Reed Smith’s recently elected managing partner, Sandy Thomas, has had his recommendations for a senior management reshuffle, which rotates nearly half the team, approved by the firm’s partnership.
In addition to Sandy Thomas, who began a three-year term as managing partner in August, the seven member team is comprised of three new members. Edward Estrada, current managing partner of the firm’s New York office, moves up to global head of strategy replacing Philadelphia-based Michael Pollack. Pollack, the senior management team’s longest serving member with 14 years under his belt, will shift across to chief legal officer following the retirement of Carl Krasik.
Pittsburgh-based Casey Ryan, the firm’s current vice chair of litigation, replaces Colleen Davies as global head of legal personnel after an eight year stint in the senior management team that first began as global head of litigation, a role San Francisco-based Ray Cardozo will now fill after replacing Jack Nelson.
Nelson, who introduced a new pricing system to offer clients lower litigation costs, has been demoted to vice chair of the litigation department, with Davies leaving management altogether to focus on developing her life sciences litigation practice. The changes have been staggered to take place between now and March 2015.
London-based corporate partner David Boutcher returns as chair of the business and finance department while London litigator Roger Parker continues as EMEA managing partner and Pittsburgh-based Gary Sokulski remains in post as chief operating officer, a role he assumed in 2004.
Sandy said: ‘In selecting new members, I have focused on choosing individuals with a firm-first approach to leadership, experience in management, knowledge of the firm and its people, openness to innovation and change in how we operate, and the respect each is afforded as a lawyer. Those affirmed by the partnership embody these characteristics and can be depended upon to guide our future growth.’
Estrada, who has been a member of the executive committee since 2010 and served as co-head of the firm’s US commercial litigation practice, focuses on hedge funds and commercial restructuring and bankruptcy. Before becoming vice chair of the firm’s litigation department, Ryan headed up the labour and employment group and remains a member of the firm’s professional responsibility committee in which she has been tasked with improving diversity at the firm. Litigation department chair-elect Ray Cardozo has been office managing partner of the San Francisco office since 2012.
Tom.moore@legalease.co.uk