Reed Smith enters Boston with PE-focused hires from US rivals

Reed Smith has launched a Boston office as it looks to deepen its presence in the US private capital market.

The office will blend a mix of transactional, regulatory and disputes expertise for clients including private equity sponsors, financial institutions and fund managers.

The launch team includes six partners hired from rivals including K&L Gates, White & Case, Goodwin, MoFo and McDermott. Weil’s former co-chair of private equity, Kevin J Sullivan, is also on board as a senior strategic adviser to the private equity practice. 

The team stands at 12 lawyers in total, with more partners expected to join 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 global managing partner Casey Ryan.

“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 new office will be the firm’s 34th globally, its 21st in the US, and its fourth opening in 14 months, with recent expansions reaching Atlanta, Denver and Riyadh.

Boston calling

The opening makes Reed Smith the latest in a growing cohort of firms which have moved into Boston in recent years, looking to capitalise on the city’s buoyant private equity market.

Freshfields opened an office in February last year, while private capital heavyweights Paul Hastings and Simpson Thacher both opened in 2024.