24-02-2025
Law firm Reed Smith opens in Denver as big firms look to smaller markets
Feb 24 (Reuters) - Reed Smith is opening an office in Denver, it said on Monday, becoming the latest large law firm to expand into a smaller legal market this year.
A spokesperson for Pittsburgh-founded Reed Smith, which has 1,600 lawyers, said the firm hired 20 lawyers, including 11 partners, from rival firms Akerman; Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck; Dentons; Foley Hoag; and Greenberg Traurig to launch the new office.
The partners' practices include corporate transactions, emerging technologies, insurance recovery, litigation and real estate, according to Reed Smith.
At least four other large out-of-state firms opened Denver offices last year, including Fennemore Craig, Frost Brown Todd, Venable and Vinson & Elkins. Another firm, Taft Stettinius & Hollister, opened in Denver and seven other U.S. Mountain West cities when Taft merged with regional firm Sherman & Howard on Jan. 1.
This year has already seen a handful of big national and global law firms hire groups from other firms to open new offices outside the largest U.S. legal markets of New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Reed Smith last month opened an office in Atlanta with a group of 37 lawyers, while Kirkland & Ellis opened in Philadelphia with five partners from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. London-founded Freshfields on Monday opened an office in Boston.
Launching in small-but-growing markets like Denver can help law firms expand their access to talent without the costs and challenges of competing in a larger city, legal industry consultants said.
Large law firms are searching for markets "that have not been thoroughly and entirely picked over," said consultant Bruce MacEwen of Adam Smith Esq. He also noted the COVID-19 pandemic showed that lawyers can work remotely and be successful.
"A lot of people want to live in Denver, which is part of why the talent base is strong," Zeughauser Group legal industry consultant Kent Zimmermann said.
