Top 40 US firm Reed Smith has opened an office in Boston – its fourth in the last 14 months – with a clutch of finance and corporate partners hired from six Big Law rivals.
K&L Gates, White & Case, Goodwin Procter, Morrison Foerster (MoFo), McDermott Will & Schulte and Weil have all seen partners depart to help set up the office.
The launch follows Reed Smith opening in Atlanta, Denver and Riyadh since the start of last year and supports its aim to grow its private equity, M&A, finance and fund formation practices, the firm said.
The Boston office will launch with 12 lawyers, including six partners and senior strategic advisor Kevin Sullivan, former co-chair of Weil’s private equity practice. Reed Smith said it expected to announce additional partners in the coming weeks.
“Our Boston opening is a direct response to our clients, who want us closer to their business and in the places where they are investing and growing,” said Casey Ryan, Reed Smith’s global managing partner. “Boston is a premier market for private equity, finance, banking and life sciences, and our expansion reflects our commitment to these practices and industries.”
The incoming partners include Omar Hemady and Claudette Druehl, who join from White & Case and focus on fund formation, private equity and private credit matters. Druehl has made partner on the move, having been a counsel at her former firm.
Matthew Hacker, who joins from Goodwin Procter, advises on private equity and M&A transactions, particularly in the healthcare and technology sectors.
Meanwhile, Ian Hohmeister, from Morrison Foerster, handles complex financings for banks and private credit providers, serving the fintech, digital assets, technology and life science ecosystems. Grant Butler, from K&L Gates, focuses on financial services regulation and financial industry M&A.
Jim Nicholas, previously with McDermott Will & Schulte, focuses on transactional support and employment litigation for life sciences, technology and private equity clients.
The launch team also includes five associates hired from White & Case, K&L Gates, Morrison Foerster and Kirkland & Ellis.
Reed Smith’s managing partner for the Americas, Julie Hardin, said the hires strengthened the firm’s corporate and finance footprint in a critical market.
Hardin added: “Our Boston team brings together decades of experience, with deep roots in the region and a keen understanding of the New England business community. We have received a strong response from clients and have big plans for the office; this is just the beginning of our expansion into the Boston market.”
Reed Smith’s Boston move comes amid a broader trend of major law firms establishing a presence in the city to capitalise on its booming technology and life sciences sectors and as its financial services market expands. Firms including Freshfields, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Blank Rome, Covington & Burling, Arnold & Porter, Paul Hastings and Akin have all opened offices in the city over the past few years.
Reed Smith has been aggressively hiring private equity lawyers and growing its transactional team, with a push in 2024 and early 2025 that saw it add partners in London, Germany and the US, where lateral hires formed launch teams for new offices in Denver and Atlanta. The hiring drive appears to be paying off – the firm has developed a reputation for strength in mid-market PE transactions and climbed 18 positions to 23rd in The Deal’s Q4 2025 private equity power rankings compared to the same period in 2024.
Sullivan, who has spent the past five years at Weil, having earlier been managing director at Aon and Marsh McLennan, is expected to play a significant role in expanding the practice.
He said: “I’ve admired Reed Smith’s investment in private equity and rapid ascent up the league tables. The firm is building something special, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.
“After more than 25 years advising leading private equity sponsors across leveraged buyouts, growth equity, carve-outs and cross-border M&A, I know what it takes to serve this market at the highest level. Reed Smith’s established private equity practice and commitment to delivering value to its clients uniquely position the firm to become a leader in this market.”
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