REED SMITH NAMES SMALL PARTNER CLASS

The number of new partners at Reed Smith this year is down significantly from last year.

The firm announced the elevation of 18 partners Wednesday, three of whom are in California offices. Last year, the Pittsburgh-based firm raised 27 new partners firmwide, five in the Golden State.

Simon Adams, 35, a real estate lawyer who studied law at London’s College of Law, was named a partner in Reed Smith’s San Francisco office.

Miles Cooley, 37, a business litigator who attended Boalt Hall School of Law, made partner at the firm’s Century City office.

Hardy Murphy, 38, a labor and employment lawyer who attended the UCLA School of Law, was elevated to partner at the firm’s Los Angeles office.

Across the board, the new partners represent a wide range of practices, from health care to financial services. The biggest concentration was three new IP litigation partners in the firm’s Philadelphia and Pittsburgh offices.

The partnerships will be effective Jan. 1, with the merger of Reed Smith and Richards Butler. The combined firm will be known for a period of time in London as Reed Smith Richards Butler. The firm is also in merger talks with Chicago firm Sachnoff & Weaver.

� Zusha Elinson



11 ASSOCIATES ELEVATED AT GIBSON, DUNN

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher announced the election of 11 partners Wednesday � four more than were elevated last year.

With just two of the new partners located in Gibson’s hometown of Los Angeles, the firm continued a trend among Los Angeles firms of focusing more resources in other offices across the nation.

Jeffrey Le Sage, 33, a corporate lawyer who attended Loyola Law School, was named partner in the Los Angeles office.

Cromwell Montgomery, 35, a finance lawyer from Boalt Hall School of Law, made partner at the Century City office.

Ethan Dettmer, 35, a complex commercial litigator who attended University of Michigan Law School; Trey Nicoud, 49, an antitrust lawyer who attended University of Texas School of Law; and G. Charles “Chip” Nierlich, 33, a complex commercial litigator who attended Harvard Law School, were elevated to partner at the firm’s San Francisco office.

Four of the new partners are located in Washington, D.C., one is in New York and one in Paris. The partnerships will be effective Jan. 1.

� Zusha Elinson