Reed Smith boosts PE team with 15 senior KWM hires

The firm has rehoused former KWM partners across three locations, growing its European team.

Reed Smith has hired 15 European private equity partners from struggling law firm King & Wood Mallesons. Seven partners moved in London and six in Paris; two partners joined in Frankfurt and Munich.

“The prominent reputation of the KWM Paris practice and these talented lawyers in competition, private equity and tax has had us chasing these lawyers for some time; we’re delighted to see our efforts come to fruition in such an exciting way”, said Tamara Box, Reed Smith’s managing partner for Europe and the Middle East.

US-based Reed Smith announced a total of 50 new hires from KWM, one of a number of law firms to hire in bulk as KWM’s European arm has gone into administration.

Goodwin Procter, another US-based firm, took on 26 partners in London.

KWM had issued legal proceedings against Goodwin, alleging it and a former partner poached a team of corporate lawyers in breach of their contracts. It is understood these proceedings have now been dropped.