Reed Smith

Reed Smith offers associates a different (b)reed of BigLaw, with an eye on growth and a hands-on culture.

About the Firm

At Reed Smith, you’ll find a firm with roots in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a headcount of over 1,500 attorneys spread across 31 offices globally. On paper, the firm offers the hallmarks of BigLaw: high-value matters, global clients, and complex cross-border work. But when we spoke to associates, a different theme emerged: one of approachability, autonomy, and a culture that feels more personal than you might expect from an international outfit. As one junior put it, “Reed Smith has every opportunity and amenity that BigLaw offers without feeling impersonal.”

“Reed Smith has every opportunity and amenity that BigLaw offers without feeling impersonal.”

This blend of work with a more human touch shapes much of the associate experience; as one associate beamed, “I genuinely love my coworkers. I think that I work with some of the most brilliant people who are also very intentional and very caring about the development of the firm and the associates.”

Alongside the people, early responsibility and exposure were consistent highlights for many sources. As one put it, “I like that we’re a BigLaw firm and we do really sophisticated work, but we’re on the smaller side which gives you a chance to do some really good work early.” Indeed, though the firm’s reach spans coast-to-coast, each office only takes on a select few associates each year, offering newbies the chance to play a big role on big deals.

And big deals there certainly are, if the firm’s Chambers USA recognition is any measure to go by. Nationwide, the firm picks up top band accolades for its bankruptcy/restructuring and international trade expertise. Regionally, the firm picks up a further smattering of top rankings; in its home state of Pennsylvania in particular, it’s the energy & natural resources, healthcare, insurance, and product liability litigation groups which shine.

Summer Program

The summer program was described by associates as a strong balance of social integration and substantive learning, creating opportunities to “meet partners and certain groups who I now run into in the corridor and at events,” while simultaneously “learning a lot substantively.”

It’s also a chance for summers to get a flavor of what they may want to focus their careers on, as candidates are able to pick up work from a range of groups. Sources recalled one or two social events a week across the ten-week program, including a baseball game, afternoon tea, dinners, and trivia.

Strategy & Future

Reed Smith’s growth was a big part of its appeal for junior associates. With new offices in places like Atlanta, Boston and Riyadh, the firm is focused on expanding its global reach and building out its presence in key markets. For our sources, this created an exciting opportunity: “Because the firm is growing, in terms of being a junior lawyer, there’s a lot of opportunity to shape Reed Smith’s future.” Being part of a newer office was also described as an exciting element of life at Reed Smith: “As a junior in a brand-new office, I can speak to how fun that is.”

The Work

Juniors find work directly through partners, reflecting the firm’s entrepreneurial spirit. Early on, though, newbies are given a bit more assistance to find work, before it gradually gives way to a more informal system. One associate explained, “When you start out, it’s a little bit more formal. We have a dedicated liaison for juniors who helps distribute work, but as you progress it becomes a lot more informal when you start working with people consistently.” The liaison system was described as a “nice stepping stone,” helping juniors understand their capacity and manage their workload before moving into a more fluid system.

Career Development

Upon joining the firm, associates are assigned partner mentors. Juniors are also able to count a certain number of hours spent on what the firm calls 'development and action' activities towards their billable targets. Alongside this, much of the learning happens organically through close day-to-day collaboration with partners, which associates were pleased to report creates consistent opportunities for feedback and growth. Access to and the availability of seniors to juniors seemed to be an active part of the firm culture, as one insider told us: “I work with people who want me to progress, and I want to be able to do the same for more junior people.”

“They try to foster an entrepreneurial spirit among juniors. If you want to take on something headier you definitely can. It’s a raise-your-hand kind of firm.”

Associates are also encouraged to seek out greater responsibilities and challenges, and those who asked for stretch work certainly received it: “The goal is for us to be developed and to stay. Every time I’ve asked for a developmental opportunity or something I want to try, I’ve always been given that opportunity within a couple of months.” This was corroborated by another associate who concluded, “They try to foster an entrepreneurial spirit among juniors. If you want to take on something headier you definitely can. It’s a raise-your-hand kind of firm.”

Looking to the future, sources agreed the path to partnership is “very transparent – everything is numbers-based; it’s not black-boxed.” As such, associates explained, “There are certain L&D programs you’re expected to complete along the way. As a second year, they’re on things like how to get elevated to mid-level and so on.” In addition to structured programs, “Everything’s very open,” sources confirmed, “You can ask anyone who made partner and they’ll tell you what their story was.”

Hours & Compensation

“2,000 is the rule” to become bonus eligible, sources echoed. Within the target, associates can count up to 140 hours towards a combination of pro bono, culture & engagement, innovation, sustainability, and development work. Development hours include activities which aid your professional development, like sitting in on a client meeting or a trial.

Breaking it down to the day-to-day level, most associates described averaging around eight to nine billable hours a day. This typically looks like “starting at 8.30 to 9am, working through the day until 5 to 5.30pm, and then logging back on in the evening if there’s anything else that needs to go out that day.”

For their toils, first- and second-year associates receive market, lockstep compensation. Beyond that, salary becomes performance based and splits into two tiers: one market-level tier for those who meet the 2,000 hours target, and another reduced tier for those billing less. There are also two bonus structures: a non-discretionary market-level one which is solely based on hours, and another discretionary one which is awarded to those who bill above 2,000 hours in increments (e.g. 2,300).

Culture

“…entrepreneurial, go-getter mindset…”

Interviewees described teams as “friendly, laid back, and welcoming,” with an emphasis on building relationships and getting to know colleagues. “Being a decent person gets you a long way here,” as one put it. There’s also a strong sense of drive, particularly in the firm’s newer offices, where associates pointed to an “entrepreneurial, go-getter mindset” and the experience of helping build something from the ground up.

Partners were described as approachable – “you can go to the partners with anything” – and offices make an effort to stay connected through things like quarterly lunches, alongside a four-day in-office policy.

Given the size of the firm, there is naturally the caveat that the culture varies by office, but associates assured us that the themes of friendliness and approachability were very consistent. Further, social opportunities typically include events such as happy hours, team activities, and larger firm-wide gatherings.

Pro Bono

Pro bono at Reed Smith was described by associates as easy to get involved in. Associates are able to count up to 140 hours of pro bono work towards their 2,000 hours billable target. Additionally, once associates hit 2,000 hours, any additional time spent on pro bono can count towards bonuses.

In terms of access, opportunities certainly aren’t hard to come by either. The firm has a central pro bono team supported by local office liaisons who circulate emails advertising available matters. Associates are also able to seek out pro bono opportunities themselves, or approach the pro bono partner directly. As one associate put it, “The firm has great resources; I don’t think there’s ever been a shortage of pro bono here.”

The range of opportunities on offer is broad, covering areas like immigration, civil rights, veterans’ benefits, and support for vulnerable individuals. There are also opportunities beyond litigious-aligned ones, which is useful for those in transactional seats to flex their muscles. Associates also noted, “They’re big on us finding local pro bono and philanthropic opportunities and really getting into the community,” so there’s scope to shape your involvement depending on your interests.

Inclusion

Associates agreed inclusion is something that’s present at the firm in practice rather than just policy. The firm refers to inclusion as ‘culture and engagement,’ and associates explained the focus is on a range of active culture and engagement groups and internal discussions around different experiences in the workplace. Networks for women, LGBTQIA+ lawyers, and veterans, among others, offer spaces to connect, and mentoring is available.

Associates also pointed to a relatively open culture, where topics like navigating families and long-term career decisions are discussed candidly. Overall, sources felt that people from different backgrounds are welcomed, and that differences are acknowledged rather than downplayed.