Reed Smith is opening a new office in Miami after hiring a seven lawyer arbitration and litigation team from local firm Astigarraga Davis.
The acquisition brings Reed Smith’s number of worldwide offices to 27, with the new outpost providing legal services in Spanish and Portuguese to clients across Mexico, Central America and South America.
Partner José Astigarraga will serve as leader of the firm’s international arbitration practice. He also currently acts on the International Chamber of Commerce’s commission on arbitration.
He said: ‘Over the years, we’ve been approached by many outstanding firms about joining, including firms where we have very good friends, and we always resisted the temptation. But in the case of Reed Smith, the platform was a perfect fit.
‘We see tremendous possibilities and are looking forward to joining Reed Smith’s outstanding group of arbitration lawyers.’
Astigarraga is joined by partners Cristina Cárdenas and Ed Mullins, with Mullins acting as managing partner of the new office. Counsel Eduardo De la Peña and associates Ana Barton, Sujey Herrera and Marianne Maldonado make up the Miami team.
Reed Smith now has 15 offices throughout the US, with other hubs in Century City, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Richmond, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Tysons, Washington DC, and Wilmington. The firm recently expanded its Manhattan office with the hire of international funds partner Parik Dasgupta from King & Wood Mallesons. Legacy SJ Berwin partner Dasgupta had joined the entity dubbed ‘KWM 2.0’, which is funded by KWM’s Chinese verein. However he announced his departure for Reed Smith last month.
In May 2016, Clyde & Co opened its sixth US office in Miami, hiring an entire litigation team from local firm Thornton Davis Fein. As part of the move, 35 lawyers and staff joined Clyde & Co, bringing the firm’s total number of legal professionals in the US to 160.
tom.baker@legalease.co.uk