Reed Smith LLP - Who's Who Legal 70

What is the Who's Who Legal 70?

Reed Smith LLP in Who's Who Legal

	Construction
	1

	Trademarks
	1

	Commercial Litigation
	1

	Insolvency & Restructuring
	1

	Management Labour & Employment
	1

	Franchise
	1

	Shipping & Maritime
	8

	Product Liability Defence
	7

	Shipping & Maritime
	8

	Capital Markets
	1

	Patents
	1

	Aviation
	1

	Insurance & Reinsurance
	4

	Business Crime Defence
	1

	Life Sciences
	6

The eight-strong international shipping and maritime team features Andrew Taylor in London. He is a name that contemporaries have “masses of time for” as a “world-class practitioner” and “one of the very best in London”. Contributors praise his “measured approach and sharp intellect”. Charles Weller is “very good” and “well known” in shipping circles. Lindsay East is “very strong on commodities” and Nick Shaw is “a top-notch lawyer and a pleasure to work with”. With a dual listing in shipping and litigation Chris Howse is one of the most highly regarded practitioners in our research for Hong Kong, where Lianjung Li is “a clever maritime lawyer” and Andrew Brown is an “industry expert”. Former general counsel of the federal maritime commission C Jonathan Benner specialises in international trade regulations as well shipping and transportation in the DC office. He is “respected” for his 30 years of experience in the field.

Paul Llewellyn is the outstanding British inclusion for Reed Smith in product liability defence. He is head of the UK product liability group and practises in regulatory work and received many high-profile nominations in our research. In the United States the firm enjoys five mentions in this chapter. In San Francisco Colleen Davies is a product liability litigator, with a focus on pharmaceutical and consumer products. In Philadelphia Michael Scott is “extremely well regarded by the courts in Philadelphia: he has credibility and a very strong reputation”, according to one interviewee. In Los Angeles Michael K Brown represents clients such as Pfizer, Merck & Co, and Eli Lilly. He is the chair of the firm’s multidisciplinary life sciences health industry group and enjoys a dual listing in the product liability and the life sciences chapters, as does the “recommended” Steven Kohn in Oakland, and the “excellent” James Wood.

Also listed in the life sciences chapter are John Wilkinson and William Griffith. Wilkinson leads an “impressive” practice in London involving highly complex alliance joint ventures and co-marketing arrangements for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Griffiths receives recognition having practiced in this area for over 30 years. His New York practice encompasses Fortune 50 multinationals, acting as special counsel for pharmaceutical companies.

The firm also stands out in the insurance chapter, with a good representation in the US. In Chicago Carolyn Rosenberg advises corporations, directors and officers, risk managers, insurance brokers, lawyers and other professionals on insurance coverage, corporate indemnification and other areas. She is a “definite” inclusion in the research. John Shugrue is “very business savvy, outstanding and commercially astute”, says a source. John Ellison is “respected” for his experience in the insurance coverage arena, particularly mortgage crisis related issues, directors and officers matters, fidelity bonds and bad faith claims.

The London office makes a notable contribution in the construction chapter in the form of Peter Cassidy and Vincent Rowan. Cassidy represents international oil and gas and petrochemical contractors on projects such as offshore oil and gas platforms, LNG plants and sub-sea development. He has a truly international practice, having worked in Russia, Nigeria, Egypt, and other parts of West Africa, Europe and the Middle East. His work also extends to arbitration representations and has appeared before many international panels in the construction field. With a similar international practice Rowan has developed 20 years of experience acting on major infrastructure and construction projects in the oil, gas, power and transport sectors.

The firm also performs well in the aviation, business crime, capital markets, environment, insolvency and restructuring, internet, trademarks and labour and employment chapters, fielding one inclusion each.