith’s new Corporate & Securities partner Howard L. Shecter, joining the firm is all about platform. Mr. Shecter will join as Senior M&A partner and will divide his time between Reed Smith's Philadelphia and New York offices.
Mr. Shecter was most recently a partner at Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe and a leader of that firm’s global M&A practice. Prior to that, he was at Morgan Lewis, where he served as firmwide managing partner, chairman, and head of its global business and finance practice.
“Howard has deep roots in Pennsylvania,” said Gregory B. Jordan, the firm’s Global Managing Partner. “And we have a unique platform where he can re-connect with his longstanding business relationships in Philadelphia. He will also be able to maintain and expand his important New York relationships with investment banks and private equity firms. Howard brings decades of corporate experience to Reed Smith’s existing clients who are involved in the type of complex and sizable deals that he is accustomed to handling. We are delighted he has joined us.”
Mr. Shecter’s practice focuses on a variety of domestic and international business transactions, including negotiated and hostile mergers and acquisitions; joint ventures and strategic alliances, such as securities compliance and corporate governance/board oversight matters; and the negotiated resolution of business disputes.
“The platform that Reed Smith provides is a perfect fit for my practice,” Mr. Shecter said. “Not only does the firm have a significant presence and transactional strength in the key financial centers of the world, such as New York, London and Hong Kong, but it also has more than 300 lawyers and two major offices in Pennsylvania, where I have strong business ties. I’m looking forward to contributing to the growth of the firm’s corporate practice and to increasing its profile in the M&A and capital markets.”
Mr. Shecter is widely recognized as one of the leading M&A lawyers in both New York and Philadelphia. He has worked on numerous complex M&A transactions, including Sierra Health Services’ $2.6 billion sale to UnitedHealth Group, SunGard Data Systems’ $11.3 billion leveraged buyout led by Silver Lake Partners and KKR, and Playtex Products’ $1.9 billion sale to Energizer Holdings.
“Having risen to the challenges 2009 presented, we expect that 2010 will provide renewed opportunity for new business growth locally, nationally and globally,” said Paul J. Jaskot, Deputy Practice Group Leader of Reed Smith's Corporate & Securities Group and a partner in the Philadelphia office. “Howard’s wealth of experience in handling significant, complex deals will be extremely valuable to our clients. His experience, particularly in high-profile public company and private equity M&A transactions and related corporate governance matters, offers us opportunities to expand the work we do in these areas for our valued clients.”
A member of both the New York and Pennsylvania state bars, Mr. Shecter earned his law degree from The University of Pennsylvania Law School and his undergraduate degree in government from Harvard University. Mr Shecter is a frequent lecturer at M&A seminars and conferences and also serves as a director of several public and private companies. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Harris Interactive, a leading independent market research company.
"Howard is one of the leading lawyers in his field," said Ajay Raju, Managing Partner of Reed Smith's Philadelphia office. "His extraordinary wealth of experience and sterling reputation make him an ideal complement to our dynamic and growing Corporate & Securities practice. The platform we've developed here is designed to embrace and enhance precisely the sort of capacities that someone of Howard's stature brings to bear, and his joining our office is especially gratifying as a testament to the strength of that platform."
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with nearly 1,600 lawyers in 23 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses, from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its lawyers provide litigation and other dispute resolution services in multi-jurisdictional and other high-stakes matters; deliver regulatory counsel; and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, technology and media, shipping, energy trade and commodities, real estate, manufacturing, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com
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